The Gap

Phil, I have a word from God today. It's important from the moment, the hour in which we live in. What took place the last 15-20 minutes in this room was merely preparing our hearts and minds for the word it's about to be preached, or preached today specifically to the church. Appreciate all of our guests that are here with us today, and thank you for everyone who's tuned in online. We're so honored it's your part of our service today. I feel important to preach a word to the church God has laid in my heart for the hour in the moment in which we live.

September 1939, the German army launched an attack in neighboring Poland. The strategy was revolutionary in the history of warfare. Its effects were devastating. The Germans sent their tanks, referred to as Panzers, that were able to punch a hole into the Polish Army's defensive wall, and after they accomplished this, the artillery and infantry poured in through the gap and attacked, and they began to outflank and even come in behind. The fierceness of this attack was so sudden and effective that it became known in the German language as blitzkrieg, or in English and interpretation would simply mean lightning war.

The prophet Ezekiel, as he was being moved on, as the presence of God was prompting to take his pen and scroll and write these words in the 22nd chapter and the 30th verse, he simply wrote this: "And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." Let it not be said, and this hour in which we live, as we are closer than we have ever been to his soon returning, let it not be said that in sauer he sought for a man or a woman and he found none.

So I'm afraid the world is being lulled to sleep in the midst of chaos. I'm afraid how quickly events change, how fast the new cycles come at us, as seemingly one devastating event after another unfolds before us, that we are becoming numb and desensitized to the hour in which we live. And it's a dangerous place to be lulled to sleep, especially when the still small voice of the Savior is calling. He's calling for you and I to take our place, and for a few minutes today I simply preach the gap.

Holy Father, you're not seen rest on me strong right now, I pray, to step out of the way to allow you to do what you would like to do in this place. Help us to receive the word for this moment we're in. Draw us to where we need to be, in Jesus name.

The chapter in Ezekiel starts out by talking about a city that sheddeth blood. Reading through Ezekiel 22, the events that were transpiring and unfolding as the Prophet was being led by the spirit, the right sound a lot like the day and age in which we live in today. The city had become overrun with violence and all sorts of wickedness. They no longer had a respect or cared anything about something that was sacred or holy. It was no longer a need for proper family structure. Sexual immorality was rampant. Robbery was commonplace. All of this have caused the people of God to turn and walk away from him. They only acted in works. No relationship was there. Therefore God had given the city over to severe judgment and destruction. They were facing a sure onslaught from the Babylonian army, and God was searching for someone who would be a gap standard, someone who would fill in the position with a breach had taken place in the wall. His cry was simple. He was looking for one simple individual, one man or one woman, who would end up being an intercessor who could stand in the gap there to cause the city to be saved.

I find it amazing that it was just one that he was looking for. He wasn't trying to to put together in the army. He wasn't trying to put together an unbelievable overwhelming force, but he was simply looking for one individual who was willing to be sensitive to what he was trying to do, one person who was tuned in to the moving of the spirit, one person whose antenna was up to receive the signal that God was sending out. But we read these words, the strike the such--such heard and pain in my soul, when he says, "I found no man." In all of the city there was not one individual who was willing to be sensitive to what God was doing. If he could find one man or one woman, one intercessor who would stand in the gap to complete the hedge, his words were, "I will not destroy the city." For one, for just one, I will spare the family. I will spare the sons. I will spare the daughters. I will spare the friends. I will spare the neighbors. I will spare it all if I can find one person who's willing to stand and say, "I'll fill the gap." Standing in the gap is serious business. The Bible, God's Word says that the eyes of the Lord go to and fro looking for someone who will stand in the gap. When someone is away from God, when someone is back slid, when someone has not developed the relationship that they should have a guy with God, there is a gap between where he is and where they are. And what I feel to tell this church today is that God is calling for us to fill the gap in between him and those that have long gone away. Some have written our family members off, our friends, former members of this church, individuals that one time were so dedicated to God and had such an unbelievable relationship with him, they had powerful ministry to none, an overwhelming testimony, but through circumstances and decisions and in life, somewhere along the way they turned and they no longer listened to God. They have drifted afar off.

