The 7-Day Prayer Warrior Experience (Free One-Week Devotional)
Author: Omartian, Stormie
Date: 2013-09-01
Rights: All rights reserved

Books in the Prayer Warrior Collection
by Stormie Omartian

Prayer Warrior

(http://bit.ly/PrayerWarrior)

Prayer Warrior Prayer and Study Guide

(Learn more at: http://harvesthousepublishers.com/book/prayer-warrior-prayer-and-study-guide-2013)

Prayer Warrior Book of Prayers

(Learn more at: http://harvesthousepublishers.com/book/prayer-warrior-book-of-prayers-2013)

The 7-Day Prayer Warrior Experience
(free e-book)

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cover by Harvest House Publishers, Inc., Eugene, Oregon

THE 7-DAY PRAYER WARRIOR EXPERIENCE

Copyright © 2013 by Stormie Omartian

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com

ISBN 978-0-7369-5955-1 (eBook)

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Learn More About Prayer Warrior

The 7-Day Prayer Warrior Experience
was developed using excerpts from Prayer Warrior, the brand-new book by Stormie Omartian.

To learn more about Prayer Warrior, visit:
http://harvesthousepublishers.com/book/prayer-warrior-2013/

Contents

Books in the Prayer Warrior Collection

Learn More About Prayer Warrior

The 7-Day Prayer Warrior Experience

Day 1: Put on the Whole Armor

Day 2: Gird Your Waist with the Truth

Day 3: Put On the Breastplate of Righteousness

Day 4: Shoe Your Feet with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace

Day 5: Take the Shield of Faith

Day 6: Take the Helmet of Salvation

Day 7: Take the Sword of the Spirit, Which Is the Word of God

In Closing

The 7-Day

PRAYER WARRIOR EXPERIENCE

Thank you for joining me on this 7-Day Prayer Warrior Experience! We’re going to take the next seven days to “put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). Through this week we’ll take a look at the pieces of armor, what they mean, and how they help us as prayer warriors in our spiritual battle.

May God bless you as you read. Remember, the battle is already won!

You are of God, little children,
and have overcome them,
because He who is in you is greater
than he who is in the world.

1 JOHN 4:4

DAY 1

Put on the Whole Armor

(Ephesians 6:11)

Before each specific assignment Navy SEALs are given, they thoroughly assess their equipment. Each item they have with them is chosen for a specific reason—to protect themselves, fight the enemy, win the battle, survive, and return safely. Every aspect of their equipment is of the best quality and must be in perfect working order or condition. Because all of this has to be carried with them on their body, they assemble their camouflage uniform with precision and great thought. They know they can’t go into battle safely or effectively if they are missing something important or carrying extra baggage. Everything they take with them is designed to facilitate and anticipate their every need. By the time they are on a mission they are more than ready.

As prayer warriors we must do the same. God doesn’t want us carrying anything that is unnecessary because it will weigh us down and hinder what He has called us to do. And we must not go to battle without the things we need in order to win. Our battle is spiritual, and what we accomplish in the spirit realm is as important as what the highly trained, prepared, and equipped soldier does in the physical. We must know our weapons and be highly skilled in using them. But first we must put on the armor God has given us in order to stand strong against the enemy.

The apostle Paul said, “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11). He didn’t say, “If you are smart you might take up the whole armor.” Or, “If you feel like it and have the time, take up the armor.” Or, “Try to take up the armor at least once or twice a year.” God’s Word says, “Take up the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:13). This is not suggested; it is commanded.

The Bible would not have told us to take up the whole armor of God in order to withstand evil if evil could have been withstood without doing that.

To “stand against” literally means to stand in front of and in opposition to the forces and plans of evil. It means to be the one standing after the battle. It also means to stand in preparation for the next battle. Standing against the wiles of the devil certainly doesn’t mean do nothing. If we are to do nothing until He comes, why do we need to wrestle against the enemy? “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Why does Jesus give us spiritual weapons to withstand evil forces if He doesn’t want us to use them?

