ASK, SEEK, KNOCK

Jesus continued His Sermon on the Mount by declaring the following in Matthew 7:7-11 - "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

Our Lord is again teaching on the subject of prayer in this context. Asking is making a request with one's voice, seeking is the act of pursuing someone or something, and knocking is an effort to open and pass through an obstacle. All three of these verbs are continuous in the Greek (i.e., one must continue to ask, seek, and knock), and they seem to be communicating the same basic idea in a progressive manner. When one prays to the heavenly Father, he must do so seriously, not vainly. Prayer is not to be an empty ritual. To pray correctly, one must not only "ask" for a blessing, but he must also faithfully "knock" and "seek" for the fulfillment of his request (e.g., Luke 18:1-8). Prayer is not an opportunity to make requests for things one is unwilling to work for or too lazy to sincerely pray for again if the petition is not immediately answered in the affirmative!

Prayers that are pleasing to God are offered from the heart zealously. When a person puts little heart or passion into their prayers, should they really expect God to put much heart into answering them? Friends, you must continue to ask, seek, and knock according to the Lord's will, and He will bless you. This is a promise of God, and He is faithful to keep His word! Let me hasten to state that although there are no explicit restrictions placed upon this teaching here, the rest of the New Testament does establish some parameters (cf. Matt. 6:14,15; James 1:6,7; 4:3; I Pet. 3:7; I John 3:22; 5:14).

One proper application of this verse is that those who are genuinely seeking the truth are going to find it. I do not believe that there is anyone who has lived, or will live, who sincerely desired to know the truth, who did not have an opportunity to come in contact with it (e.g., Acts 10). No one can truly believe in this promise unless he has great faith in the providence of God.

In Matthew 7:9,10, Jesus speaks of "bread" and "fish." These were common foods for the peasants of Galilee. Human parents "give good gifts" to their children to the best of their ability because they love them; that is, they wouldn't give them a stone instead of bread or a serpent instead of fish. But, how much more will God the Creator, whose love and ability to give are infinitely beyond any earthly parent, "give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matt. 7:11). Jesus is comparing human parents (who are "evil") with God Almighty who is perfectly good and righteous in every way. Have you considered that God's love for you is even greater than your parents' love for you? This truth must be remembered when petitions are offered to the Lord and not answered as one thinks they should be. One's prayers should always center around the fact that God knows best and He has our best interests in mind, regardless of how He answers. The Lord doesn't just give good gifts -He gives the greatest gifts (James 1:17)!

As we ask, seek, and knock, let us never view prayer as striving to conquer God's reluctance but rather as the act of laying hold of His willingness. "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (Eph. 3:20,21). SRB

HOW TO PRAY AND HOW NOT TO PRAY

The New Testament, in many places, emphasizes the importance and necessity of prayer for all Christians.

However, Jesus addresses the subject with the most depth, giving practical advice on how to pray and how not to pray.

There are many passages in the New Testament that emphasize the importance and necessity of prayer for all Christians. However, Jesus addresses the subject with the most depth, giving practical advice on how to pray and how not to pray. Let us consider the general principles He set forth in Matthew 6:5-8 - "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him."

Jesus expects His disciples to pray; such is clear by His use of the word "when", not "if." "When you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites" (Matt. 6:5). Jesus is emphasizing the need to be sincere in prayer. Those who pray to be seen of men, as those who do charitable deeds with the same motive, have no reward from the heavenly Father. Hypocrites or pretenders are often diligent to exercise their "religiousness" in the most obvious way in order to gain the acclaim of others. These individuals are full of pride and lovers of themselves. Such does not please the Lord (e.g., Luke 18:10-14; Matt. 23; cf. James 4:6; II Tim. 3:2ff).

"When you pray, go into your room, and...shut your door" (Matt. 6:6). Jesus is stressing the advantage of solitude in prayer. One can more easily develop sincerity in prayer privately. Generally, there will be fewer distractions and disturbances since one can better control the environment when isolated from others. The essence of prayer is seeking after God, and it is undoubtedly easier to seek Him out in solitude because the temptation to pray to be seen of men is removed. God rewards those who petition Him in a proper spirit by granting their requests that are made in accordance with His will (I John 5:14,15).

