Part 9: The Secret Weapon
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
We have studied for the past several weeks on the armor of God. We’ve looked at all the equipment listed in our Bibles concerning the whole armor of God, so tonight, what I’m going to preach is not really part of the armor as far as the list goes, but I’m sure you’ll agree with me that it is a very powerful tool that we have that we must use. You might even call it a “ the secret weapon” - that’s the title of the message tonight and the secret weapon I’m talking about as you’ve probably already figured out based on our text verses, is prayer.
We can have all of the Lord’s armor in place, but lack the necessary strength and courage to go to battle and we will surely fall.
I believe that’s why the Bible continues on with an emphasis on prayer...
If the Word of God is our offensive weapon and the other pieces of armor are for our defense, then prayer can be said to be our secret weapon.
Because it’s through prayer, and prayer alone, that we gain the necessary strength and courage to stand forth and fight in the day of battle. Without this necessary component we are doomed to failure, but with it, and with the other pieces of God’s armor firmly fixed in their places, we cannot be defeated.
Romans 8:31 (KJV (WS))
31 …If God be for us, who can be against us?
With these thoughts in mind, let’s take a few minutes to consider the Christian Soldier’s Secret Weapon - Prayer.
Prayer is the process by which we dress up in God’s armor;
The power by which we go forth to do battle in God’s army;
The practice by which we appropriate and aim God’s artillery.
Prayer is the single greatest force ever unleashed on the earth, and it is the single most powerful weapon at the saint’s disposal. This world may find a way to close our churches and take away our Bibles, but no one will ever be able to stop God’s people from calling on the name of their Heavenly Father!
You might think they won’t do that, but they’ve done that very thing this past year, even in America.
Just last week, there was another story from Alberta Canada where a Pastor was arrested for having services. All the while, the main government officials up there were seen having a party with no masks, no social distancing, etc. all the violations they say the Pastor was guilty of.
Hey, they took that pastor away with his children crying, his wife trying to talk some sense into the police, but let me tell you, they can’t take prayer away from him!
Prayer brings the praying saint into the presence of Almighty God!
Prayer brings the power of God to bear in the life of the saint.
Never are we more like Jesus, on this earth, than when we pray!
Look in your Bibles tonight, the first thing I want you to notice:
THE CALL TO PERSISTENT PRAYER
THE CALL TO PERSISTENT PRAYER
Ephesians 6:18 (KJV (WS))
18 Praying always...
Paul had just instructed the Christians at Ephesus about the spiritual armor given to the Christian warrior. All Christian’s are called to put on the whole armor of God.
○ We are to put on the girdle of truth,
○ the breastplate of righteousness,
○ the gospel shoes,
○ the shield of faith,
○ the helmet of salvation,
○ and the sword of the Spirit so that we can be victorious against Satan and his spiritual host of wickedness.
We are never to leave off prayer though! We are instructed to pray always. This is a call to persistent prayer.
This does not mean that we are to carry on a constant babbling as we go through life, neither does it mean that we are to throw up a bunch of meaningless words and phrases.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
It does mean that we are to take 1 Thes. 5:17 to heart.
17 Pray without ceasing.
This means that we are to be in a constant state of communion with God. In other words, the receiver is to left off the hook.
We are called to pray always with all prayer. Some have the attitude that they only pray about the big decisions, the important matters, or the major areas of their lives. They feel that they don’t want to bother God with the “little things.”
Like we can bother our great God! He is all powerful and He is all knowing. He wants to hear from us about all things.
○ We are to pray for protection,
○ for direction,
○ for provision,
○ for power,
○ for our families,
○ for our job, for our travel,
○ for our food, we are to pray with all prayer and supplication.
Prayer shows our utter dependence and our personal faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is more than one kind of praying: prayer, supplication, intercession, thanksgiving.
The believer who prays only to ask for things is missing out on blessings that come with intercessions and giving of thanks. In fact, thanksgiving is a great prayer weapon for defeating Satan.
Speaking of thanksgiving, “Praise changes things” as much as “prayer changes things.” Intercession for others can bring victory to our own lives.
So, we see a call to persistent prayer, but number 2:
THE CONDUIT TO POWERFUL PRAYER
THE CONDUIT TO POWERFUL PRAYER
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
We can see the manner and means of powerful prayer in this verse...
