To pray or not to pray…
Prayer. What is prayer to you?
What is prayer suppose to do? When are we suppose to pray? How are we suppose to pray? Do we pray all day? How do we manage to pray so much with such a busy schedule? Who prays?
These are the questions that run through the minds of many. Whether already proclaiming to follow Jesus or those in search of something more related to Jesus. I do not want to use the term ‘Christian(s)’; that explanation will come in a different letter. The focus of this letter is prayer. If you want to be a strong follower of Christ, prayer has to be part of your tool belt. There is no way that a follower of Christ, a disciple as He calls those who choose to follow Him, can survive in a world that is so anti-Christ and perverse.
Paul, a disciple of Jesus Christ, although beaten and incarcerated never took off the Armor of God. Time and time again he was a witness to how important it was to continuously put on the Armor of God. While imprisoned he wrote a letter that we now know as the book of Ephesians and he shares this;
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere”.
Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT)
Paul shares that the Armor of God is:
- Belt of Truth
- Body armor of God’s Righteousness
- Shoes of Peace (by knowing and understanding the Good News)
- Shield of Faith
- Helmet of Salvation
- The Sword of the Spirit–the Word of God
In order to be strong in the Lord we are to put on His armor to stand firm in Him. Paul shares that our enemy is not flesh and blood so we cannot rely on our own understanding and human power to conquer this enemy. The only way to war off this enemy is with God’s armor which is spiritual armor.
It’s not just reading the bible, it is equipping ourselves with the sword of the spirit to fight a confusing world. It is not just prayer but being diligent in continuously putting on the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the shoes of peace, the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. A soldier who is not prepared for battle will easily get defeated.
What is God’s righteousness you may be asking yourself. God’s righteousness is based upon His standards not the world’s. In simple terms, doing what is right according to God. The Ten Commandments is a great place to start to understand where God stands. Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:2-17 AMP
How does that look like for us?
Standing up for His truth and not bending a knee or compromising our faith just because everyone is doing it. Shining Jesus and not being ashamed. Through His word we become more refined to this righteousness because it is by obedience to His word that we achieve being righteous.
Paul also mentions to be persistent in prayer for all believers everywhere with good reason because praying for others encourages them and oneself. Not only does it encourage but it leads us to grow a more intimate relationship with God every step of the way. It is not just limited to praying for just believers, it is encouraged because when we come together to fight our battles as one we are stronger.
In order to stand firm against the strategies of the devil we need to seek God in prayer and in His word. Without prayer it is difficult to stand firm. Prayer keeps the mind focused on the things of the Lord and guarded from the flares of the enemy. It keeps us ready and alert like the 10 virgins parable: Matthew 25:1-13 AMP.
Prayer seems to be intimidating but in all honesty it is just a conversation with God. The same way that you talk to your friend, the person who you crush on, your spouse, someone you have not seen in a long time, or someone that you can confide in.
To all these people there are different forms of intimacy which you speak to them. God wants it all. He wants you to talk to Him like His friend, like a lover, like someone who you are excited to see and speak to. Just like in a normal conversation with a person, you take turns speaking or sometimes you just need someone to hear what is going on. What are you feeling–prayer functions the same way! And let me tell you. GOD DOES SPEAK! You just need to take the time to listen.
Hearing God
One helpful tip that a friend gave is to ask God to show you what His voice sounds like, what your voice sounds like, and what the enemy’s (devil) voice sounds like. That will help you know when God is speaking to you.
-When God speaks there is either peace or conviction, NEVER condemnation. Conviction is when a wrong is pointed out in order to help you realize it is wrong, to then bring you to repent, which is to completely turn away from that sin and bring you freedom.
-When it is our voice that speaks it sounds confusing and are continuously questioning who it was and we ourselves can be condemning of our actions.
-When the devil speaks it is condemning. All he wants to do is make you feel guilty and ashamed. That is how you can confirm who is speaking.
Before you run off and go about your day, let me pray for you.
Heavenly Father, Thank you for this wonderful opportunity that you have given this beautiful soul on this day. Lord I pray that this Letter brings clarity to all questions. Above all, I pray that this be encouraging. I pray that every decision that you make be a decision that leads you to His truth, I pray that you hold on to His word and hide it in your heart and I pray that this day the Lord brings revelation to you. That He allows you to receive audible words from Him and see visions that proclaim how wondrous He truly is. To God I pray that you stand tall in confidence because you know who your God is. And if you are just meeting Him, that you know how good of a Father He truly will be to you when you accept Him and be born of water and spirit!
In Jesus name we come against every attack of the enemy! Every fiery arrow that he sends we send it back seven fold! We come against you devil and stand firm in the Truth that has been spoken by God! There is power in the name of JESUS and in His truth we stand.
“The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe”.
Proverbs 18:10 (NKJV)
He is our Protector, our shelter from anything and everything that tries to come against us to harm. Those who have given their lives to Him run and hide in Him.
Letter 6–What is the Mind of Christ?
