What does it mean to partner with God in prayer? I was a sophomore in college who had been challenged to read the entire Bible in a year using a daily reading plan. I came across this verse in Ezekiel, “And I searched for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found no one.”
I was stunned. How could this be? How could there be no one on the entire earth to respond to the Living God? I just could not believe it. I was so disturbed by this verse that I jumped up from the floor where I had been sitting and went for a walk around the campus.
God’s Looking for a Prayer Partner
My first lap around the campus, I was processing the fact that the God of the universe was looking for a man to help him. Why? If He’s God, why not just take care of it Himself?
My second lap around the campus, I was processing the fact – for whatever reason the God of heaven and earth was looking to partner with man, but there was literally no one to respond. This was really hard to comprehend! It seems that if God wanted to partner with someone, there would be a line of people with their hands up saying, “I will! I will!” Yet there was no one. I literally could not make sense of this!
God’s Looking for One Person to Agree with Him
My third lap around the campus, I was letting this verse settle into my very soul. For some reason, God was reaching out to man to partner with Him. Man was not responding. Was I willing to respond? It said he was looking for a man, but I’m not a man.
It said He was looking for one – someone. I could be a one. Yes, I could respond to God and partner with Him – whatever that meant. I really didn’t understand what it meant, but I was willing to walk with Him in the matter.
After returning to my apartment, I knelt on my bedroom floor and told the Lord that ‘I could be a one’ – I was available to Him because I didn’t want the land to be destroyed.
Here Am I
Another verse from Luke arrested me, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” When God looked on the earth, I wanted to be ‘one’ standing in faith. I didn’t want God to be disappointed with man on the earth like He had been when He destroyed the earth with a flood. When God looked at the earth, I wanted Him to smile because there were people who were standing in agreement with Him on behalf of the land.
This began my exciting adventure of walking with God in intercession.
2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”
Action: Are you willing to partner with God? Are you willing to stand in the gap before God for the people of the earth?
Prayer: Dear Lord, I am willing to be ‘one’. I am willing for You to lead me in prayer on behalf of other people. Fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit, and lead me in prayer from the place of being seated with You in the heavenly places; calling for Your Kingdom to come and Your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
Scripture References: Ezekiel 22:30; Luke 18:8; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Luke 18:8; 2 Chronicles 16:9
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