The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie
http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht
“Homily Grits Devotional” http://www.homilygrits.com/
1 Peter 5:8-9… Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. (NKJV)
I have listened to Dr. Charles Stanley’s 2 part audio sermon, which is titled…“The Battle of Prayer”, posted on 5/01 & 5/02… Here is Dr. Stanley’s audio-archives link, for those who want to listen to a great message(for those who don’t have it bookmarked in their computer already, like I highly recommend)… http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/audio-archives
These 2 days of sermons finishes several days of audio sermons (each about 20 minutes long), from the Book of Ephesians…including a favorite topic of mine…“The Whole Armor of God”, that the Apostle Paul writes about in…Ephesians 6:10-20… http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eph6:10-20&version=NKJV
Dr. Stanley’s 2 days of audio emphasizes the spiritual battle of prayer that all Christians encounter… This battle has been going on since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden apple and the serpent (Satan/Devil) was cursed by God…Genesis 3:14… The Apostle Peter gives Christians wise council in our struggle against Satan’s temptations, in the opening scripture… “Resist him, steadfast in the faith”…
Indeed, it is Satan and his demonic friends, which is our biggest“adversary” from birth; because each of us is born with a natural sin nature that has little protection from the temptations that Satan will use to keep those still living in the world of sin and shame in chains of bondage…
The Apostle Paul (along with the Apostle Peter’s opening scripture), emphasizes who our struggles are against, in…Ephesians 6:12… For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the wholearmor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (NKJV)
The Apostle Paul tells Christians to…“take up the wholearmor of God”,to explain what the Christian must do to be able to stand against Satan’s attacks… And Jesus’ half brother James, gives us the same advice, using different words, in…James 4:7-8… Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (NKJV)
Satan hates to see the Christian praying, because prayer is a vital part of the Christian’s walk with the Lord… The Apostle Paul pens this about prayer, along with God’s armor, in…Ephesians 6:18… prayingalways with all prayer and supplication intheSpirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— (NKJV)
I call the prayer of the Spirit filled Christian, the glue which holds all of God’s spiritual armor in place… Even the Apostle James emphasizes that the Christian must be Spirit filled (righteous in God’s eyes), for effective prayer, in…James 5:16… Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (NKJV)
The Apostle Paul tells us to…“always”…pray…“intheSpirit”… Dr. Stanley tells us the exact same thing in his audio sermon… To be able to pray, “intheSpirit”…one has to first be a Christian…and then they must be a Christian who is walking in the Spirit…Galatians 5:16… A Spirit filled Christian (Ephesians 5:18-20), is a Christian who is totally submitted to living for the Lord; with all of their sins confessed, repented of, and turned from…
The Apostle John penned the following scripture for a Christian living with sins in their heart, on how to again become righteous in God’s eyes, in…1 John 1:9… If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NKJV)
For the Christian, this unrighteousness is from a practical standpoint… The Christian will always be righteous in God’s eyes from a positional viewpoint… They have been made perfect in God’s eyes, with the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, in place of their sins…at the time they became a Christian by God’s grace and mercy…Philippians 3:9…&…2 Corinthians 5:21…
When the Spirit filled Christian prays “intheSpirit”, they are praying with the help of the Holy Spirit…with the Holy Spirit leading the Christian to pray in God’s will… The Apostle Paul pens scripture that may help us understand this a little bit better, in…Romans 8:26… Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do notknow what we should prayfor as we ought, butthe SpiritHimself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (NKJV)
We see in the following scripture, that the Father understands and agrees with what the Holy Spirit thinks, without the Christian even having to utter any words…Romans 8:27… Now He who searches the heartsknows what the mind of the Spirit is,because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (NKJV)
It becomes clear that praying “intheSpirit” is the best way for a Christian to pray, if they want to be sure they are praying according to God’s will… The Apostle John pens this, in… 1 John 5:14-15… Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we askanything according to Hiswill, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (NKJV)
Heavenly Father, help all Christians realize that praying in Your will, is the best way to have prayers answered… I pray Lord, that all Christians will seek to become Spirit filled; and then always remember to allow the Holy Spirit to lead them in prayers that You will be able to honor… I pray for this fullness of Christ for all of us, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…
Blessings in Christ, bruce
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