Praying
"You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed" (A.J. Gordon).
Right after Paul details the armor of God, he gives an important verse. Following his description of the powerful panoply, he says that what we need is prayer. That's what holds all of that mighty war equipment together. When we face our spiritual battles, the greatest weapon we can have is prayer. It's not just a tool. It's a source of power that empowers us in our battles. So, he gives us two important verbs about prayer.
First, we are to be PRAYING. As you take up that armor of God, you are to pray at all times in the spirit. What does that mean? If we are genuinely trusting God instead of ourselves, what will we do? Pray! The Spirit is our intercessor (Rom. 8:27). So, in good times and bad, we should go to God in prayer (communication with God) and supplications (cries for help in time of need).
Second, we are to be KEEPING ALERT. The word translated as "keeping alert" means staying awake while tending to something. Here, it's saying that we are staying up at night to pray. We stay up at night for all kinds of things. Do we stay up to pray? If you are going to be a man or woman of God, prayer has to be a significant, central focus of your life. We are crying out to God for the help we need and on behalf of others.
Need help in your relationship with your spouse, girlfriend, or boyfriend? Need help finding souls? Need help in developing the characteristics you should have following Jesus? The answer is simple yet profound-pray! When we realize the challenges before us, that we cannot handle them ourselves, and that God wants to help us, we ought to be praying! Prayer is not just a solution for spiritual battles but a guide for all our lives.
It isn't hard to pray in the church assembly. The question is, are we praying all the time? So today, are you devoting yourself to prayer with all perseverance? Are you staying with it? Are you continuing in prayer? This week, spend some time praying for you and everyone else! I love you, and God does, too!!!
Corey Sawyers is the preaching minister for the Martin Church of Christ and an adjunct instructor for Bear Valley Bible Institute. He is Melody's husband and Daddy to Garrett (and Bailey), Gordon (and Lauren), and Gannon. He is praying each week for all the readers of this article. We hope to see you soon in person at Martin Church of Christ!
