*This article usually runs on Fridays, but unfortunately due to unforeseen medical issues, it is being run late. The articles will resume this Friday as usually scheduled. We apologize for the lateness. – The VRT
On June 6th, we commemorated “D-Day,” which was the start of the Allied offensive to take Europe back from its Nazi occupation. It was an all-out offensive where it is estimated that over 7 million pounds of bombs were dropped. Along with this, over 50 battleships, cruisers, and destroyers began bombarding the coast preparing the way for 160,000 Allied troops, 73,000 being Americans.
While there is a lot to be said about this day, I started thinking about our spiritual warfare and how we can soften up the enemy’s strongholds and allow us to be victorious, which follows what the Allied forces did on D-Day.
One of the most effective ways to soften up the enemy is to launch munitions beyond the effective range of a soldier’s personal weapon. Before gunpowder, armies would use arrows, darts, and catapults to send projectiles the length of the battlefield.
Today, we have guided missiles traveling hundreds of miles that can hit the target and destroy the enemy without sending in the army.
As Christians, we are in spiritual warfare fighting the enemy of our souls, Satan, and his forces. He’s formidable and has an effective weapon he launches at us, temptations. The Apostle Paul says these are the long-range weapons known as fiery darts (Ephesians 6:16).
Against these fiery darts, God has provided the shield of faith that quenches the darts of doubt, despair, discouragement, depression, and disillusionment.
But the Lord has also given to us our own long-range artillery; something laser-guided to take out the enemy before he can fire his fiery darts.
In this battle, there will not only be hand-to-hand combat, in which God has given us a weapon greater than anything the enemy can wield, the sword of the Spirit, the Bible. But we also have a long-range weapon exceeding anything the enemy can endure, and it needs to be our weapon of choice, and that is, “Praying in the Spirit.”
Praying in the Spirit has long been debated, but let me give you an all-inclusive answer, it’s a prayer that’s directed and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Praying in Spirit pounds the enemy’s position and weakens his attacks, because the Holy Spirit knows exactly where to aim to do the most damage.
The Apostle Paul’s advice is to pray always with all the prayer we can muster, and to allow our prayers to be fueled and directed by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26).
So, when we don’t know what to pray, let’s not fake it until we make it, instead, let’s give ourselves over to the Spirit, and allow Him to intercede.
Dennis Lee is the Senior Pastor at Living Waters Fellowship located at 211 West 1st South, behind ACE Hardware.
This Sunday at the 10 a.m. service, Pastor Dennis’s message will be, “A Spiritual Awaking.”
Sunday Evening at 6 p.m. service, Pastor Mike Rowden’s message will be, “Introduction to 1 Timothy.”
Wednesday Evening Men’s and Women’s Bible Studies begins at 6 p.m. The Women’s Bible Study is studying the minor prophets, and the Men’s Bible study is going through the Life of David.
Our services can be watched live or at a time best suited for your needs on our YouTube Channel “Mesquite NV Living Waters Fellowship,” or our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Living-Waters-Fellowship-Mesquite-Foursquare-Church-323286096181/
Amen! Holy Spirit directed prayer is the only prayer that’s going to bring about victory in the spiritual battles we face in our lives. We need to rely on the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our prayer time, because no one knows our foe, Satan and his strategies more than God.
Pastor Dennis’s comments some time ago were so valuable for me in sorting out what it means to pray in the Spirit. Thanks for the reminder and refreshing my prayer life!
Wes, I always appreciate your prayers. Thanks so very much. God bless
Thanks for the reminder, Dennis. Holy Spirit directed prayer is the only prayer that’s going to bring about victory in the spiritual battles we face in our lives. We need to rely on the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our prayer time, because no one knows our foe, Satan and his strategies more than God.