I'm wondering, is there anybody here today this still has a burden for the lost, at one time had a relationship with God? Is there anybody in this place that the hey, that still has family and friends and her away in a drift, that these still mentioned their name in prayer, that you haven't given up hope on them, even though it seems like they are as far away from God as they could possibly be? Is there anybody here who says, "I still stand in a gap for my family. I don't want to be lulled to sleep with all this going on. I don't want to miss my opportunity. If God has put the burden on me to be the one who stands in the position to make up the heads, God, don't let me drop the ball when you're asking me to do something"?

I'm 100 if there's moms and dads, aunts and uncles, friends, grandparents that are willing to pay the price of standing in the gap. I said that word on purpose, because it costs something to stand in the gap. It's not a highly coveted position. That's not something that's sought-after in our day and age. Not so in ancient days. Not so in their warfare, for to be a a gap stand there was something of pride and honor. The you were called on to fill in the breach where the enemy had an opportunity to overwhelm the army. It was something that people volunteered to do: "I'll be the one to stand in the gap. I'll be the one. If anybody's going to do it, let it be me." But not so much today.

I feel as though the practice of prayer is something we've just added to a list of things we check off on daily basis. It's not something that we understand is essential for this life, to know that I cannot move forward without prayer. I appreciate the things that we have in this church. I'm thankful for our new building, a sanctuary. I'm thankful for the technology that we have and the ability to be online around the world, and so thankful people are tuning in, and all those things are well and great. I'm so thankful for our talented musicians and singers who spend hours every week in practice and dedication. I'm so thankful for all the other ministries in this church. I could go on for a while, but I'm going to tell you this: it's all for nothing if we don't learn how to pray. It's all just a show if we don't learn how to get down on our knees and have a conversation with God, because he always reveals his will and his purpose and his plan through prayer.

If there's a place that's overwhelmed, if there's one room in this place that we should be constantly expanding, it should be the prayer room. If there's one place that is WeDo worn and well used, one place that were happening to replace the furniture in the carpet and repaint the walls, it should be the prayer room. If there's one place that everybody stops, no matter what, when they come to the house of God, mister prayer room. Not the coffee shop, that's a guest bar. Not the parking lot, but the prayer room. The prayer room. The prayer room. Why? Because it's in the prayer room where I stand in the gap. It's not a physical gap for me to feel in, but it's a spiritual gap for me to engage in. It's a burden that I wake up with at night. It's a place that I go because I know my family and my friends are depending on me to pull my shift, the gap.

We need to remember that the person that is not in a right relationship with God oftentimes doesn't have the faith to get back to where they need to be with God. There are a lot of good people who used to attend this church. They used to hold positions. There were people that I looked up to. There were people who made a difference in my life. But they're not here anymore. They're not a part of this congregation. They're not a part of it, any congregation where truth is being preached. And my heart hurts, and a heavy heaviness inside of me, this seemingly has been awakened in the course of events have taken place this year. Something is stirring deep down in pastor's soul. Something's keeping me awake. I'm not sleeping like I'm here to sleep. Something is there. It's knowing away at me, and I feel like the Spirit is telling me, is ours drawing here, and there's going to be so many who are going to think there where there need to be, but when the time comes my response is going to be, "depart, I don't know you."

Our student pastor Wesley preached a phenomenal message just a few weeks ago, an unreal message about asking, does God know you? Do you have a relationship where he knows you, where you can feel his presence moving, where you can understand his plan and purpose for your life? But I'm afraid some people, even in that very service that day, appreciated the move of the Spirit for the moment, but they walked out the doors, and since that time they have not done one thing to work on their relationship with God.

Sunday church is not something for us to just experience. This is here so that we can gain a better understanding of him. This isn't just about the right song playing in the right environment so that I feel a temporary moment of relief from the world and the and the evil and the stuff outside these walls, just so I can be a little better positioned to go out there and hopefully not stumble and fall. But it's for us to gain the ability and understanding of what God is calling us to do, calling us to do, calling us to do. Not calling pastor, not calling a ministerial staff, but calling us as a church. There's a call that is there for every man, woman and child. Every one of us have a all that God has for us, and people that he's calling us to sometimes like faith to get into a right relationship with him.

