Ezekiel 22:30
reads, "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."
This word came to me in 1983:
"I am looking for a man," says the Lord, "who will stand
in the gap for Me. One who will battle the enemy on behalf of the Church. One who will
dare to put on the full armor of God, the full battle array, and be all that I require of
him to be.
"I require much of this man. More than he could ever hope to be in
and of himself.
"I require him to be holy.
"I require of him to be pure in heart.
"I require him to be loving and humble and gentle and wise and
strong.
"I require him to be knowledgeable of My word and perfectly
obedient to it.
"I require of him the high praises of God.
"I require of him prayer, the kind that ascends to My throne room
where I can answer in power and might.
"I require of him perfect obedience to all that I say for him to
do: to go where I say go, to do what I say do, and be what I say be.
"I require of him faith, the kind that moves mountains.
"I require of him to lay down his life for others, to prefer
others above himself, to give no thought for tomorrow or for his life.
"I require of him to be different, peculiar, elusive,
misunderstood, despised by many, hated, persecuted, abused; and amidst it all I require
that he turn the other cheek.
"I require of him mercy.
"I require of him power to cast out demons, to heal the sick, to
set the captives free, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
"I require of him to be perfectly conformed to the image of My
Son, whose name is above every name in heaven, on earth, and beneath the earth.
"I require him to be just like Jesus.
"I not only require all of this from him, but I will also give him
the ability to meet these requirements. I give him Jesus.
"If he will only turn to Me with a whole heart, abandon everything
else in his heart, make Jesus Lord of his life, I will deposit the very life of Jesus in
his heart through My Holy Spirit; and then I will have found the man I've been looking
for. And he will stand in the gap for Me."