Susie Walther, The Well Bible Study Ministry
This is my working definition of prayer: physical words spoken into spiritual places that have a spiritual effect on physical realities. I believe prayer has two key sides to it—communion and combat. Communion with God and each other, but it’s also combat against the kingdom of darkness. God commands us to “pray without ceasing,” which simply means we must be unrelenting. Why does God tell us to pray without ceasing? Because no one can stand up under endless bombing! When a city is under constant attack, you really only have a few options: you can stay and be destroyed, you can retreat, or you can surrender.
With regard to Satan, without a doubt, we’re never going to destroy him. He’s going to be around until Jesus sends him into the Abyss. He’s also never going to surrender or just quit fighting because we decide to pray.
He can’t quit. This is what he does because this is what he is! Satan is a killer, a thief, a murderer, a liar, a destroyer. Our prayers aren’t ever going to turn him into a nice guy. He’s not going to enter into diplomatic talks with us. But Jesus has given us His authority and enough power through this thing called prayer to cause Satan and his forces to retreat.
We can push him back, we can disrupt his activity, we can cause his destruction to roll backwards, and then when that happens we can rush in through prayer and put up the flag of Jesus in that space Satan once occupied in people’s lives.
We can also defend people through our prayers because, for sure, Satan will launch a counterattack against them. But that’s okay because God has already told us to “stand firm.” Don’t give up an inch. Hold the line and then push forward again in prayer without ceasing.
So, whatever you do this session, don’t go AWOL! Don’t choose your pride or your religious comfort over opening your mouth and praying for another soul sitting right there in a room with you who could use your firepower. It’s time to pray. CHARGE!!
The Well meets at the First Baptist Church of Lutz, located at 18116 N US Highway 41 Lutz, FL 33549.
For more information on The Well, please go to the website at http://www.thewellbiblestudy.org.