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Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, refers to the spiritual battle we each face. As his final admonition, he encourages the Ephesians to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:11).
Paul was familiar with the challenges and struggles of spiritual battle. Whether being stoned, beaten, or snuck out of town to avoid another flogging, Paul’s faith was tested often. Even by writing the Ephesian letter from prison, we affirm that Paul was no stranger to spiritual battle.
At times, we hear Paul reflect on the weariness and weaknesses he felt in spiritual battle... Know what helped him get through? What a key source of his strength was? The prayers of others.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Eph. 6:18-20)
At the end of the description of the spiritual armor (Eph. 6:11-17), Paul reminds his readers of the importance of prayer—the glue that holds the armor together in the midst of the battle.
Jesus affirmed this truth as well. Throughout His time on earth, we see Him place a priority on the time in communion with His Father. He would even spend all night in prayer (Luke 6:12). Jesus was keenly aware of the struggle that came with every spiritual battle. On the cusp of one of the biggest spiritual battles He faced, not only did He spend the night in prayer, but He also asked his inner circle to keep watch with Him and pray (Matt. 26:36-38).
No matter what we face, like Paul and like Jesus, we are strengthened in the spiritual battle when accompanied in prayer. It is an important part we play in the spiritual battles of others.
Thank you for being a prayer warrior with us! Please know that we join with you in prayer as well.
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“Thanks for listening to me. I feel better even for just having talked about it.” This expression of thanks came from a sister with whom I had a lengthy, tearful conversation. She had shared some things that were weighing on her—things affecting her family.
When we verbalize what we are going through, to God and to others, we alleviate the weight, we minimize the pain, and we lower the level of intensity. Also, when we share the burden of what we are carrying, we remember that we are not alone (Gal. 6:1-2).
When we bottle it all up, we can suffer from what I call “pressure cooker syndrome.” If we keep it all inside, the moment will come when we cannot handle it anymore and we will explode, thus creating a huge mess that we are cleaning up for weeks—all over the kitchen and all throughout our lives.
On the other hand, when we talk about it, in prayer, we release some of the pressure. We remember that we are never alone, and that God always listens. Therefore, prayer is one of the most powerful ways to alleviate stress, express frustration, rejoice, and find peace.
Prayer is one of the opportunities to deepen our intimacy with God. The constant contact and communication with our Creator, Father, and Great Physician are vital for our wellbeing. And when we give everything over to the Great I AM, we keep our eyes fixed on the Whole... not just our part.
In addition, prayer is an opportunity to deepen our relationships with one another. When we pray together, we join as one voice in thankfulness, petition, and intercession. My Iron Rose Sisters encourage me through their prayers for me and for others.
We pray about the ways in which we want to grow or bloom. We pray that God will eliminate the thorns we recognize and that He will reveal the ones we don’t yet see. We give thanks to God for the opportunity to deepen our friendship as iron sharpening iron.
We share burdens in prayer and when we join in prayer, we strengthen the bonds between the different parts of the Whole.
Thank you for being an integral part of the Whole by joining with us in prayer during our Prayer Month!