Our Prayer Life

OUR PRAYER LIFE Copyright 1985,1993,2001,2007 Crossroads Full Gospel International Ministries All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Short extracts may be used for review purposes. Except otherwise stated, Bible quotes come from the King James Version. 1611 Elizabethan English is updated in some cases to reflect present terminology, without changing the true meaning of the word. Extracts from “The Expositor's Study Bible” are identified as E.S.B. Copyright © 2005 Published by, and the sole property of, Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, Baton Rouge, LA, and extracts from the Swaggart Bible Commentary series are identified as S.B.C. Copyright © World Evangelism Press® Extracts from the Amplified Bible are identified as Amp. Old Testament Copyright © 1962, 1964 by Zondervan Corporation. New Testament Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Extracts from the New International Version are identified as N.I.V. Copyright 1973,1978,1984 by The International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. Also used: The New Testament: An Expanded Translation (Wuest) translated by Kenneth S. Wuest. Copyright © 1961 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bracketed comments following some scriptures assist the reader in understanding the intended meaning of these verses We acknowledge the additional works of the various Scholars and Bible Commentaries used in conjunction with the College material. This is not to say that we agree with all their theology, but we certainly value their contribution to the Body of Christ. Published by: Crossroads Publications 10681 Princes Highway Warrnambool Victoria 3280 Australia CONTENTS OUR PRAYER LIFE.................................................................1 OUR PRAYER LIFE.............................................................2 HOW TO PRAY EFFECTIVELY.........................................3 THE PRAYER WE CALL “GRACE”................................11 ORGANIZING OUR QUIET-TIME...................................13 OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS CHRISTIANS.....................16 OUR PRAYER LIFE Prayer is a significant aspect of the Christian walk. Primarily, it is a means by which we can communicate with God and fellowship with our Lord. Through prayer we can ask in faith for the Lord to meet a need in our life or someone else’s. Scripture declares to us the value and influence of properly focused, properly anchored prayer. JAMES 5:16 . . . The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Through prayer we can seek direction, guidance, empowerment or enlightenment. Prayer can also be a response to God’s love, a Divine interaction by which God’s desire can be implanted in man and man’s desire can become that of his Creator. Through prayer that brings the grace of God to us, we can become more aligned with our Father’s will, and more aware of His nature and characteristics as we commune with Him on an intimate level. Prayer is inviting God to divinely touch, fill and change something or someone - maybe even ourselves. Prayer is not so much just an action of the individual as a state of the heart. Our prayer should always be conducted in the knowledge of our total dependence on the Lord - from the air we breathe to the spiritual strength, gained through the Divine Nature, needed to do His will. We should not pray for anything outside the Lord’s will - not our desires or wants, only that His will alone would be done in our lives. This is the pathway to peace, empowerment and the development of Christian character. “. . .Prayer is inviting God to divinely touch, fill and change something or someone. . .” 1 OUR PRAYER LIFE Background Reading: Matthew 6:5-15 The purpose of prayer in our daily lives as Christians is both powerful and vital, prayer being a personal and spiritual interaction between the Creator and the crown of His creation – man. In Matthew Ch. 6 Jesus opens the subject of prayer with the words “when you pray” (Matthew 6:5). Notice that the Lord did not say “if you pray,” to suggest that prayer is an optional extra to the Christian life, or something reserved for religious fanatics. Jesus also said: MATTHEW 6:7 “But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do (this means to repeat certain words, phrases or prayers, over and over): for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking (formularised and repetitious prayer). MATTHEW 6:8 Be not therefore like unto them (the heathen): for your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask Him.” In other words, we should not repeat the same prayer over and over, or use prayer as a formula in a religious sense to try to guarantee God’s response. Rather, our prayer is to be from the heart and directed to our Father Who, being omniscient, already knows what we need. Therefore we can rest in the knowledge that we don’t have to try to convince God that we are in need. He knows what we need and when we need it and what the repercussions would be if we were to gain everything our flesh desired. “. . .The purpose of prayer in our daily lives as Christians is both powerful and vital, prayer being a personal and spiritual interaction between the Creator and the crown of His creation – man. . .” 