Standing in the Gap -Study guide
Paul tells us that the first priority of a Christian assembly is prayer and mentions intercession, meaning “to come in between.” The intercessor stands in the gap. They lift their hands to God saying, “These deserve Your judgment and Your punishment; but if You do this, You have to punish me first, because I am standing in the gap.”
There are 4 conditions for intercessors. They have:
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An absolute conviction of God’s righteousness.
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A deep concern for God’s glory/reputation.
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An intimate relationship with God.
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A ‘holy boldness.’ Discuss these conditions as a small group or split into 4 groups, getting each group to discuss one
condition and what it means, then come back together to share.
Read aloud: Exodus 32:7-12; 30-32; and
Numbers 16:41-48
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What moves you to stand between God and the
unrighteous? Remember, even though Moses and Aaron were criticized, they still interceded.
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What’s your attitude towards those who mistreat or don’t understand you? Consider interceding for them. Intercession does not have to be convoluted and ‘deep’. God is interested in the small and the big.
Could you be the one needed to stand in the gap?
• Encourage people to write in their journals 3 areas in which they think intercession is needed, e.g. for someone with cancer, someone’s salvation, or even for the sale of a house! Anything at all. The more impossible it seems, all the more reason to intercede!
• Now with felt pens, each person is to write at least one of these areas or topics on the large piece of paper which becomes a group topic to intercede for.
Intercession has no set process, but one
of the conditions of intercession is being
intimate with God.
• It may help to put on some worship music, to pray in tongues for a time, or to read your Bible before praying. Try these out, or whatever method of prayer works for you... it may feel awkward at first, but that doesn’t mean that it’s wrong, it’s just different.
Pray: together for the intercession topics on the paper.
• Remind each person that this is about being led to pray with holy boldness and not to worry about getting each topic ‘ticked off’, but rather seeking God and ‘standing in the gap’ for the topic. Stay focused on each topic until all who wish to, have prayed.
It’s also effective to pray out loud as individuals and as each person prays, the others agree in prayer. Matt. 18:19-20: “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”
