Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Praying God's Word Releasing God's Power


Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Ephesians 6:11-18

No matter what situation you face in life the truth remains that prayer changes things. Many of Gods people are discouraged and defeated, not because the enemy is so strong but because we often fail to use one of the greatest weapons we have in our arsenal; prayer.
A non existent prayer life demonstrates a lack of trust in God and His Word. Conversely a consistent and effective prayer life demonstrates our belief that God is faithful to His Word and will manifest His promises in our lives. Our means of “plugging into” God's power while defeating Satan and his army, prayer allows us to see God at work while reminding us we are powerless to overcome the works of the enemy on our own.
It's clear from Paul's writings that prayer is vital for the believer to be successful in spiritual warfare. When used only as an afterthought, we can't expect to fight effectively against the powers of darkness. It's through faith we appropriate our armor and spiritual weapons but prayer is the primary means by which the faithful can arm their spiritual weapons against the enemy. Prayer puts our faith into action.
The misinformed belief that prayer is a last resort to use when all else fails or that it's merely a way for us to get needs met is the reason many Christians find themselves living lives far below God's promises. It's only when we understand the armor of God and its purpose that prayer can become a weapon in itself.
Many of the issues we face at the hand of the enemy could be avoided if we just took the time to pray and pray effectively. Accepting the armor of God as a necessary part of our daily lives yet neglecting to enter into communion with Him through prayer leaves us open for defeat. Paul tells us that as we take the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit it's to be done with an attitude of prayer. A heart and mind not properly prepared through prayer leaves us ill equipped to use the sword of the spirit because it's the fellowship with the spirit through prayer that aligns us with the will of God. However, having a lifestyle of prayer qualifies us to wield the sword of the spirit with conviction and results as we fight against the evil that exists all around us.
The sword in the hand of a prayerless man or woman can be a means of mass destruction. But the sword of the spirit in the hands of a praying man or woman, can break satanic bondage, open the eyes of the blind, bring healing to sick, open doors that have been closed, close demonic doors that have been opened, shake nations and set up the kingdom of God in the earth.
An active prayer life keeps us spiritually alert. Furthermore the enemy can't gain advantage over us because our invocation of God's presence has awakened us from our spiritual sleep. Moreover intercession allows us to fight for our brothers and sisters until they regain their strength. We should pray for all saints everywhere that they would receive a revelation of all that God has provided for them through Christ.
Humility, faith, obedience, righteousness, and a contrite heart make prayer a mighty weapon in the believers life.
Powerful yet impotent it's the believers use or non-use of prayer that changes things. Therefore, may God find us often in His presence, praying effectively and fervently because we have His promise that the fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much. May God glorify His name in our lives as we believe in Him enough to come to Him often in prayer. 

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Praying God's Word Releasing God's Power is a new resource available from Cheryl Donovan and Worth More than Rubies Ministries. The Bundle includes Book, CD, DVD, and Prayer Journal. Pre-order your bundle today by clicking here. 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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