March 12, 2006
"Prayer That Can Change Your Life—Part 6"
Protection and Warfare
Matthew 6:13
The purpose of prayer:
- Glorify God's name.
- Establish God's kingdom.
- Accomplish God's will on earth.
- Meet daily, physical needs.
- Find forgiveness and forgive.
- Gain guidance.
- The purpose of prayer is to procure protection.
... deliver us from the evil one.
—Matthew 6:13
... I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.
—1 John 2:13
Things you need to know!
- Our enemy is real.
Two extremes:
- Demon behind every bush
A Christian will never know victory over sins of the flesh until they own up to their responsibility for these sins.
- Ignore that there is a spiritual battle
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.
—Ephesians 6:11-12
- The enemy is against you.
... Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
—1 Peter 5:8
- God is your deliverer.
But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
—Jude 9
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
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
—1 John 4:4
How to defeat the Enemy:
Establish a watchful attitude.
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
—1 Peter 5:8
Be aware of the enemy's schemes.
... I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
—2 Corinthians 2:10-11
Stand firm against the enemy.
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
—1 Peter 5:9
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
—James 4:7
What happens when God's people pray?
A praying Christian will be revived.
Spiritual awakening and prayer have the same focus—God!
A praying church will know the glory of God.
Revival is simply the manifest presence of God among His people. It is a special visitation of the Holy Spirit to His Church.
A praying Christian and church will be part of the move of God.
Prayer initiates revival and revival initiates prayer.
Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?
—Psalm 85:6
Lifework
You can know victory in your life. The enemy is powerless against your heavenly Father, your Deliverer! Prayer enables the Christian to put on God's armor. Prayer prepares the Christian for the battles he will face in the world and prayer brings the Christian under the control of the Spirit of God.
A Psalm of Revival
Personal and Small Group Study
Getting Started
- Family and relatives excluded, who gave you your first kiss? Was it what you expected? Why or why not?
- What times in your life have you been closest to God? What caused that closeness?
Digging Deeper: Read Psalm 85:1-13
- What verses refer to the past? The present? The future?
- How are present circumstances working out for these people? What struggle do you discover in verses 1-3 and 4-6?
- What do you discover as cause for God's anger? What are the corporate signs of revival? What are the personal signs of revival? How would you define revival?
- What does it mean for God's glory to dwell in a land? What does it mean for God's glory to dwell in a person?
- What is being expressed in verses 10-13? What is God's part? What is the people's part?
- How and where do you see prayer in this psalm? What might the people have prayed as you consider the words of the psalmist?
Applying It To My Life
- If you were disappointed that something didn't turn out the way you thought it should, how might this Psalm help you?
- What are some national concerns of our day? How have you seen God's favor on certain nations? How can God's people bless a nation?
- How will you let God's glory dwell in your life this week? What steps do you need to take for that to happen?