Prayer warfare is militant, prevailing intercession. It involves and includes from time to time all other forms of prevailing prayer. Prayer warfare is fought individually and collectively. It requires constant alertness and readiness and is coordinated by God the Holy Spirit.
The Role of Satan
Prayer warfare is necessary because Satan deceived man and introduced sin and rebellion against God into our world. He is the tyrant, the usurper of all he can dominate.
He is constantly and inveterately antagonistic to God, God's plan, God's people, and God's activity. He is anti-Christ, antichurch, and antihumankind. He will deceive, falsely accuse, and destroy in any away he can.
While Satan is eager to destroy all families, all nations, and indeed all people, he most hates and opposes those who follow Jesus. He plotted to destroy Adam and Eve and then all civilization before the Flood.
When God chose Abraham to found a race through whom Messiah could come, Satan specially concentrated the venom of his hatred against the Jews to try to prevent Christ from being born. He still hates them because of God's plan for them after Christ returns.
Whoever or whatever is chosen by God is specially hated by Satan. He tried to destroy Christ, beginning at His birth. He and his demon followers have conspired to destroy the church from its inception.
He is always antichurch, but most of all, antievangelism, antimissions, and antiprayer. As Christ's return nears, we can expect his malignant warfare to intensify just as it was intensified at the time of Exodus and at the first coming of Christ.
In order to destroy a person, family, or group, Satan tries to deceive, falsely accuse, divide, and divert from what is best. He deceives by masquerading as an angel of light where that disguise is most likely to accomplish his deceptive purpose (2 Cor. 11:14), and roars like a lion where fear is most likely to succeed (1 Peter 5:8).If he cannot stop you from becoming a Christian, he will focus on defeating you, slowing your spiritual growth, discouraging you, and trying to make you passive and inactive.
If that tactic does not work, he will try to get you so busy in daily activities or even Christian activities that you have no time to pray down the power to make your activity successful.
Satan, the destroyer, will destroy you in any way he can. If he cannot destroy you spiritually, he will seek to destroy your fellowship with other Christians and the unity and effectiveness of your church.
He know disunity, disagreement, and doubt can tragically destroy any Christian's effectiveness and therefore delights to accuse one Christian to another (Rev. 12:10).The amazing thing is that he tricks Christians to do his work by inciting them to repeat and circulate his accusations in the form of rumors, criticism, and divisive statements. He even gives morbid enjoyment in telling the latest accusation, rumor, or scandal.
If Satan cannot tempt you with wine, he will gladly tempt you with food to shorten your life and stop your prayer.
Prayer is the greatest means of spiritual power and spiritual victory to you as a christian. So Satan fears it more than all else you can do. Apart from God Himself and His heavenly beings, prayer is the greatest danger to Satan's purposes, plans and activities.
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Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana, (with Jean's impressions added)
Mighty Prevailing Prayer
#121 Prayer Warfare Defeats Satan
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 229 - 231) Zondervan
Today's questions-
So, what is the importance of our fellowshipping with those of like faith? Would it allow God's Spirit to form and shape us into Christ's image through wholesome relationships?
Prayer-
The answer is yes, but we need to prayerfully ask God to guide us to the church that will do this. As not all groups have grown in their awareness of what "wholesome relationships" are, so there needs to be much prayer to find the church that can minister to us in our present spiritual condition, to help us grow into Christ's likeness.
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| Ladies praying |
Father, lead us into experiencing militant, prevailing intercession, involving other forms of prevailing prayer at times, depending upon the intensity of need.
May we become alert to be ready to cooperate with Your Holy Spirit's guidance.
We know that Satan tried to destroy the Christ, and he is determined to destroy us and out dedication to Jesus now.
We see that he tries to deceive, falsely accuse, divide, and divert us from what is best for us. As he masquerades as an angel of light, help us detect his purposes.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
May we become alert to be ready to cooperate with Your Holy Spirit's guidance.
We know that Satan tried to destroy the Christ, and he is determined to destroy us and out dedication to Jesus now.
We see that he tries to deceive, falsely accuse, divide, and divert us from what is best for us. As he masquerades as an angel of light, help us detect his purposes.
We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Bible verses-
(Ps. 84:8, 9, 12 KJV) "O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah. (v. 9) Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. (v. 12) O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee."
(P. 2:1-4 KJV) "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (v. 2) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, (v.3) Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. (v.4) He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision."
(P. 2:1-4 KJV) "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (v. 2) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, (v.3) Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. (v.4) He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision."
Today's quote-
Paul E. Miller- "Hope begins with the heart of God. As you grasp what the Father's heart is like, how he loves to give, then prayer will begin to feel completely natural to you." (p. 85 of his book, A Praying Life).
Today's special link:
Do you ever feel powerless? I often do and turn to the only One who really can help.
Join Debbie McEwen in her prayer today.
Upcoming posts-
#122 The Limitations of Satan
22nd- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
God's Refining Fires
24th- Saturday's post by James H. Cagle
#123 Prayer the Nemesis of Satan
27th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
#124 Our Holy Prayer Warfare
29th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
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31-day Devotional
+ Jean's testimony
[Maybe just choose a title each
day that interests you]
A sample verse from p. 50-
It Does Take Time
for Faith to Grow
"Our God won't push or shove at all
But waits instead to hear
A person like yourself who'll call
And want His Presence near."
It Does Take Time
for Faith to Grow
"Our God won't push or shove at all
But waits instead to hear
A person like yourself who'll call
And want His Presence near."
(Published by Lighthouse Publishing
of the Carolinas. Used by permission).
A great gift for someone who may need help
to prepare for marriage, and for those in a
marriage, wanting some helpful advice.
More important words to digest.
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