Fight For Your Life | Victory Through Prayer

Silence in your prayer life is hard… Many of us have laid prayer aside Prayer is a POWERFUL weapon against Darkness Series: FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE Week 1… Know that you are a part of a spiritual battle Week 2… Walk in the light because there are monsters who destroy in the dark Week 3… Wear the “uniform” of the Christ believer Today, we are looking at how PRAYER plays a part in spiritual warfare The Spiritual Warfare in Ephesus Let’s look at what was happening during Paul’s ministry Acts 19 23 About that time there was a major disturbance about the Way. 24 For a person named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, provided a great deal of business for the craftsmen. 25 When he had assembled them, as well as the workers engaged in this type of business, he said, “Men, you know that our prosperity is derived from this business. 26 You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and misled a considerable number of people by saying that gods made by hand are not gods. 27 Not only do we run a risk that our business may be discredited, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be despised and her magnificence come to the verge of ruin—the very one all of Asia and the world worship.” 28 When they had heard this, they were filled with rage and began to cry out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 So the city was filled with confusion, and they rushed all together into the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions. This is the context of Paul’s letter This stuff is real Our culture has its own “Artemis” Power Sex Wealth Etc   What part does prayer play when fighting for our life?   Ephesians 1:16-23 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. 1: Prayer Keeps us in the Know Paul breaks down knowing God into important sections Knowing God Prayer and scripture study are the PRIMARY ways we know God Know His heart Must have a balance between Scripture and Prayer Not one or the other Both Important Knowing The Hope Of His Calling   The hope of his calling looks to the time when God will fully redeem us Prayer keeps us focused on what really matters because God changes our hearts Knowing Of His Glorious Inheritance   Prayer helps us keep the things of God in our hearts and minds The things of God, both in this life and the next, are far MORE VALUABLE than what this world offers Prayer reminds us of this Don’t trade your favor for junk… Knowing The Greatness Of His Power   We are only able to fight against the kingdom of darkness through the Power of the Holy Spirit   This is what Paul says about the power of the Spirit… Ephesians 1:19-23 That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Prayer connects us to the power of Heaven Don’t fight alone — Battle in prayer!   Prayer serves another major purpose… 2: Prayer Moves the Kingdom Forward Ephesians 6 18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Some of us are a “BALL HOG” when it comes to our prayers Only about us Our problems Our needs Our Battles Paul points us to the reality that PRAYER MATTERS for the advancement of the kingdom Paul instructs us to… Pray in the spirit Knowing God Knowing His hope Knowing His Inheritance Knowing His Power Pray with Perseverance Dedication Drive Pray in Intercession For the church For other believers For those who do not know Prayer should NEVER be just about yourself but about advancing the Kingdom of God Not just your problems The reason prayer hasn’t seemed to be effective is because you pray SELFISH PRAYERS   Prayer is POWERFUL It’s effective in our lives and in our WORLD Prayer is a GIFT God calls us to partner with Him   St. Patrick’s Breastplate I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through a belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation. I arise today Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism, Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial, Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension, Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom. I arise today Through the strength of the love of cherubim, In obedience of angels, In service of archangels, In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In the prayers of patriarchs, In preachings of the apostles, In faiths of confessors, In the innocence of virgins, In deeds of righteous men. I arise today Through the strength of heaven; Light of the sun, Splendor of fire, Speed of lightning, Swiftness of the wind, Depth of the sea, Stability of the earth, Firmness of the rock. I arise today Through God’s strength to pilot me; God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s hosts to save me From snares of the devil, From temptations of vices, From everyone who desires me ill, Afar and a near, Alone or in a multitude. I summon today all these powers between me and evil, Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom, Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of women and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul. Christ shield me today Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding, So that reward may come to me in abundance. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me.   I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through a belief in the Threeness, Through a confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation