I’ve found that American Jesus-followers are shockingly under-prepared to engage in the spiritual battle described in Ephesians 6. We don’t understand this authority we have been given, and we don’t exercise the disciplines which help us walk in it. For those wanting to wake up to their position as ministers of reconciliation, I recommend daily praying scripture. The point is not to pray this exact prayer, but to read scripture like the Ephesians 6 passage on spiritual armor and to pray it back to God. Here’s a good example of how to do it.
Lord, make me a warrior in your army. You have given me equipment. Put it on me today. Give me one more insight into how to better put on your armor. May I be careful to listen to your Spirit and to the way your Spirit may speak through my disciplers. May I respect their authority. Now as I pray through your Word, please open the eyes of my heart.
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…”
Lord, I put on the belt of truth. I choose to believe the truths I find in your Word. Show me what lies I have believed and shine your truth in my life.
“…with the breastplate of righteousness in place…”
Today Lord I choose to flee from all sin and temptation. I take every thought captive in your name. I desire to live a pure and holy life. Please fill me with your Spirit that I may walk in righteousness.
“…and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace…”
Lord, I want to be a Great Commission Jesus-follower. I want to follow you wherever you lead me. Break my heart with the things that break your heart. Fill me with a holy compassion to reach the world for Christ.
“…In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one…”
You know the areas in which my faith is weak, Lord, help my faith, help me to believe all things. Help me distinguish the attacks of the enemy and fend them off with my faith in your power.
“…Take the helmet of salvation…”
Jesus, thank you for saving me from the consequences of my sin! You have stamped me as your own and I have sworn to follow you as my Lord.
“…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…”
Holy Spirit, you know that I am prone to make decisions without consulting you. It is my desire that in all my ways I would acknowledge you and you would direct my paths. Speak to me about the ways in which I can allow you to guide me better and empower me afresh for ministry.
“…And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
You have said to pray always and I desire to do so. You know the circumstances and habits that distract me. I give them to you along with my prayer that you conform me to your image. Make me other-centered; may I see the needs of my fellow brothers and sisters and may I continually lift them up to you.” (Ephesians 6:13-18)
Very good, Seth….something I need to be reminded of from time to time. So easy to go in our strength and not the Lord’s.
Just the stuff I have been looking for. Thanks Sethe for reminding that I need to make decisions only after consulting the Holy Spirit.
Prayer for my family to be saved and delivered. My niece Monique who is a single mother of an 11-month old baby boy needs salvation and deliverance from the evil one. Please pray for a Godly husband and spiritual dad and mom for herself and Godly grandparents for her baby boy Edward Isaac. She also has a lot of jealousy with her cousin’s son whose name is Stephen Isaac, age 11. Please come against that competitive spirit. H.he needs divine intervention.
David my nephew needs to return to the Lord. He wants served God and he went to Bible school. He is going to church for the first time tomorrow (Easter Sunday). Pray for his return to Jesus, a good-paying job with excellent benefits near his home, a Godly wife, Godly male and female friends, and most of all ministry in his life.
Prayer for my sister Dyana (who is my mother’s caregiver) to complete her medical coding school and to start her own business at home and to have her grandson Stephen Isaac near by in the area so that she can see him mature and grow in the Lord. He is 2-1/2 years old.
Prayer for my nephew Daniel, Stephen and my nieces Veronica, Stephanie, Christiana and Lauryn to come to the Lord and to bring others to God and for jobs for Stephen, Veronica and Stephanie and prayer for my friend Robert to get an awesome job in the hospital working inside and to have his own apartment. He need divine intervention.
Prayer for myself to lose weight and to fend off the attacks of the enemy, ministry, financial breakthrough and my own very successful home-based business and that my 91-year old mother will live many years and that I will have the money to hire professional caregivers so that my sister Dyana can get her medical coding certifications.
That my nephew Stephen will get joint custody of his son and that Daniel my nephew will get joint custody of his son and find a good-paying job in medical coding and get his son to live nearby him and that his ex-girlfriend Jeanette will be miraculously saved and delivered from her dysfunction and salvation for her mother and step dad.
That you will prevent my sister Elizabeth from moving into my home and that her plans will be thwarted. She causes a lot of evil and dissension with the 5 adult siblings that I have living with me. Please pray that God will find her a Godly relationship and marriage immediately and God will put road blocks in her pathway from coming to live in my home. This will cause a lot of demonic chaos. She needs to be delivered from jealousy and envy towards other other siblings and her nieces and nephews.
Prayer for Christiana my niece to enter into nursing school much earlier than anticipated and that she will do excellent in her chemistry and math classes.