If I asked you to show me your best warrior pose, it would probably resemble the likes of the Gladiator, Wonder Woman, or even Braveheart. In our culture, warriors are depicted as strong, resilient, aggressive types, never meek or gentle.

But what if I told you Scripture flips this notion on its head? Our true battle stance is on our knees. 

This year we have been sojourners on a journey through the Armor of God. And now we have arrived at our concluding piece, the second weapon, prayer. 

“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.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” — (Ephesians 6:18-20)

If I am honest, prayer is not my default spiritual discipline. I have to create a routine and designate a time and space. The discipline of consistent prayer doesn’t come easily. I surmise many other women feel the same way.

It feels complicated, maybe even a little uncomfortable. We fumble our words and become frustrated with the things we try to speak. Ladies, can anyone else attest to this? 

But in order for us to be fully battle ready, we need to be in prayer.

Today I am hoping Paul’s instruction sheds a little light on how prayer is an offense against the enemy. 

1. Paul’s instruction is to pray in the Spirit! 

When we are full of the Spirit, our words are not being judged. Checking our ability to “pray well” is not on God’s list of to-dos. There isn’t a right or wrong way to talk to God.

Let this truth sink in for a moment and melt away any shame you have felt about praying. I promise you; you aren’t doing it wrong! He loves hearing the heart of his daughters. The Bible teaches:

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intervenes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” — (Romans 8:26-27)

Isn’t God so good? Prayer is not about the formula we pray, but the posturing of our hearts when we pray.

When we invite the Holy Spirit into our prayer life, strongholds break. Battles are won. God reigns victorious.

When I know I am not worthy and am nothing apart from Him, the Spirit intervenes on my behalf and brings the power. My prayer means nothing until I invite Him into the space.

My groans may be too deep for words- but God knows my heart. By allowing the Spirit to intervene, we are coming humbly to the throne. Battles are not won on a high place, but on our knees. 

2. Pray for One Another

The enemy is divisive and desires disunity among God’s people. There is nothing he would like more than to cause destruction and pit us against our brothers and sisters in Christ- because it gives him power.

But there is nothing more beautiful than when the saints stand together against the common enemy and pray on each other’s behalf. Prayer breaks hostility. Through prayer, we become one in Christ.
 

“His purpose was to create in Himself one new humanity, out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him, we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” — (Ephesians 2:15-18)

The enemy loses power when we pray for each other. As Cherie reminded us at April’s ARISE,

“People are not our enemy- the enemy is our enemy!” When we pray for each other, we declare this simple fact and, as a result, we go to battle for one another, not just for ourselves!

What a beautiful picture of unity. 

So how can we put this offensive spiritual weapon into practice? Start simple and allow God to grow your prayer capacity. Start the day on your knees. End the day on your knees. Model the posture of Daniel. 

“Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room…three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” — (Daniel 6:10)

Through repetition, daily disciplines become habits. If we expect prayer to become our default response, then we have to take time to discipline ourselves in this posture.

Each day we face visible and invisible battles. And each day God fights off the enemy on our behalf. If we want to participate in this battle, then it is time for us to get on our knees. For this is our true battle stance. 


- Kierstin Almstrum, Soul Care Lead