2 Remember, we should not be trying to earn God’s favour or impress Him with many fancy words and eloquent or religious prayers. Rather we should be seeking to communicate with God from the heart, to maintain a spiritual focus through prayer and to listen for the Lord’s responses to us, however He may choose to convey them. Prayer is both a great privilege and an awesome responsibility - the means of communicating with our Creator, of fellowshipping with Him and bringing our needs and the needs of others before Him. The Word exhorts us to pray so that God may release His power in response to the humble hearts of those who seek His face and desire His will. PSALM 65:2 O (God) You Who hears prayer, unto You shall all flesh come. 2 CHRONICLES 7:14 If My people, who are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. HOW TO PRAY EFFECTIVELY Background Reading: Mark 11:23-26 God is now your Heavenly Father, and when you have a need, you can come before Him to ask for His help. We must always remember regarding our focus that the foundation for all prayer must be Calvary - the Atonement. It is only through the gateway of the Cross that we can rightly receive from Him. With this in mind we must: 1. Ask according to God’s Word in Jesus’ Name: In order to pray effectively, first of all we must come before our Heavenly Father in Jesus’ Name. In John 14:13-14 Jesus gave instructions regarding how we are to pray, and in whose Name. 3 JOHN 14:13 And whatsoever you shall ask in My Name (the Christian is given the Power of Attorney to use the Name of Christ : E.S.B.) that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. JOHN 14:14 If you shall ask any thing in My Name, I will do it (refers to that which is in harmony with His Character and Will : E.S.B.). And John 15:16 tells us: JOHN 15:16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain (eternal fruit : 1 Corinthians 3:12-14): that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in My Name, He may give it you. When we come before our Heavenly Father, we can say for example, “I come before You Father in the Name of Jesus and ask . . . . . . ” Then, if in faith, we would be praying correctly according to the Word of God, and spiritually, we would be before the Father in the throneroom of grace. The Word encourages us to do so, saying: HEBREWS 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. The Gospel of John gives us further enlightenment regarding effectual prayer: JOHN 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you (speaks of experiential relationship), you shall ask what you will (this being the will of God), and it shall be done unto you. This scripture shows us clearly that as well as praying in Jesus’ Name, the condition for having our prayer answered is that we are abiding with Christ on an experiential level so that, being energized 4 in the power of the Divine Nature, “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16), and so pray according to His will. “. . .The Word exhorts us to pray so that God may release His power in response to the humble hearts of those who seek His face and desire His will. . .” So when praying to the Father, we need to remember that we can only do so because of our position in Jesus Christ. This is why we must pray in Jesus’ Name, and so acknowledge this truth in which we stand. We pray in His Name only, according to the Word. In this we are acknowledging the Cross (the Atonement), and that heaven’s graces can only come to us because of the Cross. Indeed all the promises, graces and energies of the Holy Spirit come to us only from the sure foundation of Calvary. Note: In regard to receiving answers to prayer, first and foremost, if there is any sin in our lives, we need to repent and so deal with this sin. Unconfessed sin will block the power of God from operating in our lives so that we will not receive the healing, the provision or the direction we seek. In relation to sin, we must also learn in God to forgive those who have wronged us, asking for His grace, if needed, to help us do so. Indeed to sin by holding on to unforgiveness is one of the main ways that God’s power is blocked from flowing in the lives of Believers (Mark 11:25-26). 2. Believe and you shall receive: To begin our journey towards faith, we need to have an attitude of expectancy, believing that God will answer our prayer. This expectancy comes about by God’s grace at work in us through the energies and graces of the Divine Nature. This same grace will also cause us to trust in God and His Word as we proceed on our journey. The key to successful prayer is to pray in faith according to God’s will and then to expect results - in God’s timing. Quite often we will know God’s will in regard to a particular matter. However we will 5 not know how He will bring it to pass after we pray, or indeed when He will do so. MARK 9:23 Jesus said unto him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” MARK 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever you (energized by His Divine Nature) desire (these are to be God’s desires placed in the Saint’s heart), when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them (as is obvious here, the receiving of these things, whatever they might be, requires relationship, and that is the key : E.S.B.) MATTHEW 21:22 And all things, whatsoever (according to God’s will) you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive. To maintain your expectation of receiving, which really concerns your focus, you then need to keep your confession (what you say) in line with God’s Word - for negative words can kill our faith and nullify our prayers, so blocking God’s power from bringing them to fruition (Matthew 12:33-35). Also, negativity can block the grace we need to bring us to trust in that in which we believe. After prayer, therefore, speak words that support your prayer and help keep you focused, for you do not want to block God’s grace in any way. We need God in our thinking, our praying and our believing. Amen. “. . .The key to successful prayer is to pray in faith according to God’s will and then to expect results - in God’s timing. . .” 