Stand in the Gap: Becoming God’s Warriors

A warrior is a man who bravely commits to the lifelong journey of becoming the man god created him to be. He is dedicated to growth, willing to face his wounds, honest about his struggles, and committed to living with integrity, purpose, and faith. The warrior knows that true strength is not in domination, but in surrendering to God, taking responsibility for himself, and then serving others. Yeah. This warrior realizes that his enemy is the devil, and his own flesh at times wars against the purpose god has placed within his soul. Therefore, he is equipped and empowered and allows himself to be positioned by god, prepares himself for the real battle on the right battlefield. [00:26:03] (67 seconds)  #BecomingAWarrior

And he was in search of someone because he wanted healing to come and not destruction. without people in position to stand in the gap, destruction is inevitable. And healing isn't an option because God chooses to heal through God's people. So Ezekiel ended up being a foreshadowing of God coming himself to fill in the gap through Jesus Christ. If we're shoulder to shoulder, we don't leave room for Jesus. hear me? It's not in our own strength. It's not in our ability. It's not because we have numbers. It's not because of what you have in the bank account. It's not based on our credentials and our collective social capital. All those things are wonderful, but unless we leave room for Jesus to fill in all the spaces. [00:44:11] (79 seconds)  #LeaveRoomForJesus

Because the only people who can stand in the gap are folk who recognize the gaps within themselves. Seeing there are times where people will say, pastor, I don't know how you do it, but I know they're looking at one of the cracks that now has some gold in it. when when when when you see somebody exemplifying Christian character, you see them staying faithful, understand that you're looking at the crack that now has been replaced with some gold. In other words, what you see is not me. What you see is not my strength. What you see is not my ability. It's the blood of the lamb that poured over me and filled in the gaps within my own soul. [00:31:42] (58 seconds)  #GoldInTheCracks

Standing in the gap will cause you to get some enemies. Standing in the gap will cause folk to talk about you. Standing in the gap will cause people to betray you. Standing in the gap will cause folk to throw darts at you. Standing in the gap makes you a target for the enemy, but you're not doing it for your mama. You're not doing it for your father. You're not doing it for your friend. You're not doing it for your sorority or fraternity. You're doing it for God alone. Don't get me wrong. It's okay. It's okay. You want these relationships you wanna engage, but they can't be your why. [00:21:14] (39 seconds)  #StandForGodAlone

That cracked pot, that broken vessel that other people would say was useless because it could no longer hold anything, and a pot that can't hold anything is a worthless, valueless vessel. What the artist would do, what the potters would do is they would take those broken pieces and they would use as glue. And they would connect the broken pieces back together, and the gaps were filled now with gold. So that now it's more valuable after being broken and being put back together than it was before it was dropped. serve a god who is the great potter who wants to take the broken pieces of your life, start pouring value in between the cracks and connecting you so that he can make you more valuable because of what you've been through than before you went through it. [00:28:32] (81 seconds)  #MadeNewByThePotter

Oh, I don't know about you, but I wanna show up in church and be made uncomfortable because if I'm made comfortable, then I'm not going to worship the way I should because there are some things in me that are crooked that need to be made straight. And if I go out of here crooked the same way that I came in, then I'm not going to be empowered to help anybody. I want the lord to convict me. I want the lord to cleanse me. I want the lord to change me. I show up saying, god, give me a word. But no. No. No. No. They distorted the word of God. They made worship common and comfortable. [00:09:15] (49 seconds)  #UncomfortableWorship

This warrior does not abandon us in our time of need, but is ever present whenever we need him and even when we don't because there's nothing that can separate us from his love because he's a loving warrior. He never abandons his post. He's always there and always right on time. Even the end of every battle, he sees it before it even begins. God, the warrior, turns victory out of the hands of defeat. God, the warrior, fights battles that I cannot fight. God over the overthrows strongholds, breaks chains, silences the enemy, and strengthens the weak. Do you know about God the warrior? [00:05:18] (46 seconds)  #GodTheLovingWarrior

because there are times where god's going to send you into a gap and you feel like you're the only one standing there. And if you're the only one standing there and you're waiting for somebody to pat you on your back, you're waiting for somebody to appreciate what you're doing standing in that gap, You're waiting for letters and cards and affirmations. You're waiting for Facebook posts and Instagram posts. You're waiting for somebody to acknowledge you. You're waiting for Live five News to show up and interview you. You're waiting for CNN to do a feature on you. If you're waiting for man to celebrate your gap position, a warrior says, god, I'm not doing it for accolades. I'm doing it for your glory. [00:22:20] (57 seconds)  #NoAccoladesJustGod

because there are times where god's going to send you into a gap and you feel like you're the only one standing there. And if you're the only one standing there and you're waiting for somebody to pat you on your back, you're waiting for somebody to appreciate what you're doing standing in that gap, You're waiting for letters and cards and affirmations. You're waiting for Facebook posts and Instagram posts. You're waiting for somebody to acknowledge you. You're waiting for Live five News to show up and interview you. You're waiting for CNN to do a feature on you. If you're waiting for man to celebrate your gap position, a warrior says, god, I'm not doing it for accolades. I'm doing it for your glory. [00:22:19] (58 seconds)