One must not conclude that Jesus is here prohibiting public prayer. The New Testament authorizes Christians to engage in public prayer (Acts 2:42; I Tim. 2:8; James 5:16), although it should be noted that Christ seemed to pray more often when He was alone (e.g., Matt. 14:23; 26:36ff; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:18).

"Do not use vain repetitions" (Matt. 6:7). Our Lord underscores the need for simplicity in prayer (cf. Eccl. 5:2). One must avoid using meaningless, mechanical phrases. The pagans were often guilty of such (e.g., I Kings 18:26; Acts 19:34). Note that Jesus doesn't condemn repetition in prayer; He condemns vain repetition. A prayer can be repetitive and still be meaningful (e.g., Matt. 26:44). Offering thanks for food at every meal could turn into vain repetition, but not if one is truly grateful and mindful of the fact that God is the One who gives all things.

The beauty of the Lord's model prayer, which we will consider shortly, is its simplicity. It is less than 60 words in Greek. If one follows Christ's example, his public prayers will be shorter and his private prayers will be longer.

"Your Father knows the things you have need of" (Matt. 6:8). To have God as one's Father is to have the security of knowing that one's prayers are heard; thus, vain repetition is unnecessary. In fact, one's needs are known even before the first petition is uttered. Consequently, some wonder why prayer is necessary. It cannot be said that God is ignorant and in need of being informed, nor is He reluctant that we need to persuade Him. It appears that God imparts His gifts in response to man's eagerness to receive them (cf. Luke 11:5-13; James 4:2).

Even if this were not the case, one should pray simply because he is commanded to do so. I Thessalonians 5:17 says - "Pray without ceasing". Since such is physically impossible, perhaps the meaning is that God expects His children to have a mindset that continually seeks to be in tune with Him. If such is correct, then to "pray without ceasing" is to be mindful always of the Lord and His will in one's everyday decisions and activities. It is to communicate with the Lord silently and informally throughout one's day, offering brief words of thanks and praise as well as confessing shortcomings and expressing petitions. These brief prayers can and should be offered regularly as one goes about his business. Let me hasten to state that I am not advocating that all of one's prayers be brief, isolated thoughts. I believe it is wise to also make a custom of offering more in-depth prayers at certain times during the day. Daniel is an excellent example of this (cf. Dan. 6:10).

God must be approached with confidence, not doubting, in prayer (Heb. 4:16; James 1:5-8). Even if one feels inadequate to express himself fully before God, he can be comforted in the realization that God knows his heart (Rom. 8:26,27). Patience and persistence are also required (cf. Luke 18:1-8). It must be remembered that the Father "is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Eph. 3:20).

In addition to the principles on prayer that Jesus shared with His disciples, He also offered an example for them to consider and learn from. "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." (Matt. 6:9-13).

When Jesus prayed, He always addressed the heavenly Father, and He did so in a reverent manner - "Hallowed be Your name" (cf. Psa. 145:1). God's name should be considered holy; it is not common or something to be treated lightly. When one addresses the Father in prayer, he should be as respectful as possible. After all, one is not just speaking to anybody but to the Almighty--the only true and living God! If one gives respect and honor to his earthly father, how much more should he give to God!

Matthew 6:10 contains petitions of the past and present. "Your kingdom come" is a petition of the past. It is no longer appropriate to pray for the kingdom to come. This prayer was answered in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost. The kingdom of God has come, and Christ is now reigning (cf. Col. 1:13; I Cor. 15:24,25). Instead, one should pray that the kingdom be enlarged. "Your will be done" is a petition of the present. This is essentially a prayer for the spread of the gospel and for obedience to it. One should pray that God's will be done everywhere, at all times, and by all beings. To offer such a prayer is to commit oneself to the doing of God's will as well as to the teaching of that will to others and encouraging them to also submit to it.

