Battling

For several days I have been awakened to go to battle in prayer. When I write go to battle I mean just what I write. It is going to war in the spiritual realm for people I care about. The situations are different. I battle for prodigals to return to God. I battle for people facing health issues. I battle for those who are at their wits end.

This kind of praying is taxing. I have been a student of prayer for thirty years now. This kind of praying is the most demanding. It is intercessory prayer. Identifying by putting yourself in these situations to pray fervently. The war against the wicked forces of darkness is a struggle. Remember we d not wrestle against flesh and blood. We war against wicked forces of evil. Demonic hoards sowing evil everywhere with little to no resistance.

We are told to stand firm against the schemes of the enemy. When you battle against an unseen enemy who can attack on multiple fronts stealthily, you must keep watch. It is fierce enough doing battle for one person. Add multiple people. Add a church and community. In addition, take on the battle for a whole nation engulfed in spiritual darkness. This kind of praying is work. It is intense. It is a fight to push back the darkness. Inch by inch, foot by foot, yard by yard.

Our opponent is a formidable foe. A liar. A deceiver. One disguised as an angel of light. One seeking to steal, kill, and destroy. One roaring like a lion seeking whom he can devour. He destroys lives. He tempts, lures and entices. Once people give in he traps. Many live in nightmarish bondage because they fell for his traps. One bad decision led to other bad decisions. Such people live in bondage. They have destroyed their lives and hurt those around them.

At what point will the church say enough? When will the church stand against the schemes of the devil?  Not with more programs. With prayer. When will the church courageously enter into battle? With fervent intercessions. Armed with spiritual armor, prayer and the sword of His word we must battle. If not, the devil will continue to destroy people, families and communities.

Consider for a moment just some of the things the church needs to go to battle over.

Abortion. Child sex traffic trade. Affairs. Divorce. Pornography. Alcoholism. Drug addiction. The occult. Hypocrisy. Corruption. Crooked politicians. Out of control judges. Evangelism. Revival. The backsliding of many. Sexual immorality. Censorship. Globalism. Pandemics. Rape. Murder. Government cover ups. Fake news.

While the church quit battling and keeping watch, the devil kept marshalling demon troops and advancing. We have lost valuable ground that may never be recovered. It certainly will not be recovered without a fight. Without battling.

For years God wakes when He wants me to pray. I never know when it will be. I get up and pray and usually go back to bed for a couple of hours. After several days of battling in prayer, when I go back to sleep I am out like a light. I usually hear Brenda's alarm go off. I hear her get up and get ready for work. I usually see when she leaves. Not the past few days. I don't hear anything. I am out. I attribute that fact to battling for people in prayer is work. Hard work. There is so much more battling that needs to be done. May the army of God march forward on their knees in battle pushing back the darkness.