The reason we must put on the whole armor of God is to withstand evil. We don’t war against people, but against a spiritual hierarchy of invisible power.

The forces of evil are invisible powers with a structure and specific levels of authority. We are not only to use our armor to protect and defend ourselves from them—as important as that is—but also to go on the offensive against them as well. When we do that, we close doors to the enemy and open doors to the will of God to be done on earth. We advance God’s kingdom.

Every soldier knows exactly when the time is right to put on his protective battle gear. Prayer warriors need to put on the armor of God every day because the war is always going on. New battles continually need to be fought so that evil will be driven back, the kingdom of God advanced, and the will of God be done. Our spiritual armor not only protects us from the enemy, it also gives us what we need in order to push against him.

In order to put on the armor of God, we must first identify what the armor is. Paul talked about how to identify and battle the forces of evil using the Roman soldiers as his model. They were by far the most powerful army of that time, and he relates the pieces of armor they had with what God has given us in the spirit realm. The following is what he said:

• Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,

• having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

• and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

• above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

• 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,

• being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:14-18).

This is not hard, so don’t give me that look that says, “This is sounding like too much work.” You can do this! We can all do this because we stand strong in God’s power and strength, not our own. That takes the pressure off of us trying to do it ourselves. We just have to show up and pray.

Some people think that because Jesus accomplished everything on the cross, we don’t have to do anything at all. But if that’s true, why did Jesus teach us to pray, “Deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13)? Why did Paul say to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)? Yes, the victory over evil was accomplished on the cross, but the enemy is still here. He is a defeated enemy, but he is still waging the war. We don’t want him winning any battles on our watch, especially as long as we can be part of the force God has called to stop him. We must have the whole armor of God protecting us at all times so we can stand successfully against the enemy’s plans for not only our life, but also the lives of others.

When you get up every day, put on your protective armor. Don’t leave your day to chance. Take possession of it and surrender it to the Lord. Don’t let it get out of control and give the enemy an invitation to have input. You need this armor to stop any onslaught of the enemy’s destructive arrows into your life and the lives of those you care about—both now and in the future.

PRAYER

Lord, help me to put on the full spiritual armor You have provided for me so that I can “stand against the wiles of the devil” every day.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

GO DEEPER

• According to Ephesians 6:10-11, why must we put on the whole armor of God?

• Read Ephesians 6:12. What do we struggle against? What do we not struggle against?

Get Connected

Do you need prayer? Would you like to begin praying for others who need it? We have an online community of warriors lifting each other up in prayer around the globe and around the clock.

Join us by visiting: http://stormieomartian.com/prayforothers.html

DAY 2

Gird Your Waist with the Truth

(Ephesians 6:14)

Roman soldiers girded their waist with something similar to what a weight lifter wears to give him strength and support so he won’t hurt the core of his body. It enabled the soldiers to stand stronger against their enemy.

We, too, need that kind of support to give us strength in our spiritual core. That means we must tightly surround ourselves with truth and not allow for anything other than the truth to enter into our thinking or situation. It means asking God to keep us undeceived so that we never allow deception to take root. Knowing the truth liberates us from all possibility of deception and illuminates any darkness in our life.

This doesn’t mean just know about the truth. It means know it so that it becomes part of you and you live it. And it is not just any truth that sets you free. It is God’s truth. Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). When we wrap God’s truth around us, it protects us by strengthening our core being.

The enemy uses lies to confuse people and fill them with anxiety and fear. The apostle John said, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). The enemy’s lies completely mess up our thinking and weaken us if we believe them. Every day we must combat his lies with God’s truth.

PRAYER

Lord, show me how to gird up the core of my being with Your truth so that I don’t fall into deception of any kind. Teach me to not only know Your truth, but to live in it.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

GO DEEPER

• Read John 8:31-32. How do we become disciples of Jesus? What makes us free?

• According to Colossians 2:15, what did Jesus do with regard to evil?

• Grab a notepad and write out a prayer asking God to help you live only in His truth and never accept lies for truth.

DAY 3

Put On the Breastplate of Righteousness

(Ephesians 6:14)

A Roman soldier’s metal breastplate covered his chest and kept him from being fatally wounded in the heart. Jesus’ perfect righteousness is what covers our heart, and that is what God sees when He looks at us. But we still have to put on righteousness like a soldier puts on a bulletproof vest. That means we must choose to live God’s way. We cannot be protected if we deliberately walk outside the ways and will of God.

Our decision every day must be to live a righteous life—not in our own strength, but by the enablement of the Holy Spirit in us. We must acknowledge that we depend on God and choose to live our life for Him. Even though we are a new creation, we still must decide to live like we are. When we make that choice every day to live in a righteous manner, our life is covered and our heart is protected.

How many attacks of the enemy on people’s lives could have been avoided if only they had decided that morning to live God’s way? With each step we take apart from God’s ways, the stronghold of the enemy becomes more entrenched.

Our breastplate of righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus in us. It protects our heart from any mortal wounds and assures us that the enemy can never destroy us because of sin. For example, harboring anger is a sin. The Bible says, “‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27). But we can get straight with God at any time by confessing and repenting of our sins. Don’t let the enemy have any ground upon which he can accuse you. Every day say, “Lord, show me anything in me that is not right in Your eyes so I can confess it before You, because I choose to live Your way.”

PRAYER

Lord, help me to put on the breastplate of righteousness that protects me from the enemy’s attacks. I know it is Your righteousness in me that protects me, but I also know I must not neglect to put on Your righteousness like a bulletproof vest by doing what is right in Your eyes. Reveal to me thoughts, attitudes, and habits of my heart that are not pleasing to You. Show me what I have done, or am about to do, that does not glorify You. I want to see anything in me that violates Your high standards for my life so I can confess it, turn away from it, and be cleansed from all unrighteousness.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

GO DEEPER

• According to Romans 6:13, how are we to present ourselves to God?

• Read Romans 14:17. How do we live in the kingdom of God?

• Read Isaiah 61:10. Why should we praise God?

Get Connected

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DAY 4

Shoe Your Feet with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace

(Ephesians 6:15)

Every soldier learns to protect his feet. They have special shoes or boots for that purpose. Roman soldiers had strong military shoes studded on the bottom of the soles in a way similar to cleats. Properly shod feet can stand strong against the enemy and keep from slipping. As a prayer warrior, we need to have the foundation we walk in to be solid and protective. The good news is Jesus already prepared that for us. Having peace with God and peace in God is an unshakable foundation from which we can defend ourselves and stay standing strong.

The word “preparation” means that the gospel of peace has already been accomplished. That is, it is already prepared for you. You just have to walk in it. God has peace for us that is beyond our comprehension. It is not that we can’t imagine having peace; it’s just that we can’t imagine having that kind of peace in the midst of the things we experience here on earth.

The enemy wants to steal our peace and keep us stirred up, anxious, fearful, upset, and always in a stance of waiting for something terrible to happen at any minute. The enemy wants us unable to forget the terrible things that occurred in the past and instead remember them as though they happened yesterday. God has healing for upsetting memories. It’s not that He gives us amnesia. We still remember that it happened, but not incessantly and not with the same pain and torture.

Peace is more than just having a good night’s sleep—although many people would think even that to be a miracle—but it is peace in every part of your being all the time. It is a place you live because of the One who lives in you.

Jesus made it possible for us to have the peace that passes all understanding—the kind that carries us, stabilizes us, grounds us, and keeps us from slipping.

PRAYER

Thank You, Jesus, that I have peace beyond comprehension because of what You accomplished on the cross for me. Help me to stand secure with my feet protected by the good news that You have already prepared and secured for me. Because I have peace with You and from You, I am able to not only stand strong but to walk forward against the enemy and take back territory he has stolen from us all.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

GO DEEPER

• According to Philippians 4:7, what does the peace of God do for you?

