As Christians, we are involved in spiritual battles as personal emissaries of Satan war against our souls. Though we must daily fight these invisible powers, God has provided us with spiritual armor — the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, and so on.
“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:11-12).
In addition to describing our battle gear, the apostle Paul gives vital instructions: “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” (Ephesians 6:18).
Notice the sweeping nature of this admonition: “on all occasions … with all kinds of prayers and requests … always keep on praying.” This need for constant prayer is probably the most overlooked aspect of spiritual warfare. Just as God promised to fight with Israel’s armies against its enemies and his, so he promises to uphold our cause as we daily seek his strength. No matter what satanic devices are arrayed against us, nothing can match the awesome power of God, who responds to our call for help in the day of battle.
The next time you are in the midst of a spiritual crisis, consider what Jesus did on the night he was arrested: “Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray’” (Matthew 26:36).
If Jesus, the Son of God, had to pray in order to find strength, what must that mean for us? In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus cautioned his disciples, as he still cautions us today, against the laziness of failing to pray. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
Jim Cymbala began the Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn, he is a longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson.