First and Last Rule of Engagement
Spiritual Warfare • Sermon • Submitted
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· 51 viewsIn Spiritaul Warfare this is one rule which needs to be appropreated before and after each battle: Prayer
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Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones, a well know 20th Century Welsh Protestant Preacher wrote: “There is no grosser or greater misrepresentation of the Christian message than that which depicts it as offering a life of ease with not battle and struggle at all… sooner or later every believer discovers that the Christian life is a battleground, not a playground.”
Our World is in a Battle. One that we cannot see and at times seems impossible to be victorious in. It is a battle for the soul of each and every person. God has a plan and made it clear to us what it is through prophets and the scriptures (Bible). His plan included the sacrifice of Jesus who willing gave his life for us, a sinful people, that our sins might be forgiven and our souls saved for eternity. ()
Satan is the Enemy… He is in the business of trying to destroy our walk with God and the way God has planned for all people to know peace in their lives.
We talked about some of his schemes last week… deception (lying is his native language), division (A house divided cannot stand), derision (putting you down or you putting others down), and distractions (things that keep us away from focusing on what really matters - Eternity). This week we are going to talk about the “First and Last Rule of Engagement” - Prayer - that which takes place behind the scene of the battle.
One of my go to passages in scripture when it come to spiritual warfare is found in the book of
The King of Aram was at war with the King of Israel. Every plan the King of Aram made against Israel, the prophet Elisha would warn the King of Israel, which would lead to his safety. The King of Aram became infuriated when he found out that Elisha was able to thwart all his plans, so he sent a group of soldiers to capture him. When they arrived the servant of Elisha saw them and became fearful wondering how he and Elisha could stand against them. Elisha prayed…
17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Then Elishas prayed that the Lord would strike the enemy with blindness, which he did. Elisha sent them down the road in their blindness to Samaria. After they entered the city, Elisha prayed for the Lord to open their eyes so they could see where they were.
The Prayer of the Prophet was first to open the eyes of his servant. What did he see? A vast army of God’s angels all around them to protect them.
Pray… God open our eyes that we may see you; know you. Open our ears that we may hear you and know your ways. Help is to genuinely be resolved to make you Lord of our lives and to fight the battle against Satan in your power and might; by your Holy Spirit.
In we read
7 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.
7 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.
The Power is God. Last week we talked about verse 10 “Be strong in the Lord and the Power of His might.” That power is not based one what we can do, but what God has done and will do in your life as you put your faith in Him. When we stand in Christ; He is us, then we are prepared to put on the Armor of God… (verse 14-17)
After that he says in
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Prayer is not the last thing we need to do in Spiritual Warfare, but it is the first and last rule of Engagement.
Paul says “Pray in the Spirit on ‘All’ occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”
What is prayer?
What is prayer?
Let’s begin by defining prayer.
• The dictionary defines prayer as “a request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God.”
• The word used here speaks of “general requests made to God.”
• So, if we take that definition, and I think they are pretty good, prayer is simply “talking to God.”
Another way of looking at prayer is “the breath of a redeemed soul, exhaling its needs and its worship toward God.”
This idea of prayer being the breath of the soul was in Martin Luther’s mind when he said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”
Mahatma Gandhi, who was not a Christian, but a Hindu who prayer to his gods, said this about prayer, “Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” While Gandhi was wrong about the gods he worshiped, he was right about prayer.
We can pray anywhere, at anytime, about anything, and in any posture. That is what prayer is.
This passage also tells us when we should pray. Paul says, “praying always”. The word “always” carries the idea of “at all times, in all seasons, at every opportunity”.
That is what prayer is. This passage also tells us when we should pray. Paul says, “praying always”. The word “always” carries the idea of “at all times, in all seasons, at every opportunity”.
To pray “always” means that we live in a constant awareness of God and His presence.
• To pray “always” means that the soul is ever reaching up toward God.
• To pray “always” means that we see everything and every experience as a kind of prayer to God.
• When we are tempted we call on Him, asking for hIs help.
• When we see sin and wickedness, we call on Him to work in the situation to make it right and to work it out for His glory.
• When we see something beautiful, we give thanks to God for that.
• When we enter a time of trouble, we look to God for help and deliverance.
• When we weep, we lean on God for support.
• When we are happy, we lift our hearts to God in thanksgiving.
• When we meet a lost sinner, we ask the Lord to convict them and save them. We also ask for His help to witness to them.
When life is lived in this way, it becomes an ever-ascending prayer to the Lord. There will be times when we get alone with God to pray. Most of the time, however, our lives should be a continual exhalation of the soul breathing out its love for, and its dependence upon, God.
The Content of our Prayer…
The Content of our Prayer…
Let me briefly talk about the Position in prayer...
The Bible speaks of people raising their hands to God in prayer; crying out in a loud voice to God; Kneeling before God; people fell prostrate before God - flat on their face. People Singing praise to God. The simple point is, the position of the Body doesn’t matter; it is the position of the heart!
300 Quotations for Preachers from the Puritans Prayer Is Only Lovely When the Heart Is in It
Prayer is only lovely and weighty as the heart is in it, and no otherwise. It is not the lifting up of the voice, nor the wringing of the hands, nor the beating of the breasts, nor an affected tone, nor studied motions, nor seraphical expressions, but the stirrings of the heart that God looks at in prayer. God hears no more than the heart speaks. If the heart be dumb, God will certainly be deaf. No prayer takes with God, but that which is the travail of the heart.