• Read Colossians 3:15. What are we to do and why?

• Take your notepad and write out a prayer asking God to help you stand secure in all Jesus has done for you and thanking Him for His peace that is beyond comprehension.

DAY 5

Take the Shield of Faith

(Ephesians 6:16)

Every soldier needs something to shield and protect him from the weapons of the enemy. In Roman times, the weapons were arrows and swords. The soldiers sometimes shot flaming arrows and darts over protective walls to set people and their dwelling places on fire. In the same way, the enemy shoots spiritual arrows and darts at us designed to pierce our heart with discouragement and make us fearful, anxious, uncertain, or incapacitated. The shield we have against these arrows of the enemy is our faith, and it is powerful protection from all that.

We all—even unbelievers—have faith in something or someone. We have faith that the pharmacist won’t poison us when we have our prescription from the doctor filled. We have faith that we can walk into a mall and not be killed. But lately our faith seems to be waning with regard to these kinds of things. However, when we put our faith in God and His Son, we start out having small faith, but our faith grows stronger as we read the Word and spend time with God in prayer.

How do we know our faith is strong enough to be a protective shield from the enemy? We know because God’s Word says that it is our faith in God and His faithfulness to us that becomes a shield for us. God said to Abram, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward” (Genesis 15:1). When we put our faith in God and His Word, He is our shield and defense. Now that is something we can have faith in.

Even if our faith is shaky one day—it happens to all of us until we learn to have faith no matter what we see happening around us—we can still depend on the faithfulness of God to cover us and increase our faith as we hide ourselves in Him. So when you feel the enemy trying to tempt you in your weakest area, increase your faith by saying, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

When the enemy comes to test your allegiance to the Lord, focus on God, His Word, and His faithfulness to do what He says. Say, “The LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).

Faith dissolves fear and makes us courageous. Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe” (Mark 5:36). Faith opens up unlimited possibilities. Jesus said, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23).

Our faith must grow strong enough to believe for the impossible because we believe in the God of the impossible, and with Him all things are possible.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You that You have given me faith and have grown my faith in Your Word. I don’t have faith in my own faith, as if I have accomplished anything myself, but I have faith in You and Your faithfulness to me, which is a shield from the enemy’s arrows. Just as You were Abraham’s shield and David’s shield, You are mine as well. Thank You that even if my faith is shaky one day, Your faithfulness never is. “O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!” (Psalm 84:12). Help me to remember Your faithfulness at all times. You, Lord, are “my strength and my shield”; my heart trusts in You “and I am helped” (Psalm 28:7). Enable me to take up the shield of faith as constant protection from the enemy. My soul waits for You, Lord, my help and my shield (Psalm 33:20).

In Jesus’ name I pray.

GO DEEPER

• Read the following Scriptures, and in your own words write out what each one means to you regarding your faith: Genesis 15:1, Psalm 56:11, Mark 5:36, and Mark 9:23.

• Take your notepad and write out a prayer asking God to give you faith so strong it takes away fear and becomes a shield to you from the enemy.

Get Connected

Join me and your fellow prayer warriors on Twitter, where we share updates and encourage each other daily:

https://twitter.com/StormieOmartian

DAY 6

Take the Helmet of Salvation

(Ephesians 6:17)

The helmet protects a soldier’s head. Our spiritual helmet protects our head as well. And what does our head most need protection from? The lies of the enemy, of course. The enemy wants to keep you from understanding—and living in—all that salvation means for you. He wants you blinded to everything Jesus died for you to have. He wants you convinced that you are worthless, rejected, weak, bad, unimportant, hopeless, and unlovable. Or if he can’t get you to think that way, he tempts you to go in the opposite direction and be full of pride. Either way, you fall.

Too often, wrong thoughts about ourselves usually have a root somewhere in our childhood. Certain misguided people caused us to come to the wrong conclusions about who we are, and the enemy never ceases to reinforce those ideas. He doesn’t want us to find out who we really are in the Lord and what God has for us. He wants to fill our minds with feelings of guilt, helplessness, and misery. He doesn’t want us to understand all that Jesus did for us on the cross because he knows when we put on that helmet of salvation and are transformed through the renewing of our mind, we will be able to see ourselves as God sees us—someone worth dying for.

God loves us, but we too often see ourselves as unloved. God sees us as chosen and accepted, but we may see ourselves as rejected. God sees us from the perspective of who He created us to be, but we too often see ourselves from our limitations instead of our possibilities. The helmet of salvation gives us a new perspective of ourselves that aligns with our heavenly Father’s view of us.

My husband and I wrote a song years ago called “When I Accepted You.” I wrote the lyrics about receiving the Lord before I fully realized the profound consequences of doing that. (Debby Boone recorded this on two of her albums, Choose Life, and the most recent, Morningstar. Please visit www.debbyboone.com.) I have included the words here because they sum up what salvation means in the clearest and simplest way.

You were poor

So that I might enjoy

The wealth of Your creation.

You were punished

For all my mistakes

So I’d be declared not guilty

By association.

You took all that I am heir to

And gave me all that belonged to You.

What more could anyone do?

When I accepted You I never realized

That I’d be accepted, too.

It took awhile to see

That You bore God’s rejection

So He’d never turn away from me.

I never knew I would receive so much

When I accepted You.

You met death

So that I might know life

And eternal restoration.

You took on the world

So the likeness of God

Could be drawn on my being

Like a blood relation.

The deepest needs my lifetime through

Were all met on the cross by You.

What more could anyone do?

You are the adopted son or daughter of God, who is the Creator of all and King of the universe. This means you are royalty. Jesus sacrificed His life for you to wear the helmet of salvation, which is like a crown on your head distinguishing you as regal. We put on the helmet of salvation the moment we receive the Lord, but we must constantly remember what Jesus saved us for and from and who we are in Him. We should never minimize what that means in any way. Receiving Jesus gives us so much more than we can even begin to realize at the time we make that commitment to Him.

Put on the helmet of salvation every day by reminding yourself of what Jesus did for you and why you now have the right to wear it as a royal crown.

PRAYER

Lord, help me to put on the helmet of salvation to protect my head and mind each day by remembering all You have saved me from, including the lies of the enemy. Enable me to remember only what You say about me and not what the enemy wants me to believe. Thank You that Your helmet of salvation protects me from warfare in my mind. Your salvation gives me everything I need in order to live successfully.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

GO DEEPER

• What does it mean to our lives that we have been saved by the Lord Jesus?

• Read Psalm 140:7. What does God do when you are in a battle with the enemy?

• According to 1 Thessalonians 5:8, what are we to do every day?

DAY 7

Take the Sword of the Spirit, Which Is the Word of God

(Ephesians 6:17)

Satan tried to destroy Jesus when He was born by inspiring wicked King Herod to kill all the babies in Bethlehem. Thirty years later, when Jesus was baptized and led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit, Satan attacked Him again. Jesus’ weapon against him was God’s Word—which is the “sword of the Spirit.”

No spiritual battle can be fought and won without our greatest weapon—the Word of God.

God’s Word was inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is God breathed. Each writer of the Bible was moved by the Spirit as his gifts and intellect were used by God to speak to them and through them. The Word of God is so powerful that it is a double-edged sword in our hands (Hebrews 4:12). That means it is a defensive as well as offensive weapon. As prayer warriors, we need both.