The petition in Matthew 6:11 is not for milk and honey, the symbols of luxury, but for bread that will be sufficient for this day. And, as long as it is today, one does not need tomorrow's bread; instead, one should pray for his daily needs everyday (cf. Exo. 16:12-31). God will supply all necessary daily needs if one seeks His kingdom first (Matt. 6:25-33; cf. Phil. 4:19). Of course, one must realize that there is a difference between his wants and his needs. One must be careful not to let prosperity interfere with thankfulness for daily needs (cf. Prov. 30:8,9).

"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matt. 6:12). Jesus uses the word "debts" here in a spiritual way. Our sins are like spiritual debts to God (cf. Matt. 18:21-35). Jesus elaborates upon this thought immediately after the close of this model prayer. "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matt. 6:14,15).

Back in Matthew 6:13, Jesus made this request of the Father - "Do not lead us into temptation". This request may seem somewhat troubling in light of James 1:13. Why would anyone pray that the Father not lead him or her into temptation if God does not tempt anyone in the first place? The solution is that this phrase could be translated - "Do not lead us into trials". There are plenty of trials to deal with in life without one praying for any more! Of course, when trials are present, learn to face them joyfully (James 1:2-4).

Next is an element of prayer that is rarely heard publicly--"deliver us from the evil one" or keep us from evil (e.g., Luke 22:31,32). Prayers for forgiveness are heard regularly, but not for the prevention of sin. Faithful disciples of Christ should pray to be delivered from the evil one; they should pray to be able to escape the severe temptations that the devil may present to them.

The second half of this verse accentuates the fact that one's prayers (and life) should always praise God - "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen" (Matt. 6:13).

A parallel to this section of text can be found in Luke 11:1-4. Therein Jesus' disciples ask Him to teach them how to pray. The Lord then proceeds to utter a prayer very similar to the one Matthew records. The fact that Jesus responds to His disciples' request implies that one can learn how to pray. It is not a gift that is possessed by some and not by others but a talent in which one may grow and develop. One of the greatest needs in growing as Christians is to learn to be more prayerful. To do such will teach greater dependence upon God and cause all to be more introspective.

Dear friends, what about your prayer life? Is it what it should be? Our Father wants us to be prayerful people. He wants us to be sincere and feel secure in our prayers we offer to Him. May we always be mindful of the beauty of simplicity when it comes to talking to Him, as well as the benefits of seclusion. Let us strive to recognize God's awesome nature in our prayers as well as His plan for our lives. May we appreciate the providence of God which sustains us on a daily basis and utter prayers that reflect our reliance upon Him (physically and spiritually). Let us strive to manifest a gracious disposition to others as we endeavor to more fully comprehend our own personal need for forgiveness.

In closing, I want to encourage you to make a prayer list, if you have not done so before. A prayer list is a tool that can help you become more disciplined and reflective in your prayer life. Begin by writing or typing a list of physical blessings for which you are thankful. Then proceed to compile a section of spiritual blessings for which you are grateful. Include a section for the people in your life (including at least one or two individuals whom you are trying diligently to bring to Christ). Pray for the Lord's blessings upon them and petition the Father for specific needs you know they have. Make a list of your own personal petitions, as well as a reminder to pray for God's will to be done in your life. Devote a section of the prayer list to the attributes of God; genuinely praise God for who He is. 

Finally, make sure to devote a section to weaknesses you are trying to overcome and sins you need to confess. These suggestions are not all-inclusive, though they should definitely give you a good foundation to get started. Pray in secret through the entire list at least once a week. Update the list appropriately monthly or quarterly. This will help you see how the Lord is working in your life.

Friends, may those who love the Lord pray fervently, persistently, and frequently. Thank you for listening, and may the Lord bless you as you strive to do His will. SRB

PRAYING GREAT THINGS

Praying can be frustrating. Most Christians are convinced that they should pray more than they do. But it’s hard. Some don’t pray because they don’t know what to say. It can seem that the best praying is done by super-spiritual types who have command of some sacred vocabulary.

Others have been urged to pray with the rationale that prayer is supposedly a powerful procedure. If it’s done correctly, prayer will get “results.” Or so goes the commonplace thinking. But when people don’t see “results,” they conclude that there is something wrong with them or with the words they are saying. If we should pray because prayer works, then by that same logic, we should stop praying if it doesn’t work. And many have.

