Prayer is a Warfare
Pastor Maselo Mosomane
“For 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
I think one of the greatest demands a Christian will ever face this side of the grave is to distinguish the difference between spiritual struggle and other natural struggles like personal weakness, ill-discipline and carelessness. Many times we just mix everything in one bag, shake it vehemently, pour it out and try and apply solutions. We loose side of the fact that some problems owe their origin to the spiritual world while others are just the results of our bad tendencies. Not all the struggles we face in life are from the devil; some can be resolved only if we could exercise a little discipline.
There is a spiritual world and there is a natural world; each making a contribution towards what we are going through in life. The more accurate we locate the problem the better we will be able to deal with it. Satan is the cause of spiritual problems. More often; the cause of physical problems is us; notwithstanding the fact that other people’s weaknesses and ill-disciplines may also contribute. It would be unfair to attribute all our struggles to the devil. In fact, the devil hasn’t got that authority to force anyone to sin. Did you know that when the devil comes into your life he uses your weakness more than his angelic power to make you sin? You start the motion and he reinforces it. You experiment with alcohol and he develops it into addiction.
Natural struggles are best dealt with, with natural approach. On the other hand; spiritual struggles will only respond to spiritual treatment. A lot of times we try to solve spiritual problems with natural means and every time we do that we fail. We have been orientated to react to problems with natural instinct. Every time there is a problem, we instinctively react with an attempt to apply ourselves to it despite its origin. Let us realize that natural problems need natural solutions and spiritual problems, spiritual solutions too. It is also true that; since all life emanates from the spirit, all problems will finally dissolve under spiritual treatment. We will not attempt to follow this truth since we are dealing with a different subject today.
The apostle who wrote this epistle (Paul) grew up in a world that was more influenced by games. Athletic games had a great bearing on his selection on words when he preached or write. We hear him quiet often using words like athlete 2 Timothy 2:5; competition 1 Corinthians 9:25; running and boxing 1 Corinthians 9:26; race Hebrews 12:1; and wrestling Ephesians 6:12.
We also see Paul drawing a vivid analogy between the game of wrestling and a Christian prayer life. By definition; wrestling is to contend by grappling with and striving to trip or throw down an opponent. It is a struggle between two persons to see which will throw the other down.
Paul says; “…we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. The message he is portraying is that WE ARE WRESTLING. We are contending as though by grappling with and striving to trip or throw down an opponent. We are constantly engaged in this struggle with an opponent. He wants to throw us down and keep us there.
Who is our opponent? Satan and his demon cohorts are our opponents; not flesh and blood. The sooner we realize that our opponent is not man the better. We are very much aware that man may cooperate with Satan and demons against you; but he is not the enemy. If you focus on man as your enemy, you may stop him – alright; but the devil will find another willing body and continue the onslaught against you. The enemy is the devil. Stop man and the devil will continue; but when you stop the devil man will stop. Listen to what Paul say; “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”
Now that the enemy is located; how do we engage him? By PRAYER! The deadliest weapon a child of God can use against the devil is words formulated in prayer. We don’t only pray to have communion with God; we also pray to demolish the kingdom of Satan in high places. Guns and ammunitions won’t work; only prayer will accomplish the mission. Heavy artilleries and flying machines; powerful as they are will not work. PRAYER WILL!
We grow and become spiritual men and women when we come to know that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual. We put the devil in a difficult spot when we pray. In fact, like in wrestling; we trip him and throw him to the ground. When we keep to it, we keep him there. Where? Under our feet! Many times we pray; “Lord take the devil away” when we suppose to keep him under our feet.
We don’t have any other weapon but prayer. It is the key that ignite the power of God. The devil knows this. That’s why he would work day and night to keep Christians away from prayer. You can join a church, he won’t bother you. You can sing in a choir, you can preach until you loose all your voice; it does not bother him. But the moment you take time to pray and pray the word; you’ve got him under. The only wrestling technique that will throw him down and keep him there is prayer.
Prayer is not only engaging in warfare; it is ATTACKING the kingdom of Satan. Prayer is not defensive; it is offensive. We take the battle to the devil when we pray and he doesn’t like it. The devil doesn’t like fighting on his back foot. Prayer is a violent assault on the kingdom of Satan.
We may say we all know how to pray but; like any other weapon, prayer works when we use it. It won’t work just because we know it is powerful. This is the reason there is so much laziness among Christians about prayer. They may willingly engage in all other things except prayer. Haven’t you realize that all other meetings are well attended except prayer meetings?
Beloved, once the devil can succeed in keeping your mouth shut about prayer; it’s time to pack and go for you’ve already lost the battle. Battles are not won at the pulpit; battles are won behind the curtains. Battles are not won in front of the shouting crowd; battles are won in a lonely tussle on your knees. Battles are not won in big auditoriums but in small and not so well furnished rooms.
Every time there is a problem, let your first reaction be to look for a secret place and engage the enemy. As we have already said; we have been raised to believe that manhood is being able to fight your battles. But God tells us something different. “…the battle is not yours, but God’s” 2 Chronicles 20:15. Stop fighting and start praying.
Prayer trains us to depend on God. Physical battles are fought with muscles and artillery; but the spiritual battle is fought with prayer. Physical battles are fought on our feet; but spiritual battles are fought on our knees. Physical battles are fought with sophisticated weapons; but spiritual battles are fought with simple words repeated after God.
As soon as you locate the source of your problem, use the right weapons and you will win every time. It is the source of your problems that must determine the type of weapons you will need. LET US PRAY!
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