The ability to withstand evil

” Soldier Up! “

Before Paul chronicled the armor of God in Ephesians 6, he first declared its primary value to those who would take it on and take it up: they would possess the ability to withstand evil (verse 13). Protection from mortal spiritual wounds is a good reason to wear and wield the armor, but once a person is “suited up,” is there an assignment, some task the Lord has in mind for His well-dressed warrior?

I don’t follow or play sports, but I know enough to recognize there are some who suit up and yet never take the field on game day. The church does not have a bench or sideline. In his Ephesians “playbook,” Paul lets everyone on Team Jesus know precisely what to do once they are arrayed. Pray: “always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:18).

Christians have a mandate. We are called to pray. Then pray again. Then pray some more. Spiritual reality, like it or not, is that the church is in ongoing warfare. There is no neutral territory. The battle between good and evil began in Genesis and will be ongoing until Jesus swallows up time in eternity in complete and final victory. With a warfare mindset, you and I must “soldier up” in prayer.

Paul commands the church to pray hard and pray long, echoing the words of Jesus: “Men ought always to pray and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). Persevering in prayer sounds like hard work. It is. But without consistent prayer, neither innovative programs nor masterfully crafted and delivered messages will be potent or productive. E. M. Bounds, a minister and prolific author on the subject of prayer, said, “Apostolic preaching cannot be carried on unless there be apostolic praying.” Our kingdom efforts are diminutive at best and lacking in effectiveness if they are made in our own strength and power—even with the best intentions and for the cause of Christ. (Zechariah 4:6). Prayer is required to fuel the engine that drives the work of the Lord. Prayer helps the Christian find the roadmap of God’s will.

The Lord works in the realm of prayer and intercession. He comes where He is invited. As we pray to the Lord of the impossible, there is nothing He can’t do. He opens the way to overcome the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). Believing this power is available is not enough. We activate it when we pray. We become a conduit of divine influence in our world.

Prayer can include a variety of sounds, from weeping and groaning to divine uttering, but the most powerful offensive weapon of spiritual warfare is the Word of God. When we speak His Word in prayer, we wield artillery that hell is powerless to resist. Praying the Word, in essence, swings God’s mighty weaponry, the sword of the Spirit. It connects humanity with divine power. Charles Spurgeon expressed it this way, “Prayer is the slender nerve that moveth the muscle of Omnipotence.”

In prayer, our words can cut off the voice of false prophets and false teachers. Prayer can remove spiritual blindness and transform lives. Prayer can move human hearts in the direction of God’s will. Prayer can release blessings and revelation. The power of prayer travels around the world and can influence homes, churches, and communities like nothing else.

PRAYING ALWAYS

Paul made it clear that believers were to pray all the time. “Praying always” (verse 13) denotes a fixed position—praying in your place, in your time, in your state or condition. And while you are praying, be alert and watchful, lifting up the needs of your brothers and sisters. We need to be there for one another, our fellow soldiers in the army of the Lord. Paul admonished the church to intercede one for another. Let us pray and keep our brothers’ and sisters’ spirits up so no one falls behind or drops out of the fight.

How can we fulfill the directive to pray always when we have to use our brains to function in life? Prayer is more than an activity; it is also an attitude. “Praying always” means a person’s attitude is one of connectivity with God. It means being in the right position to hear from or speak to the Lord wherever you are and whatever you find yourself doing.

On an airplane’s instrument panel is a gauge called an attitude indicator. This gauge lets a pilot know the aircraft’s position in relation to the earth—if it is flying straight or pointed in the wrong direction. If a plane’s attitude is not properly aligned, disaster is certain. Praying without ceasing means having an open channel to God, similar to the way an air traffic controller constantly remains connected to the planes flying in the region, even when there is no audible communication between them. There are times to pray in the Spirit, and times to pray with understanding; and it is always time to have a right spiritual “attitude” in an atmosphere of prayer.

PAUL’S PRAYER

Following his teaching on the armor of God and then his admonition that believers should pray for one another, Paul concluded with his personal request, “Pray for me” (verse 19). His petition gives insight into how we can pray for our spiritual leaders today, that they would: know what to say, have the courage to speak God’s words at the right time, and share the good news that salvation is for everyone.

Paul wrote his letter to the church in Ephesus from the constraints of a prison cell. Incarcerated for the Gospel, the apostle still identified himself as an ambassador for the Lord Jesus Christ. While it would have only been natural that his prayer request would be for his comfort or release, instead, he asked for prayer that he would boldly and courageously declare the mystery of the Gospel.

The enemy knows there is power in prayer, and he does his best to interfere and distract us from it. If the prayers of the saints were not lethal to his cause, why would he fight so hard against them? Take courage, and take time to prepare yourself. Once you enter the arena clothed in God’s armor and carrying His weaponry, you will experience wounds. Casualties to the flesh are inevitable, but God has assured victory to those who answer the call to spiritual warfare. You can be confident that Jesus will keep you as you call on Him, praying and praying again. And you will see great and mighty things (Jeremiah 33:3).

Lori Wagner

WNOP Planning Committee Member
(Information from: UPCI Prayer Connect Newsletter)