Because of this sense of frustration, instead of calling people to pray more, we need to urge people to pray differently than they may have learned or experienced. How differently? In what ways should our praying be different?

We do our best praying when we pray beyond our personal needs and persistently pray toward the great things that God has purposed to accomplish in history. We do our best praying for others when we envision and intercede for the good things that God has desired for them. We do our best praying as a people, united and focused by God’s word.

It’s natural for humans to pray. But to pray well, we have to be taught. We need to “unlearn” a few presumptions and religious habits. Our best prayer is something we will learn by being corrected and encouraged by Christ Himself. No wonder His first followers approached Him, asking, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

Christ is increasing and deepening and simplifying the praying of His people all over the world. Let’s be encouraged. God’s greatest works are still to come. And our best praying is still before us. WM

CHRIST'S INTERCESSION

“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself” (Hebrews 7:25-27).

What an amazing fact it is, that He who is the Master of Heaven and earth prays for us -and prays in Heaven on the throne of the Highest.

It may not be that He is praying for just the things we wish, nor even such we dream we need, but the fact that He is praying for us is beyond definition of all it demonstrates of interest in, of grace and care for us.

Believe He is praying for us, and what matter the cloud-covered sky, the tempest swirling and uprooting all things we hold dear, leaving us neither root nor ranch in those things; what matter though we stand with hands folded, hands of helplessness, and the fragments of shattered plans scattered at our feet; what matter though our soul be filled with darkness and our lips be dumb and faith shivers and begins to grope and at times stops and listens to subtle questions filled with a hiss, the hiss of the serpent; what matter that at its worst if, through it all and at the last, we can believe, and will believe in spite of every increeping fear, that He is yonder back of storm or woe praying for us, interceding for us?

To believe that, gives assurance He will meet us in the blessing such as never could have come had the answer been in response to our own poor, blind, unthinking an wholly selfish prayer.

How often we escape sickness, disease, the assault of circumstance and sudden death because He has prayed, has interceded on our behalf and caused the special providences to be swung over us and along our path, we shall never know till the record of it is read to us when we stand face to face with Him in the glory hour.

If there are times when faith would sink and sink as in the anguish of a drowning soul and then suddenly rises as on a swelling tide which lifts us out of the deeps of dark distress till we find firm footing on the shore of peace and rest again in His Word and truth, it is because He prays for us, because He neither slumbers nor sleeps nor closes His eyelids, but open-eyed and watchful bears us on His heart and lifts us in unfailing petition before the Father’s throne.

Before Peter stumbled and fell the Lord prayed for him. He told him frankly the Devil desired him that he might sift him as wheat.

It is very startling if you read the record. He did not tell Peter He had prayed for him that he might escape the Devil’s assault and snare. Not at all.

On the contrary, He assured him the Devil would succeed in ensnaring and overthrowing him. He prayed for Peter, but for just one thing. He prayed that his faith might not fail. He said, ‘I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not’ (Luke 22:32).

Peter went down into the black pit the Devil had prepared for him. The Devil used Peter’s infirmity, his self-consciousness, his boasting, and then filled him with fear and arrant cowardice, so that in the hour of trial he marked himself and that hour with indelible shame.

Peter denied his Lord.

He denied Him because he feared he might lose his life if he confessed Him. It would have been hard to have done worse than that.

But the Lord looked at Peter; faith responded to the look and to the prayer that had been offered beforehand. The Lord’s look was the emphasis of His anticipative prayer. Out of the darkness Peter came back to be more loyal and more devoted than before, with triumphant faith, but chastened soul. ...

What grace, what assurance is that. Again and again when the believer is on the edge where it seems the next step would make him slip, plunge and fall into the black abyss of unbelief, there comes as directly out of Heaven itself a touch of power that repudiates even the thought of doubt or question and gives him a vigor of faith such as he never dreamed ever could be his.

Yonder at the throne He has seen our special need and prayed for us. ..

Our Lord as High priest, not only lifts up His prayers in our behalf, but takes our own prayers and presents them like incense before the Father’s throne.

