28 Dec Battle and Freedom in Prayer
You were born for battle. You were born into a battle. It started before this world was formed. You didn’t cause it. You didn’t choose it, but it is reality. You have been chosen to overcome it. Our victory is sure, but there are battles to fight.
God has prepared us for this battle. He has given us The Worship of His Name. Jesus is our source of victory. He won the ultimate battle on the cross, and has sent the Holy Spirit to equip and to outfit us. As we worship Him, we participate in His relationship, power and authority that He has given, and we are reminded of His blessed victory on our behalf. This worship is expressed in prayer. Let’s begin the New Year in worshipful prayer as we recognize the battle. Psalm 103:1-5 says,
“Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul; and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
God has given us The Word. In the Word we see our position and identity in Christ which remind us of our confidence and that we have every resource for the battle as we renew our minds to live in the holiness, He has given us. Colossians 3:1-3, 16a says,
“Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set you minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God…. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly….”
God has given us The Weapons with which to fight the battle. They are spiritual weapons. Some are mentioned above. As we are in Christ Jesus, we can daily overcome our spiritual enemy, and sinful habits and lies which lead to strongholds, and we can walk in the truth of the freedom which has been given in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says,
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
As we enter 2023, please prepare your hearts for 21 Days of Prayer, January 8-28. Our Prayer resource will be 21 Days of Prayer to Overcome Strongholds by Jim Maxim. Books will be available in January along with corresponding online devo/prayers by Jim Maxim and Daniel Henderson. Watch for prayer events or gatherings and create your own prayer times and gatherings during this season of prayer.
Greg Murphy – Pastor of Pastoral Care, Prayer and Life Discovery