Once you receive the Lord, the Holy Spirit in you brings the Word alive to your mind, soul, and spirit every time you read it. Some people say, “This part of the Bible was only for the Old Testament people, and that part was only for the disciples, and that other part was only for the Ephesians, and this was only for the Philippians,” and on and on until the entire Bible is explained away as just a history book. Beware of anyone who wants to make the Bible into just a history book. The Bible is alive. It is living and it has power for today. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

I feel I must say here that when the Bible says something like “man of God” as it does in the verses quoted above, it is not excluding women. It’s like saying “mankind.” And we all know that word includes women as well. So if you are a woman, don’t become concerned about that. Believe me, I have heard as many concerns from men having a hard time over being called “the bride of Christ.”

Every time you read God’s Word, it will become more firmly planted in your mind and heart. From there it will protect you from attacks of the enemy. Put on the Word like a protective garment every morning. Speak the Word, pray the Word, live the Word, and let it live in you so it becomes part of your armor.

PRAYER

Lord, help me to take up the sword of the Spirit every day, for Your Word not only protects me from the enemy, but it is my greatest weapon against him. Enable me to always pray as Your Spirit leads me, and to keep on praying as long as I should. Teach me to be the strong and unshakable prayer warrior You want me to be so I can accomplish Your will.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

GO DEEPER

• Read Hebrews 4:12. Describe the Word of God as told here.

• According to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, why do we need to have the Word of God in our mind, memory, and heart?

Get Connected

Let’s stay in touch! You can sign up to receive my email updates which feature encouragement for your prayer life with helpful resources, tips, and more at:

www.StormieOmartian.com

In Closing

Prayer Warrior, I trust you found this week of focusing on our spiritual armor helpful in the battles you face every day. As we close our time together, I wanted to share some thoughts on Paul’s final words regarding the armor of God: “…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18).

Pray Always…

God wants us to be persistent in our praying. That’s what it means to pray without ceasing. It is not intermittent start-and-stop-whenever-I-am-desperate kind of praying. It is deliberate. It is with knowledge of what we are doing and why. It is not random throw-it-up-and-see-if-it-sticks kind of praying. It’s praying always, with every kind of prayer and supplication in the Spirit, which means it is Holy Spirit ignited.

Praying always means praying through things and not giving up. It means being ever-watchful and persevering in prayer in order to see breakthrough.

It is important to pray according to the will of God. “If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14). The way to do that is to pray with the Word of God woven into our heart and our prayers. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). And it is to pray with the leading of the Spirit.

After Jesus taught His disciples to pray what we call the Lord’s Prayer, He said, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs” (Luke 11:5-8).

Jesus is saying keep asking.

Jesus said, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).

Jesus is saying keep praying.

…and Be Watchful to the End

When a soldier is on active duty, he sleeps in his battle gear. He doesn’t put on his jammies and fuzzy slippers while he is on the battlefield. He stays dressed in case of a surprise attack. We do the same. We don’t take our armor off when we go to bed at night. It is protecting us while we sleep. But in the morning we need to put it on fresh and new—polished, so to speak—so that we have maximum protection for the day.

Part of our protective armor is our own praying. I have told people this in my prayer groups for years, and they have felt it and observed it. That is, there is a blessing for us when we are praying. Although this is not something we expect, great rewards are given to us when we pray in response to the call of God on our lives. The now-and-then praying doesn’t do that. It is the everyday, consistent praying that seems to build up rewards for us in a holy bank in heaven. We keep making deposits, and when we need to make a big withdrawal on earth, we have enough to cover it. I cannot prove this to you, but I know from experience that it’s true. Try praying frequently and consistently and see if it doesn’t prove true for you too. The more you pray, the more answers to prayer you will see.

Our prayers are not answered as a way of rewarding us for good behavior, like a child who is promised an ice-cream cone if he behaves in the grocery store. Our obedience to God is evidence that we are in alignment with His will. The most important thing is not to get what we want in prayer, but to accomplish what God wants. We delight ourselves in Him first. We make Him our priority and our greatest desire is to please Him. “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).

When we delight ourselves in Him and listen for His Holy Spirit to guide us as we pray, powerful things happen.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand.
Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness,
and let us put on the armor of light.

ROMANS 13:12