Scripture gives us a very dramatic illustration how He does this. As it is written:

‘And another angel came and stood at the altar, (the altar of incense shown in heaven) having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne’ (Revelation 8:3).

What a picture that is. Like that angel the Lord takes the prayers of the believer and presents them before God in the fragrance of His high priestly character and on the basis of His perfect sacrifice.

Without His intercession not a single petition of ours would ever ascend to the Court of Heaven. No prayer of ours would ever reach the Father. He says so, ‘No man cometh unto the Father, but by me’ (John 14:6).

As the horns of the golden altar of incense were stained once a year with the blood of atonement from the brazen altar (Exodus 30:10), so the priesthood of Christ and His work of intercession on our behalf rest wholly in the blood of the cross. His priestly intercession for the believer on the basis of that blood is a demonstration that the blood has been applied, has been accepted on our behalf, and we are accounted with our Lord as members of the family of God. IM

LECTIO DIVINA

Lectio Divina is Latin for “divine reading,” “spiritual reading”, or “holy reading” and represents a method of prayer and scriptural reading intended to promote communion with God and provide special spiritual insights. The principles of lectio divina were expressed around the year 220 and later practiced by Catholic monks, especially the monastic rules of Sts. Pachomius, Augustine, Basil, and Benedict.

The practice of lectio divina is currently very popular among Catholics and Gnostics, and is gaining acceptance as an integral part of the devotional practices of the Emerging Church. Pope Benedict XVI said in a 2005 speech, “I would like in particular to recall and recommend the ancient tradition of lectio divina: the diligent reading of Sacred Scripture accompanied by prayer brings about that intimate dialogue in which the person reading hears God who is speaking, and in praying, responds to him with trusting openness of heart”. Lectio is also said to be adaptable for people of other faiths in reading their scripture—whether that be the Bhagavad Gita, the Torah, or the Koran. Non-Christians may simply make suitable modifications of the method to accommodate secular traditions. Further, the four principles of lectio divina can also be adapted to the four Jungian psychological principles of sensing, thinking, intuiting, and feeling.

The actual practice of lectio divina begins with a time of relaxation, making oneself comfortable and clearing the mind of mundane thoughts and cares. Some lectio practitioners find it helpful to concentrate by beginning with deep, cleansing breaths and repeating a chosen phrase or word several times to help free the mind. Then they follow four steps:

Lectio - Reading the Bible passage gently and slowly several times. The passage itself is not as important as the savoring of each portion of the reading, constantly listening for the “still, small voice” of a word or phrase that somehow speaks to the practitioner.

Meditatio - Reflecting on the text of the passage and thinking about how it applies to one's own life. This is considered to be a very personal reading of the Scripture and very personal application.

Oratio – Responding to the passage by opening the heart to God. This is not primarily an intellectual exercise, but is thought to be more of the beginning of a conversation with God.

Contemplatio - Listening to God. This is a freeing of oneself from one's own thoughts, both mundane and holy, and hearing God talk to us. Opening the mind, heart, and soul to the influence of God.

Naturally, the connection between Bible reading and prayer is one to be encouraged; they should always go together. However, the dangers inherent in this kind of practice, and its astonishing similarity to transcendental meditation and other dangerous rituals, should be carefully considered. It has the potential to become a pursuit of mystical experience where the goal is to free the mind and empower oneself. The Christian should use the Scriptures to pursue the knowledge of God, wisdom, and holiness through the objective meaning of the text with the aim of transforming the mind according to truth. God said His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6), not for lack of mystical, personal encounters with Him.

Those who take a supernatural approach to the text tend to disconnect it from its context and natural meaning and use it in a subjective, individualistic, experiential way for which it was never intended. Here is where lectio and Gnosticism share a similarity. Christian Gnosticism is the belief that one must have a “gnosis” (from Greek gnosko, “to know”) or mystical, inner knowledge obtained only after one has been properly initiated. Only a few can possess this mystical knowledge. Naturally, the idea of having special knowledge is very appealing and makes the “knower” feel important and unique in that he/she has a special experience with God that no one else has. The “knower” believes that the masses are not in possession of spiritual knowledge and only the truly “enlightened” can experience God. Thus, the reintroduction of contemplative, or centering, prayer—a meditative practice that focuses on having a mystical experience with God—into the Church. Contemplative prayer is similar to the meditative exercises used in Eastern religions and New Age cults and has no basis whatsoever in the Bible, although the contemplative pray-ers do use the Bible as a starting point.