3. Ask in faith: God tells us in His Word that when we come before Him in prayer, we must come to Him in faith: 6 JOHN 15:16 . . . whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in My Name, He may give it you. JAMES 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he who wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. JAMES 1:7 For let not that man (with a doubting heart) think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. JAMES 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways (God cannot honour doubt). HEBREWS 11:6 But without faith (belief and trust) it is impossible to please Him (God), for he who comes to God must believe that He is (exists) and that He is a rewarder of them who diligently seek Him. It is imperative to have faith in order to receive from God. This requires whole-hearted trust in that in which we are believing, i.e. God’s Word. Having faith means coming to a position in our hearts and minds of complete trust. Many people pray to God, hoping that He will do something - but just hoping will not achieve the desired result. People sometimes have this concept because they do not really know God’s will on the matter about which they are praying. To pray effective, faith-filled prayers, we need to know God’s will in every situation. In order to know His will, we first need to know His Word, for God’s Word is His will. We need to know both the logos Word (written Word) and the rhema Word (revealed Word), which comes, for example, through the gifts of the Spirit - word of knowledge, word of wisdom, prophecy, etc. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). The rhema (revealed) Word can give direction regarding what church to attend, for instance, or even what job to take. In addition it can be a word of encouragement or rebuke. Nevertheless, the rhema Word is also the Word of God, and will therefore reveal the will of God (Acts 16:6-9). Note that the logos (written) Word and the rhema (revealed) Word will never contradict one another but will always be in total agreement. God will never tell you to do anything which contravenes His written Word, and we can be sure that He will never contradict Himself. 7 1 JOHN 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us: (R.S.V.) 1 JOHN 5:15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of Him. (R.S.V.) Praying in faith is not a religious exercise, a patterned formula which guarantees results or an emotional release. Praying in faith has nothing to do with formulas or feelings. We cannot be guided by whether we feel God has heard our prayer - we should only be guided by what His Word tells us. And as these verses clearly reveal, God will only hear and answer our prayers if we ask according to His will. If we don’t know His will in any given situation, we need to seek so that He can reveal to us the way we should pray. “. . .It is imperative to have faith in order to receive from God. Having faith means coming to a position in our hearts and minds of complete trust. . .” When we have come to a position of faith through God’s grace, and we then pray about a particular situation or person, or for a specific need to be met, we need only ask, in faith, according to His will and Word. From this point on, we should be thanking God that our prayer is being answered. Many people think we need to continually make the same request of God. However, knowing His will regarding the matter concerned, we only need to ask Him once, in faith, then continue on a daily basis to thank Him that our request has been granted. Also, as we have said, after you have received the leading of the Spirit (concerning what to pray about, when and how to pray), and have prayed in faith, you need to hold fast to your confession, speaking words that agree with your prayer and do not negate it. Believe that God’s power began working when you prayed and maintain your faith through the positive words you speak. 8 “. . .After you have received the leading of the Spirit . . . and have prayed in faith, you need to hold fast to your confession, speaking words that agree with your prayer and do not negate it. . .” 4. Ask through another’s faith: If you are unable to believe in this way for your need to be met, you can call on the elders of the church (or a mature person of faith) for assistance. Then, through their prayer of faith, your need can be met - if you are open to receive, and have met the conditions of God’s Word. JAMES 5:14 Is any sick (or weak in faith) among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil (used as a point of contact concerning the release of our faith) in the Name of the Lord: JAMES 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick (make him well), and the Lord (as our Healer) shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him (if he repents). JAMES 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (or we could say, “the prayer of a just man wrought in Him by divine energy” - Dake F.J., The Dake Annotated Bible). When people are young in the Lord, quite often they find that they can easily receive from God through someone else’s faith. Some then continue to live this way for years, not realizing that it is not meant to be a way of life. Indeed to depend on others’ faith is not meant to be an ongoing practice for Christians who want to mature. 