Plugging the Breach
ICS Daily Devotions
Job 1:10 (NKJV) Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
It was revealed in the Book of Job that the devil could not make any inroads to attack Job because God had put a hedge of protection around him, his family and his possessions. God was pleased with Job because he was a “blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:1). However, the same could not be said for his wife and children with respect to their lifestyles and walks before God. His children did evil and his wife even asked Job to curse God. Subsequently, Job’s wife and his children all died.
In the Old Testament, the hedge or wall would be lifted or broken whenever the people of God sinned against Him intentionally or followed other gods. The same applies to us today.
Isaiah 5:5 (NKJV) And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard:
I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; And break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
In this instance, the people of Israel went into bigotry, idolatry, and practised injustice in spite of God’s abundant love and care. God permitted the pagan invaders to trample over the nation when the hedge of protection and the walls came down. If the people of Israel had walked and abided in the laws and statues of God, none of the curses and the attacks by the enemies would have happened. We need to remember that God is just, righteous, and holy, and it is man’s acts of sin or rebelliousness that causes a hole or a gap to appear in the hedge or wall of protection, and the gap will allow the devil to make inroads to steal, kill and destroy us.
An intercessor is someone who stands in the gap or plugs the breach caused by the enemy. God is searching for people to intercede or stand in the gap whether in the Old Testament or New Testament. Prayer and intercession move God. It invokes Him to act! Therefore, when we know of a situation, we can choose to stand in the gap to intercede on behalf of someone or a country, so that there could be a change of action or intervention by God. When we are unaware of the situation, the Holy Spirit who is omniscient, will also nudge us to intercede for others—He will mobilise prayer warriors so that God can extend His mercy and grace to the people in need.
Sermon Series: Partnering in Prayer with God through Intercession
