PRAYER is COMBAT in the heavenly realms, projecting a scorched-earth
policy against evil…
Senator John McCain once told of being
imprisoned in North Vietnam with Lt. Commander Mike Christian and 30 to 40
other men in a large room. Eventually they were allowed a few basic amenities
such as packages from home.
As packages were opened, Mike Christian would
save bits of cloth to make a small American flag out of the scraps with a
homemade bamboo needle. He finished up by sewing it inside of his blue pajama
top.
Each night before bed, Mike would display the
pajama-top flag and the men would all salute it, quietly reciting the Pledge of
Allegiance. For McCain and the other men this became one of the day’s few
inspiring moments.
One evening during their salute a guard caught
them; discovered that the pajama top flag belonged to Mike Christian. The
guards took him away to be tortured. When they brought him back and dumped him
on the concrete floor, McCain could see that Mike lay motionless in a bloody,
swollen lump. They all feared the worst, until the lump began to slowly move
again.
Under the dim, naked light bulb, Mike Christian
began gathering more scraps for another flag.
True warriors fight on despite torture because
they’re committed to an ideal greater than themselves. AND true prayer warriors
will endure any hardship so they can win battles in those silent hours of
intense intercession.
True prayer is war, an all-out
assault against Satan’s corrupting influence in this world. This kind of prayer
projects a scorched-earth policy against the devil’s kingdom, and will not rest
until God is enthroned in every heart.
This is exactly how Jesus prayed. Sometimes we
have trouble grasping the full power of his prayer life, because to him, it was
war for the souls and hearts of men.
Several times he prayed all night long (Luke
6:12; 9:28-37; Matthew 14:23-25). He prayed till the sweat flowed as great
drops of blood (Luke 22:44). He prayed with “loud crying and tears” (Hebrews
5:7). His prayers weren’t the weak, dispassionate mumblings we call prayer.
And the early church had the same approach. As James
wrote his letter to the churches, he took fully one-fourth of the verses to
stimulate passionate praying. Paul spoke of striving in prayer for Christians
he had never met and he praised Epaphras for wrestling in prayer for the church
back home. (Colossians 2:1 & 4:12).
Church; Christians, it’s time for us to stop
playing “Prayer-Games” and declare War. The victory against Satan is ours if we
pray without ceasing, (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and overcome evil by doing good (Romans
12:21).
DAILY Putting on God’s Armor:
Prepare for battle in prayer daily, by
putting on the armor of God, we read about in Ephesians 6:10-18 ...
Heavenly
Father, Your Warrior prepares for Battle.
Today I claim
victory over Satan by putting on the whole armor of God!
Lord, I give
you my will; submit today to your will; I give you my body, mind and
soul. Oh Lord you are in control of me today.
I give up
myself; my selfishness to you oh God in heaven.
I pray for
protection around my mind; may I take every thought captive for Christ.
Christ does
not give me a spirit of fear but a spirit of peace and a sound mind that I am
thinking clearly about my walk with You –
Oh God YOU
are my shelter and provider…
YOU are my
friend in a dark world - --
YOU shed the
light of peace upon me…no matter what I go through today, You and I together
can face it because you live in me.
The very
Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me and because of that I know
where my strength comes from, Thank you Jesus!
I put on the
breastplate of righteousness! May it guard my heart from evil so I will
remain pure, holy and protected under the blood of Jesus Christ.
Thank You,
Christ Jesus for what you did for me on the cross; taking my sins; sufferings
and diseases to the cross.
May I be a
welcoming environment for your leading in my life today. Thank you for the
victory you’ve provided over Satan.
By Faith I
put on the restraint of Truth; may my life today be motivated by truth; my
heart love truth. May I be motivated by what is righteous (right) and
refuse that which is evil.
Thank you for
the imputed righteousness of Christ; because Christ was sinless and has given me
His righteousness, now I can I stand firm in the truth of your word so I will
not become a victim of Satan’s lies.
By Faith I
put on the shoes of peace. May I stand firm in the Good News of the Gospel so
Your peace will shine through me and be a light to all I encounter. Today
may I be a peace maker not a trouble maker.
By Faith I
take up the shield of Faith; may I trust your word today and not add any fuel
to Satan’s darts. Thank you that I can go into this day without fear.
Make me ready for Satan’s fiery darts of doubt, denial and deceit so I will not
be vulnerable to spiritual defeat.
By Faith I
put on the Helmet of Salvation; may I have my mind focused on You so Satan will
not have a stronghold on my thoughts; may I remember today that Jesus is coming
again; help me to live in the future tense.
By Faith I
take up the Sword of the Spirit! May the two-edged sword of Your Word be
ready in my hands so I can expose the tempting words of Satan. Protect my
mind from discouragement and despair. Fill my mind with your swords
(Rhema –personal word from God through His Holy Bible (His Word), and the Holy
Spirit through prayer).
By Faith I
have put on the armor of God today; may this be a day of victory!
In Jesus Name,
by the power of His Resurrection, and help of the Holy Spirit,
AMEN
Note: The prayer and article are based on Ephesians 6:10-18, 2 Corinthians 10:4-6, 2 Corinthians 10:5, 2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 8:26, Romans 8:11, Luke 6:12; 9:28-37; Matthew 14:23-25, Luke 22:44, Hebrews 5:7, Colossians 2:1 & 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Romans 12:21