We are called to pray in the Spirit!
God’s Word tells us the formula for praying - we pray to the Father, through the Son, and in the Spirit!
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
It’s only in the Spirit’s power that we can pray in the will of God.
Our prayer lives, like every other part of our lives, should be brought under the control of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we will find ourselves praying selfishly and foolishly, and as a result, we will find our prayer life hindered and ineffective.
When we are truly praying in the Spirit, we can always be confident that we are praying according to God’s will and that He will hear and answer our prayers...
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Thirdly tonight:
THE CHALLENGE TO PERCEPTIVE PRAYER
THE CHALLENGE TO PERCEPTIVE PRAYER
Ephesians 6:18 (KJV (WS))
18 ...watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
We are instructed to pray with insight and wisdom. We are to put our hearts and minds into our praying. We are to use discernment when we pray and we are to have godly perception when we pray.
We must be alert!
We must be alert!
Watching means “to keep alert or to lie sleepless.”
John Phillips wrote, “We would do well to have some sleepless nights over the state of our country, the woes of the world, the condition of our churches, the needs of family and friends, and our own spiritual lives.”
There’s a very old hymn that talks about this:
“Rise my soul to watch and pray
From thy sleep awaken,
Be not by the evil day
Unawares or taken.
For the foe well we know.
Oft his harvest reapeth
While the Christian sleepeth.
Watch against the devil’s snares
Lest asleep he find thee,
For indeed no pains he spares
To deceive and blind thee.
Satan’s prey oft are they
Who secure are sleeping
And no watch are keeping.
But while watching also
Pray to the Lord unceasing.
O Lord, bless in distress
And let nothing swerve me
From the will to serve Thee.”
9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
God expects us to pray, but at the same time, He expects us to alert to what Satan is doing. To pray and not watch is to leave yourself vulnerable to defeat. “Watch AND pray” is the key expression!
We must be active!
We must be active!
This is indicated by the word perseverance in verse 18...
This means that we are to keep on praying until the answer comes!
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Too many times we give up before the Spirit of God says to stop, or before the answer comes.
We must be asking!
We must be asking!
This is indicated by the phrase, “supplication for all saints” - Here’s the thing, we must remember that aren’t in this battle alone!
There are other Christians all around us struggling and fighting the devil too! Wether you feel it or not, let me tell you, you’re not the only one!
We should be praying for one another!
When we pray from a godly perspective we will pray for all the saints. We are to lift one another up to the throne of God!
○ We are to pray for sister churches,
○ missionaries,
○ for pastors, for deacons, for teachers,
○ for Christian workers, for saints at home and saints abroad.
One of the most profound verses in the Bible to me is found in the book of Job, and it concerns prayer. We heard Bro. Ken Bowman preach a powerful message out of the book of Job one night during the campmeeting...
10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job was restored socially, economically, and also in his family - when he prayed for his friends; you remember? Those friends that weren’t worth very much - The friends that tried to hurt him more than help him...
We are to pray in the Spirit, being watchful, with perseverance for all the saints. We are in a spiritual warfare and we must pray for one another that we will be equipped for the spiritual battles. Too often we only pray about physical needs and for physical problems to the neglect of spiritual needs and spiritual problems.
John MacArthur wrote, “Because the greatest problems are always spiritual, our greatest prayer concern and concentration should be for spiritual protection, strength, and healing. It is certainly appropriate to bring physical needs before our heavenly Father, but our greatest focus should be for spiritual needs—for victory over temptation, for forgiveness and cleansing of sins already committed, for unbelievers to trust in Christ for salvation, and for believers to have greater dependence on Him.”
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
As Paul looked as those Roman soldiers he could see the girdle around their waists, the breastplates and shoes. He could see their helmets and shields and swords. He could see all the outward signs of their readiness for battle, but he could not see those soldier’s strength of character of their courage.
So it is with you and me.
Everything may look good on the outside, but inwardly, we may be lacking that one key ingredient that spells the difference between defeat and victory. For the Roman soldier, it was inward strength and courage. For the Christian, our secret weapon is prayer! Remember, no amount of armor can produce a warrior for Christ, only prayer can accomplish this. With these things in mind, How’s your prayer life tonight?