Rise Up in Triumph: Communication is Key to Victory
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Rise Up in Triumph
Communication is Key
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Introduction
Introduction
During the Battle of the Bulge in World War II which British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill called “undoubtedly the greatest American battle,” the 422nd and 423rd regiments of the United States Army suffered a great defeat which led the commanding officer, Major General Alan W. Jones to exclaim, “I have lost a division faster than any other commander in the U. S. Army!”
When Gen. Jones began to become concerned that his division was too exposed, he reached out to Lt. General Troy Middleton to request that they be withdrawn. Due to an inconsistent connection, the communication between the two officers was garbled. Gen. Jones incorrectly believed that Gen. Middleton had ordered them to remain in position. Thus the German troops surrounded the 422nd and 423rd regiments and cut them off from support. Eventually, the entire division had to surrender.
Over 6,500 American soldiers were forced to surrender to the German army because of poor communication.
(https://www.history.com/news/8-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-battle-of-the-bulge)
In the spiritual battle in which we are engaged, too often we surrender to the enemy because of poor communication with our Commander in Chief. Not that there is anything wrong with prayer, but rather that we are not praying as we should.
Communication is key to every relationship. Communication is vital to our victory as believers in Jesus Christ.
Our loving and all-knowing God has provided a means by which we can stay in constant communication with Him - PRAYER!
Utilizing this powerful resource, we are guaranteed not only access to God Himself, but also victory in our battles - but we have to pray!
It has been said that every failure is a prayer failure.
The hymnwriter Joseph Scriven wrote:
Oh what peace we often forfeit
Oh what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Ev'rything to God in pray’r
In Ephesians 6, we have seen the nature of the battle and the enemy with whom we fight. We have studied the armor and weapons provided us. Finally, today we will look at the vitally important aspect of Prayer.
Ask
Ask
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Jesus said,
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
We are not asking God to do things that we can do. We are not to ask God to do things that we can help Him accomplish in order to “save face.” We are not asking Him for things just because we want it or as James says,
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
We ask because we are:
Dependent
Dependent
For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Desperate
Desperate
“If God does not do something, there is nothing that can be done!”
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Woman with the issue
Father of the demon possessed son (Mark 9)
When the disciples who had been given power over unclean spirits asked Jesus why they were unable to cast out the demon, Jesus responded:
And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Ask according to His will
Ask according to His will
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Ask in Faith
Ask in Faith
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Ask from a pure heart
Ask from a pure heart
If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear me:
Expect
Expect
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies:
For false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
I had fainted, unless I had believed
To see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait on the Lord:
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:
Wait, I say, on the Lord.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Pray without ceasing.
Intercede
Intercede
and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;