And I'm wondering if we're willing to pay the price so that it can take place. Are we willing to do our part so that they can have an opportunity in a chance? Are we willing to play our part? What price is a church willing to pay to reach the loss that we know of? What price is just church willing to pray to pay to reach the loss that are in Martha's world? We can do this by fasting and praying and exercise in our faith, but I'm telling you, the most important is prayer. The most important is prayer.

People are in distress, and God's looking for a man or a woman to stand in the gap in our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our cities, in our towns, in our nation, in our school, in every corner of the world. He's looking for somebody somewhere who's willing to say, "I'll do my part. I'll stand in the gap. I'll pray. I'll do what I can," to push it past themselves and self motives, to understand that there's more to this life, this apostolic lifestyle, than just dressing apart and looking apart and attending conferences and churches. There's so much more to it there, and so much more than just my tongues experience in the altar. I'm thankful for that. It's more than just me being baptized in Jesus name in that baptistry, but those things were to equip me, were to prepare me, that he's calling me to fill a gap.

I wonder what would happen, what would happen in this church, what kind of, what kind of overwhelming force could we set in motion if we all bought in completely with the understanding of, I have a part to play, that I have something that I'm responsible for. It's not just about me putting the suit on and showing up in church from time to time so that I'm being a good example for those in my family, but that me, I have an obligation to build my relationship with God on a daily basis. What would happen if we all bought in, and we all felt the weight, and we all understood just how and it is for me to be apart, for me to stand in the gap that God has called me, the God has purposed something for me? How would it make a difference? What kind of an impact would it make if we all bought in?

Every news account shows us just how broken this world is. Humanity is weak, vulnerable and in danger, and if no one stands in the gap for him it's gonna be a catastrophe. Ladies and gentlemen, this is not a black or white problem. It's not a socio-economic problem. This problem isn't affecting some of us, but it's affecting every one of us. It affects our hopes. It affects our dreams. It affects our fears. It affects our bodies. It affects our minds. We got to get a hold of God. We got to do our part. We got to reach out to those that around this. And I want to get a hold of God from some marriages in this church. I want to get a hold of God for some families in this church. I want to get a hold of God for some people that are struggling with a carnality and they're hung up in this world. I want to get a hold of people that are bound by drugs and addictions. I want to do my part to stand in the gap, because it's my responsibility too. We got to get a hold of God and pay the price for the loved ones did we have. You have the ability, is an apostolic individual, to reach out and grab the hand of God and to reach as far as you can and grab ahold of that lost loved one, a friend, and you stand between those two worlds, and in prayer you do your best to try to unite them. You plead the blood of Jesus. You claim every promise that's in that book over them. You called their name out over and over again, and what you're doing is you're trying your best to unite those two worlds together. You could be the very one that's responsible for bringing somebody back if you're willing to stand in the gap until it happens. But you have to be willing. You have to be willing. You have to be ready to sacrifice. You have to be ready to push some stuff aside to do your part. What price are you willing to pay? What price would you give for a loss?

We need to be people that are willing to pray for the lost, that are willing to pray for the church, that are willing to pray for the pastor and the leadership of this church. We can't be the only ones trying to do the frontline work. At some point I need you to come along beside me in prayer. I need you to come alongside me and what we're trying to do around here. I need you to come along and say, "I'm willing to do my part to stand in the gap, because I have lost loved ones to."

Genesis 18 and 19 gives an account of Abraham. It's a beautiful picture of a man who was willing to stand in the gap for his family. He stood there for the city of Sodom, which is ripe for destruction because of their in morality, their destruction. They've given themselves over to all the deflesh desired. Righteousness had collapsed. I'm not talking about an economic decline, because when there's an economic decline people start to pray. You empty out their pocketbooks, people will fill the altars. This wasn't about an economic decline. This was about a moral decline. There was a spiritual collapse. And when people collapse morally and spiritually, it's the worst collapse that can happen. I'm afraid we're experiencing the aftershock of the moral and spiritual to cloud collapse in our country. Make no mistake, ladies and gentlemen, destructions on its way.

