THE CHRISTIAN'S WAR ROOM

The fields of battle have frequently been filled with formidable fighters who fell for failure to familiarize themselves with the fiercest weapon of all: prayer. King Saul succumbed in his last battle with the Philistines because he "did not seek guidance from the LORD" in prayer (1 Chron. 10:14). King Amaziah was annihilated--although equipped with 400,000 mighty men and mercenaries--because he did not pray and trust the Lord (2 Chron. 25:5-25). Even the faithful king Josiah was fatally wounded in his last fight because he did not first pray for God's counsel (2 Chron. 35:20-27). On the other hand, when the Israelites surrounded king David with prayer in Psalm 20, he emerged with a crown of victory on his head, as he later celebrated in Psalm 21.

Failure to pray sets us up for failure, especially in the battles we fight as believers. If we do not fall on our knees in prayer, we will fall in defeat. All conflicts we meet head-on should be faced with our heads down in prayer. Prayer is the armory and arsenal where God equips His people with heaven's weapons for spiritual combat on earth. Prayer is the believer's war room.

Prayer is where we don the spiritual armor of God which protects us against Satan. Our God-provided belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword can only be utilized when we are "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication" (Eph. 6:18a). Facing Satan's schemes prayerlessly is like waving a white flag before the battle even starts. This is why the Puritan George Swinnock (1627--1673) once counseled, "Prayer is one of the great ordinances that batters down the strongholds of the devil; hence he sets his wiles at work to divert men from it. It is the soul's armor and Satan's terror." There is nothing the devil despises more than a praying Christian, and not much he can do to thwart a believer on their knees.

Prayer is also the key to being victorious over fleshly temptations. No wonder Jesus instructed us to pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (Matt. 6:13). Similarly, Christ taught that either temptation will overpower the believer, or the believer will overpower temptation through prayer. As He told His exhausted disciples, "Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matt. 26:41).

Neither should we expect victory in our tribulations without prayer. This is why James gave us the simple exhortation: "Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray" (James 5:13a). Prayer is how we give our burdens to the Lord and receive divine strength to endure trouble. Through prayer, we are given the grace necessary to press forward until the battle is over. Christian, do not enter the battlefield of life unguarded, unarmed, and unready--suit up every day in the war room of prayer.