Further, the dangers inherent in opening our minds and listening for voices should be obvious. The contemplative pray-ers are so eager to hear something—anything—that they can lose the objectivity needed to discern between God’s voice, their own thoughts, and the infiltration of demons into their minds. Satan and his minions are always eager for inroads into the minds of the unsuspecting, and to open our minds in such ways is to invite disaster. We must never forget that Satan is ever on the prowl, seeking to devour our souls (1 Peter 5:8) and can appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), whispering his deception into our open and willing minds.

Finally, the attack on the sufficiency of Scripture is a clear distinctive of lectio divina. Where the Bible claims to be all we need to live the Christian life (2 Timothy 3:16), lectio’s adherents deny that. Those who practice “conversational” prayers, seeking a special revelation from God, are asking Him to bypass what He has already revealed to mankind, as though He would now renege on all His promises concerning His eternal Word. Psalm 19:7-14 contains the definitive statement about the sufficiency of Scripture. It is “perfect, reviving the soul”; it is “right, rejoicing the heart”; it is “pure, enlightening the eyes”; it is “true” and “righteous altogether”; and it is “more desirable than gold”. If God meant all that He said in this psalm, there is no need for additional revelation, and to ask Him for one is to deny what He has already revealed.

The Old and New Testaments are words from God to be studied, meditated upon, prayed over, and memorized for the knowledge and objective meaning they contain and the authority from God they carry, and not for the mystical experience or feeling of personal power and inner peace they may stimulate. Sound knowledge comes first; then the lasting kind of experience and peace comes as a byproduct of knowing and communing with God rightly. As long as a person takes this view of the Bible and prayer, he/she is engaging in the same kind of meditation and prayer that Bible-believing followers of Christ have always commended.

THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD

The phrase “full armor of God” comes from Ephesians 6:13-17: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Ephesians 6:12 clearly indicates that the conflict with Satan is spiritual, and therefore no tangible weapons can be effectively employed against him and his minions. We are not given a list of specific tactics Satan will use. However, the passage is quite clear that when we follow all the instructions faithfully, we will be able to stand, and we will have victory regardless of Satan’s strategy.

The first element of our armor is truth (verse 14). This is easy to understand, since Satan is said to be the “father of lies” (John 8:44). Deception is high on the list of things God considers to be an abomination. A “lying tongue” is one of the things He describes as “detestable to Him” (Proverbs 6:16-17). We are therefore exhorted to put on truth for our own sanctification and deliverance, as well as for the benefit of those to whom we witness.

Also in verse 14, we are told to put on the breastplate of righteousness. A breastplate shielded a warrior’s vital organs from blows that would otherwise be fatal. This righteousness is not works of righteousness done by men. Rather, this is the righteousness of Christ, imputed by God and received by faith, which guards our hearts against the accusations and charges of Satan and secures our innermost being from his attacks.

Verse 15 speaks of the preparation of the feet for spiritual conflict. In warfare, sometimes an enemy places dangerous obstacles in the path of advancing soldiers. The idea of the preparation of the gospel of peace as footwear suggests what we need to advance into Satan's territory, aware that there will be traps, with the message of grace so essential to winning souls to Christ. Satan has many obstacles placed in the path to halt the propagation of the gospel.

The shield of faith spoken of in verse 16 makes Satan's sowing of doubt about the faithfulness of God and His Word ineffective. Our faith—of which Christ is “the author and perfecter” (Hebrews 12:2)— is like a golden shield, precious, solid, and substantial.

The helmet of salvation in verse 17 is protection for the head, keeping viable a critical part of the body. We could say that our way of thinking needs preservation. The head is the seat of the mind, which, when it has laid hold of the sure gospel hope of eternal life, will not receive false doctrine or give way to Satan’s temptations. The unsaved person has no hope of warding off the blows of false doctrine because he is without the helmet of salvation and his mind is incapable of discerning between spiritual truth and spiritual deception.

