March 20th - Prayer

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…be

alert and always keep on praying…” (Ephesians 6:18) NIV

Paul ends his discourse on the armor of God with the words “and pray …on all occasions …with all kinds of prayers and requests …and always keep on praying …”. It is reasonable to suggest then that prayer and our Sword (the Word) are our two offensive pieces of weaponry.

In 2 Corinthians 10:4, Paul describes our weapons as “not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” Pulling down strongholds! Sounds like mighty powerful weaponry we have been given.

What makes our prayers powerful? The length of time or the words we say? No. Our prayers are only mighty “through God” (KJV). He takes our prayers and petitions and empowers them with His power, His authority, His might. Our prayers are powerful not because of how, but to whom, we pray. That lifts a lot of the performance pressure, doesn’t it? We simply need to be faithful to pray as He directs. And we know He will be faithful to answer — in His time, in His way, and in His plan.

Let’s also keep in mind that the purpose of prayer is not to change the will of God; it is to accomplish the will of God. Therefore, we need to be frequently checking in with headquarters to make sure we are on the same page as our Commander. We need to seek His face, listen for His direction and follow His advice and guidance as we wage this war.

Let’s approach the Throne of Grace today, thankful for the mind-blowing fact that we can talk one-on-one with the God of the Universe. We have the privilege of seeking His face, receiving His advice and guidance for effective warfare in order to advance.

Today’s Action:

Let’s intently read every word of Proverbs 20, with a focus to search out and apply those corrections and instructions that are most needed in our own lives.

“Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.”

Proverbs 20:18 (NIV)