Ephesians 6:10-18
Introduction
Our battles are sourced in the spiritual realm, not in the physical realm. If you are focused on the physical realm, then you will not get to the root of the problem causing your battles. Prayer is a tool that believers have for engaging in the spiritual realm. The process of spiritual victory will begin when we understand that we have an enemy we cannot see (Matt 16:21-23). We must realize that we have a Savior and, through the cross, He has accomplished everything we need for victory in spiritual warfare. We also need to understand the resources and supplies He has given to us through the armor of God.
Our prayer lives are crucial, and prayer should saturate our everyday lives. We should pray all the time about everything and in every situation. Sometimes our prayers may be short. At other times they might be long. Prayer can happen while we are walking, sitting, or standing. Prayer is how all believers can remain in the flow of contact with God. It is a way of life: ongoing connection and conversation with God. We don’t have to wait for a crisis situation to pray.
The Holy Spirit is essential to our prayers and the impact we want to have in the spiritual realm (1 Cor 2:10). We illustrate our dependence on the Holy Spirit when we pray (Dan 10:12). He helps us pray when we aren’t even sure what to pray. Our choice to walk in step with the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit instead of our flesh is also an important part of our prayer life. Obedience to the Holy Spirit as we live our lives and obey God’s Word matters in our prayers, too. Willingness to live surrendered to God’s will and way frees the Holy Spirit to overpower the flesh and overpower the devil because He is greater.
Spiritual warfare includes your prayers. Talking about your concerns, researching solutions, and seeking wise counsel might be helpful, but they do not hold a candle to the work that happens on your behalf in the spiritual realm when you pray. Prayer is a tool available for you to participate with in the battle waging in the unseen. Pray. Utilize the tools that God has given you to fight.
Getting Started
- For many people, the concept of spiritual warfare is difficult to understand. The world we live in is physical, so to grasp the idea of something happening that we can’t see might be difficult. What about you? Is it difficult for you to accept this message of unseen spiritual warfare? Why or why not?
- While we are encouraged in Scripture to pray without ceasing, many people have a specific time of day that they enjoy intentionally and purposefully praying with God. Do you have a time that works well for you to focus on talking to God? When is that?
Let’s Get Personal
- Do you have a current challenge that you did not see before as a spiritual battle? After listening to this week’s message from Dr. Evans, how were you helped to see a situation in your life as not only physical, but also spiritual in nature?
- How can you make prayer a part of the fabric or existence of your life? Even if there is a particular part of the day where you can focus on prayer, how can you better make prayer an ongoing conversation with God?
Take the Next Step
- Experiencing victory through prayer is very much connected to our willingness to surrender to God’s will and to walk in obedience. Are you walking obediently with God’s revealed will in Scripture? In what ways have you been delaying obedience?
- What will be different in your prayer life because of the truth you heard about prayer and spiritual warfare?
- Want to go deeper? Take a look at the following passages: Luke 18:1; Daniel 10:12-13; 1 Corinthians 2:10; Matthew 16:21-23
Renew Your Mind
“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”
Ephesians 6:18