Verse 17 interprets itself as to the meaning of the sword of the Spirit—it is the Word of God. While all the other pieces of spiritual armor are defensive in nature, the sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the armor of God. It speaks of the holiness and power of the Word of God. A greater spiritual weapon is not conceivable. In Jesus' temptations in the desert, the Word of God was always His overpowering response to Satan. What a blessing that the same Word is available to us!

In verse 18, we are told to pray in the Spirit (that is, with the mind of Christ, with His heart and His priorities) in addition to wearing the full armor of God. We cannot neglect prayer, as it is the means by which we draw spiritual strength from God. Without prayer, without reliance upon God, our efforts at spiritual warfare are empty and futile. The full armor of God—truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer—are the tools God has given us, through which we can be spiritually victorious, overcoming Satan’s attacks and temptations.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

There are two primary errors when it comes to spiritual warfare: over-emphasis and under-emphasis. Some blame every sin, every conflict, and every problem on demons that need to be cast out. Others completely ignore the spiritual realm and the fact that the Bible tells us our battle is against spiritual powers. The key to successful spiritual warfare is finding the biblical balance. Jesus sometimes cast demons out of people and sometimes healed people with no mention of the demonic. The apostle Paul instructs Christians to wage war against the sin in themselves (Romans 6) and to wage war against the evil one (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Ephesians 6:10-12 declares, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 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.” This text teaches some crucial truths: we can only be strong in the Lord’s power, it is God’s armor that protects us, and our battle is against spiritual forces of evil in the world.

A powerful example of someone strong in the Lord’s power is Michael, the archangel, in Jude 9. Michael, likely the most powerful of all of God’s angels, did not rebuke Satan in his own power, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Revelation 12:7-8 records that in the end times Michael will defeat Satan. Still, when it came to his conflict with Satan, Michael rebuked Satan in God’s name and authority, not his own. It is only through our relationship with Jesus Christ that Christians have any authority over Satan and his demons. It is only in His Name that our rebuke has any power.

Ephesians 6:13-18 gives a description of the spiritual armor God gives us. We are to stand firm with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and by praying in the Spirit. What do these pieces of spiritual armor represent in spiritual warfare? We are to speak the truth against Satan’s lies. We are to rest in the fact that we are declared righteous because of Christ’s sacrifice for us. We are to proclaim the gospel no matter how much resistance we receive. We are not to waver in our faith, no matter how strongly we are attacked. Our ultimate defense is the assurance we have of our salvation, an assurance that no spiritual force can take away. Our offensive weapon is the Word of God, not our own opinions and feelings. We are to follow Jesus’ example in recognizing that some spiritual victories are only possible through prayer.

The Lord Jesus is our ultimate example for spiritual warfare. Observe how Jesus handled direct attacks from Satan when He was tempted by him in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). Each temptation was answered the same way—with the words “It is written.” Jesus knew the Word of the living God is the most powerful weapon against the temptations of the devil. If Jesus Himself used the Word to counter the devil, do we dare to use anything less?

The ultimate example of how not to engage in spiritual warfare is the seven sons of Sceva. “Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, ‘In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.’ Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?’ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding” (Acts 19:13-16). The seven sons of Sceva were using Jesus’ name. That is not enough. The seven sons of Sceva did not have a relationship with Jesus; therefore, their words were void of any power or authority. The seven sons of Sceva were relying on a methodology. They were not relying on Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and they were not employing the Word of God in their spiritual warfare. As a result, they received a humiliating beating. May we learn from their bad example and conduct spiritual warfare as the Bible instructs.

In summary, what are the keys to success in spiritual warfare? First, we rely on God’s power, not our own. Second, we rebuke in Jesus’ Name, not our own. Third, we protect ourselves with the full armor of God. Fourth, we wage warfare with the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God. Finally, we remember that while we wage spiritual warfare against Satan and his demons, not every sin or problem is a demon that needs to be rebuked.