Spiritual Battle and Prayer—Am I a Winner?

Introduction

Christians face the toughest battle in their daily spiritual walk with the Lord, and the way for them to face the battle is through prayer.
• We are in spiritual warfare.
• The Apostle Paul explains in Ephesians 6:10-18 the severity of this warfare and the way each believer needs to wage the war.

The Battle and Prayer (vv 12-18)

Readiness in battle and prayer always go hand in hand.
• We have a formidable enemy, the devil (vv 11-12)
• Satan carefully devises schemes and tactics against believers.
• The battle is in the spiritual realm.
• The word “wrestle” in verse 12 indicates a “hand-to-hand” fight—every Christian has a personal or individual battle to fight against.
• High ranking hierarchy of demonic authority and power battles against us.

How do we face the spiritual battle?
• The main verb in verse 14 (“stand”) and the participle verb in verse 18 (“praying”) are grammatically connected to each other.
• First, Wear the armour of God
• Second, Praying always (1 Thess 5:17), not just an Act, but an Attitude
• Keep the lines of communication always open with the Captain of our salvation (Joshua 5:13-15).
• The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6—“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”

Praying in the Spirit (v 18)

Christians are not only to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, but also pray in the Spirit.
• Praying in the Spirit is not speaking in tongues, but praying according to the will of God as the Spirit of God knows the mind of God.
• Romans 8:26-27; Jude 20
• The indwelling Holy Spirit helps us to pray:
• The Holy Spirit tells us what we ought to pray for, according to the revealed Word of God.
• The Holy Spirit also gives us the conviction and assurance that our prayers be answered according to the will of God.
• The Holy Spirit also energizes us in our prayer-life as He grants us the power in prayer.

John Bunyan explains praying in the Spirit:
“Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised, or according to the Word of God, for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God.”

Conclusion/Application

Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

• Every Christian must have a personal prayer closet.
• The day must begin with prayer, the day must end with prayer, and all through the day Christian must be in the attitude of prayer.
• Let us always be connected with the Captain of the Army, the Captain of our Salvation, as He leads us in the battle, and grants victory in the battle.