I'm not a doomsday prophet. I never have been, never will be. I'm an optimistic guy, always. I'm glass half-full, always. Drives my wife nuts. I'm always the guy, "yeah it'll happen." I'm telling you, something's stirring in me. Stir, I know me, an elections not going to change this. Politicians, this, a new Congress, a new Senate, it's not gonna change this. Okay, the only thing that's gonna make a difference is when those who say they have a relationship of God get down to the serious business of talking in that relationship to God.

I'm afraid we're growing so comfortable in Babylon, so comfortable in our life. There's no longing for heaven. When's the last time, when's the last time you really prayed, "come quickly Lord"? When's the last time that was your prayer? When's the last time you fell on your knees and you didn't move until the the pillow or the cushion or wherever you were at that you made an altar was so so saturated with your tears, and your only purpose and focus in that prayer was, "I need you to come back. I have to have you come back. There nothing in this world that I won't anymore. I won't you." Has that been your prayer? How long has it been since you prayed? Have you ever prayed that prayer? Have you ever been so hungry to be with him that you are willing to walk away from everything, and you prayed with honesty and sincerity and said, "please come quickly"? That's what I feel. So what I feel inside of me is, "please come quickly Lord, come quickly. I don't want to be caught up in the comforts and conveniences that are in this life. I don't want to be low to sleep. I don't want to be caught not fulfilling what I'm supposed to do because I'm happy with how everything is going on in my world. I'm willing to be tolerant to the point then I'm okay with stuff that I know goes directly against the Word of God." I know it's quiet, for our figure this, for the Holy Ghost is revealed into me. Some of you won't ever pray that prayer, and it's because of that that he is pushing time forward.

I'm telling you, I'm telling you, you have a window with an opportunity. Nobody preaches, we had a conversation or a house, but there's definitely preaching about rapture anymore. It's alarming, the statistics of people who are Protestant Christians who don't believe in a rapture . What's wrong with you? How did you get so misplaced? How are you so far out of the Word of God that you don't understand? He said, "I'm gone to prepare a place for you. I will come back for you." If this is heaven, it's the biggest farce that ever took place. Surely it's better than this. But some of you are happy, he no hito he see Adama you athaliah he Katya Senayan Armand Dorian Daniel almost rotary Katya Mundi Daria Thomas Oh Toria. Tell me there's a spirit move and in this latter day to try to deceive the very elect themselves. And I'm telling you, he is coming back, and you better be ready. You better be prepared. You better stand in the gap or you're supposed to be. If you have loved ones that you want to be sure they go to heaven, you better be willing to stand in that spot where you know there's a weakness. You better be willing to get up in the middle of night. You better be willing to pay a price.

Some of you who lived in this American society your whole life, and you have, you have bought into this lie that everybody gets a trophy. Whoever else have my notes, but I feel in the Holy Ghost to move right now. Hey, everybody don't get a trophy. I don't care what the world does. I don't care what Little Leaguer, Girl Scouts, I don't care what they do. God doesn't operate that way. He's very specific in the things that he has spelled out and laid out in his scriptures, and what it is he is expecting of you and I. And I thank God for grace every day. But you've heard me say many times, grace is the most abused elastic word in the English language. To understand grace is to understand that Calvary set the bar, and I must be willing to bear my cross, to sacrifice at all.

Some of you are praying that God's gonna grade on the curve. Listen, I'm not gonna pretend to be God, because I'm not. And there's some things in life I can't explain. There's some circumstances that go on that I have no words for. There are some situations where we have lost dear people presses to us, that there's then. I know some of you have uncertainty. "I don't know what to do." I'm gonna tell you then they, this is what I do: I fall on the hands of a merciful God. I know he tire him Iacono, I see his your thought. I am NOT preaching to the dead, but I am preaching to the living in this room. I don't care, I don't have any who you know more. I don't have any sway over those who have already passed away, but I give an account for every word I speak to those that are breathing right now. And I'm telling you, when, as much warning as I can give you, he is coming back for you, and I hope you are ready. I pray that you already. I won't everything inside of me to do everything I can to tell you to be ready for him, you.