My husband shared this quote with me, and I could not stop thinking about it all last night and this morning. The phrase which really jumped out to me was down at the very bottom: "many writers, but few fighters". This initiated the thinking, "Why have I started this blog? Am I just a writer? Or am I a fighter?" Here's where I want to clearly iterate that I have started this blog and started writing books for the purpose of helping others experience the power and work of God in their own lives. For too long, I lived to please myself, fighting for my own agenda, even thinking I was worshiping and pleasing God! In that grievous state, I recognize now that instead of claiming the power of God in my every day living (through the power of prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit), I was living a life devoid of meaning. Sure, I had asked Christ to be my Savior, but instead of living my life with a total surrender to his word and his work, I did a child-like move by snatching up my Bible and letting him know that "I can do it myself" when it came to living the Christian life.
So, it should come as no surprise to you that my prayer life was meaningless, even non-existent. Prayer is hard. Prayer takes work. Focus. Attention. And, without prayer, I strayed from knowing and understanding God and his plan for me. I was singing in church, organizing my life to look good, doing the church things, having the outward show of goodness, but my life was devoid of prayer. Devoid of power. Devoid of passion.
Now that has all changed. I recognize now that my passion for God is because I understand why he calls me to be holy. I understand why he tells me to confess sin and keep close accounts with him through prayer and repentance. I understand why I must be striving to set aside my sinful, fleshly desires. I understand why God calls me to a standard of excellence in every area. Because I am in a battle. I am in the fight for spiritual awakening. I am in the fight for good against evil- really and truly.
Ephesians 6:10-17 shares with us the "armor of God". The writer, Paul, tells us the reason for this armor is because we must stand against "the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (vs. 11-12). We are in a spiritual battle. Good versus evil is played out every day. As Christians, we are doing battle for the Lord! How prepared are you? Have you done "all to stand" so that you can "stand firm" against the Evil One?
I must say, unfortunately, that I was not doing all to stand firm. In verse 10, we read that we are to "be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might." Here was where I was missing the big picture. I was trying to be strong in my own might. Trying to do all the things, read the stuff, be kind, make my bed, dress the part, and so on. And, this is where I failed. And this is where we will all fail. If you are trying to fight evil on your own, with no power to back you up, you are fighting a losing battle. Matthew Henry writes, "Our enemies are mighty and we are without strength, but our Redeemer is almighty, and in the power of his might, we may overcome!"
What areas of your life are you trying to do all by yourself? Are you trying to do all the good Christian things without claiming the power of God's might in your own life? Is your Christian life passion-less? Is it boring? Do you feel depressed, angry, worried? Are you living selfishly, holding on to sinful areas which are hindering you from being properly dressed for battle? And, the crux of this all: are you"praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and perseverance"(vs 18)?
Prayer is where the battle is, dear ones! You must be communicating with the Commander! You can have the stuff on, but if you have no idea where the fight is or the enemy sneaking in behind you because you have failed to communicate with the Commander, then the battle will be lost. You will fail. Prayer is where the Commander communicates to you the things you need to get rid of that are hindering you from fighting evil. Prayer is where the Commander encourages you and strengthens you to persevere. Prayer is where the battle is won- or lost.
This writing endeavor is not without purpose. I prayed while putting this together, I pray after I post something, I pray when someone responds. This is not to "toot my own horn", but to tell you that I am not writing just to write. I am writing to fight! I am writing to fight for the glory of God and to make him known to you. I am writing to fill my mind with his truth. I am writing to help ignite in the lives of others a passion for the Gospel and for God's work.
What are doing, dear ones, for God's kingdom? Are you praying? Or straying? Are you busy organizing? Or are you agonizing for God's power to be seen in you and in your work? Are you just singing at church? Or clinging to your Savior and reveling in who he is? Are you worried about your looks (fashion)? Or do you have passion for him to be the crowning glory of your appearance? Are you writing? Or are you fighting for the glory and the truth of God?
Maybe you are not a writer or a singer or a pastor or an organizer. But, you CAN be a pray-er. Ephesians 6: 18 tells us to "keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints." You can pray. You can fight. You can be armed with the Word of God. You can persevere. And, you can overcome!
Start today. Ask God to help you start living with his power. In his might. Confess areas of sin that are keeping you from being alert. "Failing in prayer, we fail everywhere!" Pray to fight; pray to WIN! We have the answers for a world falling apart- a world without hope, without confidence. We have the power! Claim it today- agonize for Christ. Strive to make him known. We have the hope! We have the confidence! Pray for passion- then live it!
Additional song for meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OibIi1rz7mw