Understanding Spiritual Warfare “Life is a Battle”

The Connection of Prayer in Spiritual Warfare

Intro:

In our last session, we learned the importance of the Word of God in spiritual warfare and that we must stay submitted to the Word to defeat the enemy and be victorious in our lives. Reading the word is vital to our spiritual growth. It is the Word that determines how far we can go with God.

This session we are going to see the connection of prayer in spiritual warfare. You need the Word of God to be engaged in this battle, you also need to pray.

Matt 7:7

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

GREEK> aiteo (ahee-teh'-o); of uncertain derivation; to ask (in genitive case):

KJV - ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.

The Word and Prayer

1. Prayer is based on the Word of God.

John 15:7-8

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

a. Jesus says: If His words (the Word of God) abides in you, you will ask (pray for) what you desire, and it will be done for you. The Word is the foundation of prayer.

b. The purpose of prayer is that you go and bear fruit that remains.

This is the connection: the abiding Word in you and your prayer. These two brings the results.

John 15:16-17

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

Notice our desires are formed or shaped by the Word of God. It is out of our desires which are shaped by the Word of God that we pray. Another way it is prayer comes out of our desires which come from the Word of God being active in our lives.

We cannot separate the Word of God from prayer, nor prayer from the Word of God.

My point is this: Prayer must be based on the Word. The Word is a sure foundation. It is vital to know the Word being a Christian.

2 Peter 1:3-4

as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

We are given these promises in the Word to grow in the very nature of God. This is the remaining fruit Jesus mentioned in John 15:8.

Whatever situation you’re going through, find out what the Word says about it, and the promise connected to it and that’s what you pray. You pray the promise of the Word. You faith will stand in the Word and in God.

Everything we need in this life, we will find in the Word. And through prayer it will manifest.

The Enemy

There is a devil, and he’s out to destroy your life or get you to do it.

Ezek 28:11-16

11 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

12 "Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord God: "You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes Was prepared for you on the day you were created.

14 "You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.

15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.

16 "By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, and you sinned; Therefore, I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.

Isa 14:12-17

12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!

13 For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'

15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.

16 "Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,

17 Who made the world as a wilderness And destroyed its cities, Who did not open the house of his prisoners?'

Satan was a high ranking angel who was the most beautiful angel created. The Bible says we was full of wisdom. He was the anointed cherub who covers. This refers to one who covers or protects. Based on his description, he was a priestly angel in heaven, in charge of worship.

Because of pride he was cast out of heaven to the earth. He is called the god of this world.

The Battle of Prayer

We have a highly intelligent spiritual being seeking your destruction. How is he defeated?

He is already defeated. Jesus defeated Satan at the cross.

Satan is a defeated foe! According to John 10:10 he comes to steal, kill, and to destroy.

In Mathew 4 we read that Jesus gained victory over the devil’s temptation with the Word.

1. Jesus prayed while out in the wilderness being temped. Jesus was in constant communion with the Father.

Mark 1:35

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Luke 5:16

So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Jesus on earth had given up all of His divine power in order to live as a man. So He had no special favors. (Phil. 2:7)

He didn’t just start praying at age 30. He was taught to pray as a child, that was the custom of His day.

He spent time in prayer with The Father before going into the wilderness and defeated Satan with what was given Him of the Father…. The Word!

Eph 6:10-18

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints —

When looking at the armor of God notice that all but 2 items are defensive. They are for the attacks of the enemy.

1. Sword of the Spirit- The Word of God: The Word is offensive. We fight the enemy with the Word. Paul was under Roman guard. He was able to see and illustrate the armor of God with a soldiers outfit. Roman soldiers carried a sword with a double edge.

a. Heb.4:12: two-edged sword

b. Rev.1:16: A sharp two edged sword

The Greek used for two-edged means two mouths. To fight with the Word is that which is written, which God speaks= one edge.

You speak what is written= second edge.

When you speak, what God speaks the Word is a two edged sword that the enemy cannot defend.

Then there is a secret unnamed weapon that is used. A Roman soldier carried it everywhere, but it wasn’t attached to his armor. It’s primary purpose was for battle.

The javelin or spear. It was to throw at the enemy at distance. It wasn’t used for close quarters, it was used for long distant warfare. (Intersession, Protection, Calling heaven on behalf of others)

The spear is represented as prayer. Verse 18 says: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.

Prayer is a spiritual weapon that is to be offensive not defensive.

Jesus was not one time on the defensive and as Christians, we are not to be on the defensive in prayer. The spear was used to stop the enemy before he got close.

Our prayers are sent out ahead of us. They stop the enemy before he gets to you.

The Name of Jesus

John 16:23-24

"And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.

24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Phil 2:9-11

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Finally I want to express the fact the we have the name of Jesus. There is not another name above the name of Jesus. According to the Word it has been given to us.

We have Jesus’s power of attorney.

When we pray in the name of Jesus, it’s as if Jesus Himself was praying.

a. We have authority in the Name

b. We have access to the Father

c. We have a constant connection to heaven and all its resources.

Conclusion

Prayer is how the Christian wins in life. It is our connection to heaven.