Overcoming our Spiritual Enemy

The armor of God is given to every Christian to contend with the forces of evil in our world. While it is available to every believer, the armor must be "taken up" before it can be useful (Ephesians 6:13). Unfortunately some Christians never learn how to use it. Without their armor in place, believers become sidelined by fear, distraction, temptation, unrepented sin, emotional pain, and frustration.

The key to unlocking this spiritual armory is simple, but not easy. In Luke 11, Jesus provided a model prayer for His disciples. This prayer, known as the Lord's Prayer, concludes with "deliver us from the evil one" (verse 4). We cannot overcome Satan without God's deliverance, and prayer is the tool that unleashes God's aid.

Theologians speak of prayer as a spiritual discipline because it requires work. In fact, it requires all–out battle. It is not an idle pastime or an optional exercise reserved for more "spiritual" believers. Prayer is the trench warfare carried out by everyday Christians. The kind of prayer that changes hearts, transforms neighborhoods, rebuilds communities, and revives nations is intense, fervent, and all business.

It takes a proactive commitment on our part to set aside the time and effort to be strong in prayer and to give energy to our praying. Colossians 4:2 says we are to "continue earnestly in prayer." In Christian circles, it is not uncommon to hear someone say, "That so–and–so, she is a real prayer warrior." It is wonderful to see someone who is faithful to prayer, but that should be true of each believer. Every Christian is called to be a prayer warrior! Hand–to–hand combat in every aspect of daily living, fiercely fought in front of our Father—that is what committed Christian prayer looks like.

There is a temptation to stop praying when we do not receive an answer right away, but God's Word makes it clear that prayer should be persistent. At a time when God's people were under the control of Babylon's pagan king Nebuchadnezzar, a young Jewish man named Daniel mourned, fasted, and prayed for three full weeks before receiving any kind of answer to his prayers. When Daniel received his answer, he received it from an angel who provided an explanation for the delay. Here is what the angel said in Daniel 10:12–14:

Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty–one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.

This remarkable explanation provides encouragement for us when our prayers seem to go unanswered. A battle is raging, but our answer is coming. James 4:7–8 provides the key to defeating the devil, "Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." Drawing near to God through prayer and His Word ensure our spiritual victory and Satan's retreat.

"The Warrior's Prayer" is a poetic prayer based on Ephesians 6. It is a powerful tool against the enemy in our daily spiritual battles.

Listen and pray the Spiritual Warfare Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Your warrior prepares for battle.
Today I claim victory over Satan by putting on
the whole armor of God!

I put on the Girdle of Truth!
May I stand firm in the truth of Your Word so
I will not be a victim of Satan's lies.

I put on the Breastplate of Righteousness!
May it guard my heart from evil so I will
remain pure and holy, protected under
the blood of Jesus Christ.

I put on the Shoes of Peace!
May I stand firm in the Good News of the
Gospel so Your peace will shine through me
and be a light to all I encounter.

I take the Shield of Faith!
May I be ready for Satan's fiery darts of
doubt, denial, and deceit so I will not be
vulnerable to spiritual defeat.

I put on the Helmet of Salvation!
May I keep my mind focused on You so Satan
will not have a stronghold on my thoughts.

I take the Sword of the Spirit!
May the two–edged sword of Your Word
be ready in my hands so I can expose
the tempting words of Satan.

By faith Your warrior has
put on the whole armor of God!
I am prepared to live this day in
spiritual victory! Amen.