About Prayer

Most of us find it difficult to devote ourselves to prayer. We often talk about prayer, speak about prayer, read about prayer but never seem to be able to bring ourselves to pray in any significant way.

There seems to be a real battle, a spiritual conflict over our prayer life both individually and corporately. Actually real prayer is a battle. The fulfillment of the God's kingdom and His will on earth cannot be accomplished without the praying of the saints. That is why the Lord taught His disciples to pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

When God created man, He gave man authority over the whole earth. That is why man is so significant. On earth, we have God given authority. That is why even though the devil and all his demons have overwhelming advantage over men in power and intelligence, they cannot remove men from the earth. They have to deceive men with wiles and cunning.

Now the authority not only on earth, but also in heaven is with the new man, Jesus Christ. In Christ, we have this authority and we exercise this authority through prayer. So whatever we bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatever we loose on earth is also loosed in heaven.

So we see how much do depend on the saints being able to pray rightly. The new man in us must pray. But don't get the idea that praying will be an easy task. If it is ceremonial prayer, if it is uttering pleasantries, if it is just routine it may be easy. But if we mean business with God, if we want to pray for His kingdom and His will to be done, we will come into much opposition. But the enemy has no authority to prevent us from praying. Therefore he uses wiles and deceptions to sidetrack us.

In Ephesians chapter 6, the full armour of God is against the wiles of the enemy. It would seem that after putting on the full armour, we are to fight and to move, not just to stand. To withstand the attack and then to stand.

In Ephesians 6:18, right after the metaphor of using the full armour, the apostle Paul launch straight into the context of his message. It is about prayer. As we start praying, it would seem that all the enemy wants to do is to stop us from praying. To get you into some activity, maybe some bible study, maybe some fellowship, maybe the need to help in house work etc. It is all a ruse. You need to stand in prayer. And after withstanding all the inclination to divert, to continue to stand in prayer. Why stand and not kneel? Because we are praying with authority. The authority of Jesus Christ. We are a member of the New Man. All authority in heaven and on earth is given to Him and to us. So let us pray.

Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;