Devotions with Pastor Jerry Schmid

ASPECTS OF PRAYER AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US IN OUR LIFE
Session 3: OUR GUARD

You are living on a “battlefield”. Satan and the powers of darkness are still out to get you and others and make your service to God ineffective, to persecute you and throw temptation in your path.

Prayer is our battle, in the midst of our battlefield. We battle against ourselves, our old fleshly desires and against our greatest adversary; satan, who is doing and will do all in his power to turn us away from prayer, because prayer is our only weapon by which we can defeat both.

Have you heard the saying: “We pray as we live, because we live as we pray”? How are you living and how is your prayer life? Numerous times, Christ would get alone by himself to pray so that He could draw close to God and His will, to face the trials and battles ahead, but always to stay in God’s will for His life and ministry. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. Matthew 14:23

When was the last time you went into your sacred place to be alone with the Lord? Alone, with no distractions, no phone, no iPad, no video games, no other people, just you and the Lord praying towards the victory. Have you prayed all night, or maybe two hours, how about one hour, possibly 30 minutes, or was it merely in a brief passing moment? Does your prayer life seem to reflect why satan so easily brings defeat?

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly

Pray when you stumble - Psalm 30:2 O LORD my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.

Pray every day - Ephesians 4:24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

If you want to live life in Christ with victory, joy, and confidence, then pray in truth and without ceasing as Paul instructed: Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. Ephesians 4:25

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— Ephesians 6:18
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For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Nothing can separate us from God but ourselves, no power, not darkness, not even satan.

I know of no better way to reinforce staying ever vigilant in prayer to guard your life than with this directive from Paul to the Thessalonians: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rev. Jerry Schmid

Watch for Session 4: Christian Witness