9 As we know, God requires the just to live (personally) by faith in Him and His Word. And the principle of “unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48) applies very clearly to this particular example, for the Lord expects more from seasoned Christians than from babes in Christ. However, if older Christians do suffer a heavy attack from the enemy and are, at this time, not in a position to receive directly from God themselves, they can utilize this avenue which God has provided and seek out a person of faith to pray for them so that God can meet their need. Also, older Christians sometimes allow their faith level to drop and need the help of fellow Believers in this regard. In fact this tends to happen with most Christians from time to time. However we can praise God that He has given us this particular avenue of prayer to allow Him to help us during these times, and indeed at any time we have a need. Sometimes even mature Christians, through genetic weakness or a bad diet over many years, find themselves sick with certain diseases. This can, even for old soldiers in Christ, “take the wind out of their sails.” In such times they need the love and support of others. They may have to repent of abusing their body, and purpose to change their eating habits along with undertaking some regular exercise program. They may then have to ask for prayer according to James 5:13-16. In many cases it is a combination of the spiritual, along with natural physical changes, that will, in the long term, give complete victory. So many look for a magic formula or wand to give them healing. They then continue to sin against their body through self-abuse or neglect. Many are then left wondering why God seemingly does not answer their prayer. Others are healed for a short time, only to find that afflictions and physical bondages return. Especially in advancing years, there often needs to be a continuing focus on the promises of God in order to retain one’s healing and to continue in health. “. . .In many cases it is a combination of the spiritual, along with natural physical changes, that will, in the long term, give complete victory. . .” 10 Also remember: When we are being prayed for, especially through the laying on of hands, we are opening ourselves spiritually. We must be careful because there may be evil influences associated with that person’s life which could affect us, spiritually, through this contact. The same applies to the person who is praying. They too are opening themselves spiritually, and they need to take the same precautions. So before we pray for someone or are prayed for, we should thank the Lord for our blood covering. This prayer will be explained in the next section. The blood covering will help stop the enemy from trying to interfere with the prayer, or using the spiritual doorway created when we pray. Remember, however, that this relates primarily to prayer which involves the practice of the laying on of hands. The laying on of hands with the prayer of faith certainly has its place. If we are to live the Christian life, however, God must produce a holy character in us. Prayer according to James 5:13-16 can help us in deliverance or healing, but we must go on in the strength of the Divine Nature if we are to live our life the way God want us to. As Wuest describes it: “And so it is with the Christian who does not count upon the fact that the divine nature is implanted in his inner being. He goes on living his Christian life as best he can in the energy of his own strength, with the result that he exhibits an imitation Christian experience, not the genuine thing. But the believer who counts upon the fact that he is a possessor of the divine nature, ceases from his own struggles at living a Christian life, and avails himself of the power of God supplied in the divine nature. So the first adjustment the Christian should make is that of counting upon the fact that the power of the indwelling sinful nature is broken and the divine nature imparted, and order his life on that principle.” 1 (underlines added) THE PRAYER WE CALL “GRACE” Another aspect of prayer which is a traditional part of the Christian walk is the prayer of thanksgiving at meal times known as “grace.” It is a short prayer of gratitude to God, acknowledging Him 11 as our Provider, and honouring and thanking Him for blessing the meal which is about to be eaten. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 TIMOTHY 4:4 For every creature of God (to be used for food) is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving (gratitude to God Who gives all things): 1 TIMOTHY 4:5 For it (the meal) is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer (the prayer of thanksgiving). If prayed in faith, the prayer of “grace and thanksgiving” imparts a blessing which sanctifies the meal so as to give protection from harm (Mark 16:18). Whether the prayer we call grace is spoken out aloud or is unvoiced prior to eating the meal, it is a heart response to thank the Lord for what is about to be received. A simple prayer could be as follows: Thank you Lord for this food that I am about to receive. May it be blessed and sanctified, and a blessing to my body, in Jesus’ Name. Amen. Grace is not to be a religious ritual but rather an opportunity where we can take a few moments out of the busyness of the day to think about the Lord and remind ourselves and others of the goodness of our God. The prayer we call “grace” is thus a prayer which: 1. Thanks God for His physical provision of food 2. Asks for God’s Divine protection from harm (Mark 16:18) “. . .If prayed in faith, the prayer of “grace and thanksgiving” imparts a blessing which sanctifies the meal so as to give protection from harm. . .” 12 Note: There have been accounts of missionaries praying over their food and being untouched by the food poisoning that has subsequently affected others. Clearly the blessing and sanctifying of one’s food through grace (the prayer of faith) is important, and indeed necessary in some situations more than others, e.g. third world countries which lack refrigeration and strict regulations regarding food preparation. ORGANIZING OUR QUIET-TIME Background Reading: Mark 1:35 A daily quiet-time should be a major part of our Christian walk, for prayer and the study of the Word form a foundation for our growth in the Lord. This is how we fellowship with God and get to know Him more and more. To know God on a deeper level, it is necessary to spend time with Him on a daily basis. As we spend time fellowshipping with God through prayer, devotion and the study of His Word, we can gain a deeper knowledge of Him and His ways. Through this, and us yielding to the Spirit and relying on Him for all our needs, a greater