Take Up The Sword! Part 3 By : James Lantz
God wants His people praying His word so that His will can be released into our lives and Jesus’ victory will become ours! Immediately upon being instructed to take up the sword of the Spirit, we are told to take up the word of God in our prayers. Ephesians 6:17&18 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Notice that we are to be watching and supplicating with all perseverance for our brothers and sisters in Christ! This is God’s plan for His body to rise up and do the works of Jesus in the earth. There are a number of Holy Spirit inspired prayers that we can pray for ourselves and our loved ones such as Ephesians 1:16-23 & Ephesians 3:14-20 & Colossians 1:9&10 that unleash God’s power on our behalf. These prayers are not focused as much on asking God to do something for us as much as they are to reveal what He has already provided for us in and through Christ Jesus. When our eyes are opened to the greatness of the high calling of God, the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe we no longer see ourselves as powerless victims with inferior weapons. Jesus defeated satan through His death on the cross, His suffering, and His rising from the dead! Col. 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. When satan is being cast into hell, those who see him will exclaim, Is this the man who made the earth tremble, shaking kingdoms and made the world like a wilderness, overthrowing its cities, and not permitting his prisoners to return home? (Isa.14:15-17)
Jesus Handed Us The Keys Of The Kingdom!
All power and authority has been given to Jesus and He has delegated that authority and the right to use His name to His body, the church. In Christ Jesus we have been given the life of God, the word of God, the armor of God, the Spirit of God, and the right to bring our request before the Father in Jesus name! We have been given the most prestigious and advantageous spiritual position of being seated together with Christ at the Father’s right hand. We need to become skillful in using God’s supernatural weapons so that we can experience victory in every battle. 2 Corinthians 10:3&4 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) The devil brings thoughts to us that are contrary to the will (word) of God and we are to resist them (him) by saying what God said! We also take up the sword of the Spirit by praying God’s supernatural word! Heb. 4:12 CEV What God has said isn’t only alive and active! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts. Our Father in heaven does not allow satan to tempt us beyond our ability to resist him! 1 Cor. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. The same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead is available to us who believe and is far greater than our enemy who has been restricted and made subject to the name of Jesus. ( see Ephesians 1:19-21 )
God desires to unleash His mighty power on our behalf and yet many of God’s people are not praying. The Spirit of God reveals two big reasons that people are not receiving answers to their prayers and the very first reason is that they are not asking Him for the things they desire. James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. The Father desires for us to receive every good thing! James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. The second reason people are not receiving answers to their prayers is that they are not putting the kingdom of God and His righteousness first place. James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. These people are like an unfaithful wife who desires her husbands money but gives her love to others. God is not going to reward the person who is in love with the world and the things of this world because they have become His enemy. God’s great desire is for all those who love Him and delight greatly in His commandments to enjoy the good things of His creation! God wants us praying for our leaders and all men everywhere so that He can work good in our government and in our families. 2 Chron. 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Notice that God doesn’t require everybody to humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways before He will heal their land. God is looking for His people to turn from their idols, their selfishness, and their pride of trying to do things without Him. Ps. 147:11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. Let’s get to praying, God can do more in five seconds than we can do in a lifetime! God’s house shall be called the house of prayer by all nations!
Pray the Word
Ask God to cleanse our land from idolatry, the murdering of the innocent, corruption, and all evil!
1. Pray for your leaders! Pray for kings and all that are in authority! 1 Tim. 2:1-8
( Protection, Wisdom, Turn their heart toward good! )
Pro. 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
2. Pray that God grant His ministers boldness to preach His word and that He would stretch out His hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done in the name of Jesus! Acts 4:29&30
3. Pray that God will send forth laborers into His Harvest! Matthew 9:38
4. Pray for those which despitefully use you and persecute you! Matthew 5:43-48
5. Make Supplication for all saints! EPH. 6:18
6. Pray for one another! Eph. 1:16 James 5:16
7. Pray for your needs! Find scriptures that promise you the things that you are praying for!
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
