“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints,” ~Ephesians 6:18
© 2016 Lynn Abbott
Motherhood taught me to storm the heavenly realms on the behalf of my beloved child. When my son began to have horrific nightmares and night terrors as a child, I knew I ran to Abba in prayer.
Oh, I had talked to God before that. I’d asked God to keep us safe as we traveled. I’d asked my heavenly Father to provide daily bread. I’d prayed that others would come to know Jesus.
I’d devoted hours in high school and in college to building knobby knees. I’d even kept prayer journals.
But I don’t think I fully understood the power of intercession and its impact upon the heavenly realms until I prayed for our son.
And I prayed for him as though my life depended upon it.
But to be honest, when I committed to pray nightly for my little boy’s spiritual protection, it soon became obvious that I had stepped out of my league.
In fact, while prayer connects you and I intimately with our heavenly Father, it also puts us on Satan’s radar.
In other words, you may as well paint a bulls-eye on your head if you commit yourself to pray.
Satan hates it when we pray because he knows how truly effective prayer is.
The principalities of darkness perhaps fear prayer more than any other spiritual activity.
Understandably so. The apostle James writes, ‘…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective,’ (James 5:16b).
Jesus himself modeled the power of prayer with each of His miracles. Again and again, the gospel writers report that Christ prayed before performing a miracle.
In this way, Christ demonstrated that prayer isn’t simply a commendable option; it’s absolutely essential.
Yet, despite any darkness the enemy may send in his attempts to dishearten or discourage, you and I can be sure of this: Abba’s truth will ultimately break through.
God promises light and protection for those who truly seek Him. And God always keeps His promises.
Indeed, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever,” (Isaiah 40:8).
Through Ink & Image 