trust can grow, and therefore a deeper personal fellowship can develop. In this we come to discern His voice which gives us checks and balances in how we are to apply the truth of His Word to our lives. “. . .A daily quiet-time should be a major part of our Christian walk, for prayer and the study of the Word form a foundation for our growth in the Lord. . .” The ideal time for prayer, for many people, is usually early in the mornings, before the activities of the day take precedence. This is the time when there is least on our minds, and we can come to God without any outside interferences or distractions. Even the Psalmist said: 13 PSALM 5:3 My voice shall You hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto You, and will look up (wait in expectation). We should also include in our daily quiet-time, our special time when we draw aside to pray to the Lord and fellowship with Him, some form of Bible reading. This is because we need to hear from God’s Word daily, and allow the fire of the Word to touch our hearts. Then we can speak to our Lord in prayer. We can divide our prayer life into four areas: 1. 2. 3. 4. Confession. Adoration. Thanksgiving. Supplication. 1. Confession: We cannot come into the presence of God when there is blatant unconfessed sin in our lives and have full fellowship with Him. Even if there is no known sin in our lives we should come before the Lord with a humble heart, and repent (according to 1 John 1:9) of anything we may have done that was wrong and that we are not aware of - for we need to remove all legal ground from the enemy. And sin, whether great or small, known or unknown, will interfere with our fellowship with God, even though it may not break our relationship with Him. So concerning any sin, we need to repent according to 1 John 1:9. We can then come and spend time with our Lord, and fellowship with Him without interference (Psalm 24:3-4). 2. Adoration: Psalm 145:1-21. The second part of our prayer life is purely for God Himself. We can praise and worship God and give thanks to Him for His greatness, power, majesty, sovereignty, love, grace, mercy, etc. Be liberal in your praise and express your love for Him, for He desires us to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). If we can worship God in our quiet-times, we can come to church really prepared for corporate worship on Sundays. 3. Thanksgiving: Ephesians 5:20. In this area of our prayer life we can thank God specifically for the things He has done and continues to do, as we observe to do all (goal to do all He has told us to do). For example, we can thank Him for watching over our family, 14 our business, our work, our church and the ministries within it, etc. We can thank the Lord for bringing about circumstances to help our family and friends come to the knowledge of His truth. We should also be thanking Him for our country and for directing those in government according to His will. We can also thank Him that His protection surrounds us, that His presence is with us every day, that He has met all our needs in Christ Jesus, that health and Divine healing are ours, and that He guides us through each day, etc. Remember, once we have asked God in faith for something to be done, we need only then thank Him and not continue to make the same request. 4. Supplication: 1 John 5:14-15; John 16:24. This part of our prayer life is where we make our petitions known to God - where we bring Him any new requests. We need to remember, however, that God can only respond to our requests as we continue to live according to the directions of His Word (1 John 3:22) and pray according to His will. Having a daily quiet-time in which we come to the Lord and fellowship with Him is surely one of the secrets of a successful and fruitful Christian life. As we open ourselves to our Father, the Holy Spirit can convict us of sin, give us direction and reveal truth to us. Then as we respond to His promptings, and enjoy the Lord’s fellowship, we can come to know our God on a more intimate level. During these times we should also ask the Lord to fill us afresh with His Spirit, giving us the grace to walk and live in the power of the Divine Nature, so as to do His will. Our prayer each day should be, “Give me the grace today Lord to do Your will.” We will then be better prepared for every circumstance that greets us, to meet each new challenge in the Lord’s strength and power rather than the power of the flesh (willpower). “. . .Having a daily quiet-time in which we come to the Lord and fellowship with Him is surely one of the secrets of a successful and fruitful Christian life. . .” 15 During the day it is also good to meditate on the Lord Himself, remembering His presence and thanking Him that He is with us. We can also reflect on the various situations and people we are praying for. In doing so, we are being God-centred and people-centred, not just self-centred. As we grow closer to God through fellowshipping with Him, we will then develop a stronger awareness that the Lord’s presence is with us wherever we go. This will place us in a better position to be able to discern the leading of the Spirit, personally or as this leading is conveyed through the scriptures or even other people whom the Lord brings across our pathway. OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS CHRISTIANS Background Reading: Mark 4:1-25 The Word tells us the conditions that we as Christians must meet in order to have victory in our lives. Indeed we cannot just do nothing and expect all God’s blessings to fall upon us. For instance, we are told in God’s Word we must fight a spiritual warfare, and 1 Peter 5:8 and Ephesians 6:12 tell us about our enemy: 1 PETER 5:8 Be sober (aware), be vigilant (watchful); because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking (people with little knowledge or faith) whom he may devour (destroy): EPHESIANS 6:12 For we wrestle (fight) not against flesh and blood (man), but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Satan and his forces of evil). The devil tries to pervert and destroy all that is good. He hates and opposes God, and would seek to cause as much damage to God’s creation as he can. Two of his greatest desires are thus to afflict humanity in every way possible, and to take as many people to hell as he can. So we need to remember that he is our enemy (not people), and we should be aware of his tactics as he and his forces pursue their evil schemes. 16 God has provided us with weaponry for this spiritual warfare. This weaponry consists of the armour of God and the sword of the Spirit. EPHESIANS 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day (of danger or trouble), and having done all (that is our responsibility as Christians to do), to stand (not giving ground to the forces of darkness). EPHESIANS 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth (God’s truth which is His Word and will), and having on the breastplate of righteousness (Christ’s imputed righteousness which is ours through the Blood of the Cross); EPHESIANS 6:15 And your feet shod (being well established) with the preparation of the Gospel of peace (by living in it experientially); EPHESIANS 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith (the Cross is the object of our faith), wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (evil spiritual darts of persecution, condemnation, fear, etc). EPHESIANS 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation (comes through the renewing of one’s mind), and the sword of the Spirit (this is our offensive weapon, having all the power needed to defeat our spiritual foe), which is the Word of God God has given us, through the Cross, this spiritual armour and the sword of the Spirit as a weapon - but if we choose not to use them as He has commanded, then we should not blame Him for our failures or our problems. 17 “. . .Remember that Satan is our enemy (not people), and we should be aware of his tactics as he and his forces pursue their evil schemes. . .” If people don’t bother to progress so that they become stagnant in their Christian walk, the enemy and his agents will not be too concerned about them, for such Christians can do him very little harm. He will be able to attack and harm them at his leisure, whether directly or indirectly. In most cases he will take the Word out of their hearts, and whatever heart-knowledge they had will be reduced to mere intellectual knowledge. With no faith or direction from the Lord, they will then walk around in darkness, and fail to discern between right and wrong. Remember that it is Satan’s nature and purpose to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10a), and that if we fail to seek, find and embrace God’s will for our lives, we will be giving our enemy legal ground to bring darkness into our lives that would render us completely ineffective as Christians. Not only this, but as Christians stagnate, they lose ground and fail to maintain a status quo in regard to their spiritual life. In other words, life’s current then pulls them backwards - until they are unable to see the spiritual danger they are in and the rocks that could destroy them. If Christians move on in Christ, however, they become greater targets for the enemy, and should prepare themselves for his attacks. But we must always remember that God is greater, stronger and mightier than Satan, his forces, and all of their plans. “. . .if we fail to seek, find and embrace God’s will for our lives, we will be giving our enemy legal ground to bring darkness into our lives that would render us completely ineffective as Christians. . .” 18 The Lord promises that as we walk by faith in His Word and we obey, in the power given at the Cross, all that He commands, our enemies (spiritually speaking) will flee from us in terror and nothing will be able to stand against us. This is because, in this position, we will be walking under God’s canopy of protection. In this way, we can indeed be victorious in Christ. DEUTERONOMY 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord your God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command you this day, that the Lord your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth: JAMES 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God (His Word and His will). Resist the devil (in faith), and he will flee from you (in terror, by God’s power). DEUTERONOMY 28:7 The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be smitten (defeated) before your face: they shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways. (This is referring to Israel, but the Church is spiritual Israel in the Church Age and thus a recipient of these promises which relate to our spiritual enemy.) As we call upon the Name of the Lord, put our trust in Him and His Word, allow the Divine Nature to energize our human nature and turn our backs on sin (through repentance if needed), the victory shall indeed be ours. (For we do not have an unconditional Gospel as some would try to have us believe. There are conditions and requirements we must fulfill if we are to live in the victory already won for us!) God’s protection of His righteous servants is promised in His Word, and is to be greatly prized: ISAIAH 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgement you shall condemn (prove to be false). This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me,” says the Lord. 19 May you have the victory in Christ. Amen! For further information or teaching material to help you grow in the Christian faith, please visit: CROSSROADS INTERNATIONAL FULL GOSPEL MINISTRIES crossroadsministries.org.au 20 NOTES 21 NOTES 22 1 Wuest, K. S., Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Great Truths To Live By, pg. 86.