Episode Details

Silence in your prayer life is hard…

• Many of us have laid prayer aside

Prayer is a POWERFUL weapon against Darkness
Series:

FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE
Week 1…

Know that you are a part of a spiritual battle
Week 2…

Walk in the light because there are monsters who destroy in the dark
Week 3…

Wear the “uniform” of the Christ believer
Today, we are looking at how PRAYER plays a part in spiritual warfare
The Spiritual Warfare in Ephesus

• Let’s look at what was happening during Paul’s ministry

Acts 19

23 About that time there was a major disturbance about the Way. 24 For a person named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, provided a great deal of business for the craftsmen. 25 When he had assembled them, as well as the workers engaged in this type of business, he said, “Men, you know that our prosperity is derived from this business. 26 You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and misled a considerable number of people by saying that gods made by hand are not gods. 27 Not only do we run a risk that our business may be discredited, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be despised and her magnificence come to the verge of ruin—the very one all of Asia and the world worship.”

28 When they had heard this, they were filled with rage and began to cry out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29 So the city was filled with confusion, and they rushed all together into the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions.
This is the context of Paul’s letter

• This stuff is real

Our culture has its own “Artemis”

• Power
• Sex
• Wealth
• Etc

 

What part does prayer play when fighting for our life?

 

Ephesians 1:16-23

16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

1: Prayer Keeps us in the Know

Paul breaks down knowing God into important sections

Knowing God

Prayer and scripture study are the PRIMARY ways we know God

• Know His heart

Must have a balance between Scripture and Prayer

• Not one or the other
• Both Important

Knowing The Hope Of His Calling

 

The hope of his calling looks to the time when God will fully redeem us
Prayer keeps us focused on what really matters

• because God changes our hearts

Knowing Of His Glorious Inheritance

 

Prayer helps us keep the things of God in our hearts and minds
The things of God, both in this life and the next, are far MORE VALUABLE than what this world offers

Prayer reminds us of this
Don’t trade your favor for junk…

Knowing The Greatness Of His Power

 

We are only able to fight against the kingdom of darkness through the Power of the Holy Spirit

 

This is what Paul says about the power of the Spirit…

Ephesians 1:19-23

That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head