How to Pray When You Need a Miracle by Linda Evans Shepherd

Author:Linda Evans Shepherd [Shepherd, Linda Evans]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: REL012080
ISBN: 9781493403318
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2016-01-25T00:00:00+00:00

Fighting the Enemy

But when God’s Word and Spirit call us to fight, what do we do?

First, we should understand that we’re in a battle. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, put it this way: “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” (6:12).

In 2 Kings 6, we get an interesting glimpse into these heavenly realms. When the king of Syria was at war with Israel, Elisha the prophet was able to thwart his plans by warning the king of Israel of the Syrians’ plans. Finally, the Syrian king had enough of God’s tattletale and sent his army to the city of Dothan to capture Elisha.

That morning, when the young man who served Elisha stepped out of his tent, he was shocked to see the Syrian army with their chariots and horses surrounding his city. We can read the passage to see what happened next.

“Alas, my master, what shall we do now?” he cried out to Elisha.

“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For our army is bigger than theirs!”

Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” And the Lord opened the young man’s eyes so that he could see horses of fire and chariots of fire everywhere upon the mountain! (15–17 TLB)

What a moment, a moment that causes me to wonder what kind of warfare or warriors average praying Christians would see if the Lord opened their eyes to see into the unseen.

———

The unseen battle rages on. Not long ago I was speaking to a group of evangelical pastors’ wives when I mentioned how the enemy was at work in our churches. One of the wives raised her hand. “You’re right, Linda. It’s heartbreaking to see what’s happening in my own church with attacks on my husband. Plus, so many members have a sort of cold love; it mimics the love of Christ, but it’s anything but. Please tell me, tell us, how to pray against these assaults.”

I answered, “We need to do warfare to break the spirit of religion, strife, deception, and cold love over our churches.”

“Could you lead us in a prayer to show us how?”

I prayed as these dear women prayed with me:

Dear Lord,

We come to you on behalf of our church. First, we repent for being caught up in the spirit of religion, strife, deception, unbelief, and cold love. Please forgive us. We choose to turn from these sins. Give us your power to both forgive and reconcile with those we have hurt as well as those who have hurt us.

Next, we ask you to deliver our church from all evil. We resist the enemy so that he will flee. Jesus came to destroy the works of the enemy, so we call upon God’s power, in the authority of the name and blood of Jesus, to cancel the enemy’s plans as well as to annul, cast out, and expel the spirit of religion, strife, deception, and cold love in our church.

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