THOMAS BROOKS
‘All Kinds of Prayers’
There are times when we pray for people not knowing exactly what they might need. (i.e. Missionaries - Kenny Danielson in Warroad)
The Lord may bring someone to mind… you may have no idea what is happening in their life, but you pray for them. Then you call them and find out that there was an illness or an accident or the loss of a loved one. That leads us to praying more specifically which becomes a request!
Then there are times when we know exactly what they need (Specifics - Requests)
On our prayer sheet we share requests that people make. We pray, trusting in God to meet those needs. That is why we ask specifically.
If there is an illness we can pray specifically - then let each other know!
If there is a financial need we can pray specifically - don’t be afraid to ask for help - on the flip side, remember that God knows our needs and get to praying about it.
If there is burden we can pray specifically...
All prayers are to made to God in faith believing in Him, trusting in His ways, and leaving the results in His hands.
Pauls says to pray for ‘All the Saints’
One of my greatest challenges in prayer is ‘Consistency’ I know what I should do, but I do not always do it. A few weeks ago, Dennis Rude taught our SS class and spoke on prayer… he gave some ideas as to how and what to pray for...
Work at finding what works for you! Is it praying through the Church directory? is it keeping a prayer journal?
I bought this little prayer journal. I will open it at my desk at home or in the office and look at requests i’ve made and answers God has given. I made a list of people to pray for on each day of the week. I bought one for my wife Bonnie to use.
I also have an e-mail sent to me every day from Prime Time with God info@primetimewithgod.org It has a pray for the day that love to read. Here is one for teachers...
Dear Loving Father in Heaven,
Today I lift up all teachers to you.
I pray for your anointing upon their lives, their work, their ministries.
Please give them wisdom, knowledge, guidance, patience, love, protection, understanding, insight and everything they need to be a positive life-changing influence upon those they teach.
I pray that you will keep them safe from all harm and evil.
Please bring to their minds the lessons and information they need to teach and the ability to do what is good, right, and best in every situation.
I pray that each one will see their profession and calling as teachers, not as a job, but as an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of their students and to always show your love to others.
Please help them to be salt and light for You in this world.
May they rely on your strength and grace each and every day to accomplish that which you would have them do.
Bless all teachers, Father, as your servants.
And may they be a blessing to all others with whom they work and teach.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.
What do we think about when we Pray?
One pastor spoke on the Assumptions of prayer stating in prayer, one believes ‘God is Real.’ He is in Control, He is intelligent, powerful, and personable being .
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
IN prayer, one believes God loves them and cherishes them; He is interested in the welfare of his children...
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
In Pryer we must come to a point where we humbly acknowledge that we need God.
23 Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own;
it is not for them to direct their steps.
We need his providential care… He will meet all our needs
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
In Prayer we know that God hears us...
The ears of God are open to the prayers of the righteous
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Our righteousness comes from God. We are called to live a righteous life. If we feel God is not answering our prayers, then we simply need to ask him to search our hearts to see if there is any wickedness in us and then ask him to lead us in a righteous life, repenting of our sins and turning to follow him.
In prayer we believe God draws near to us
8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
God eagerly desires to meet our needs and to guide us in life.
In prayer we believe God answers us...
God answers all proper prayers…
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
God answers prayers in different ways...
Withholds the answer
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Delays answers
7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
Then there was the request from the sisters of Lazarus who was sick and died. jesus waited 2 days before he went to see them. But by then he was dead. Jesus said
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
God waits for a purpose… we cannot always see it, but he does have a purpose.
in Spiritual warfare we do not know all that goes on behind the scenes, but God asks us to put our faith in Who He is; he asks us to trust in Him; He asks us to pray in the Spirit, by faith in “ALL” things.
God knows what is best… when we believe Him and trust in that, then you will find daily peace and rest in the midst of the Battle.
We often pray for revival in the church… for many people i think they believe they are going to see extraordinary things happen in ways that they have never seen before. Which is true. However, God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary… In His book, Old Paths, New Power Daniel Henderson writes this … ‘Revival” means to live in a new way. new power springs from the old paths of New Testament life and leadership.
God’s people are awakened to the sufficiency and supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. In short, they are awakened to Christ - the supremacy of His power, the obligation of His purposes, and the potency of His promises and His indwelling presence to accomplish all the above. Pastor J. D. Greear has noted:
In an awakening, the Spirit of God does not typically do a “New” thing; he simply pours greater power upon the “normal” things faithful Christians are already doing. Prayers become more intense; worship becomes more joyous; repentance becomes more sorrowful; and the preached Word yields greater effect. The Spirit of God multiplies the effectiveness of our “normal” work of seed-planting, bring a bountiful harvest. And he does more in a moment than we can accomplish in a lifetime.”
As you pray… Believing… trusting… trust God to help you daily through your spiritual battles; make every effort to pray for his will to be done and for you to do the work he called you to do. Each day you will have various struggles, but remember the words of scripture… Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Prayer is not an escape from the thorny predicaments of life. Prayer is an engagement with the One and only true God who has the wisdom, direction, power, and unifying grace to enable us to address the concerns we have as opportunities - opportunities for God’s glory, as they are manifest through our human weakness. Daniel Henderson
Daniel Henderson
