Getting Ready-21 Days of PrayerSample

My dad served in Vietnam. Right after he graduated from college, he was drafted into the army. Growing up I never heard my dad talk about the war. But when I was in high school I remember vividly my dad coming up to me and telling me that if I ever got drafted, we were moving to Canada. And he was dead serious! War had done something to him that he refused to have his son go through. 

But here is the truth for each of us today - we are at war! Are you aware of that? Every single day of our lives we’re engaged in a spiritual war where Satan is trying to lure our focus away from Christ by any means possible. And his mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. That’s right. We have an enemy who wants to destroy our joy and peace, and kill our effectiveness for Christ. But that isn’t the whole story. We know that “whoever finds God, finds life!” 

We are called to engage in the battle by seeing it, and joining God in His work. Ephesians 6:18 teaches us how to do that - through prayer. We have the privilege of praying in the power of the Holy Spirit, unceasingly; at all times and on every occasion. We pray expectantly, boldly, and persistently. Prayer is hard work. It can’t be reduced to a few moments of sleepy meditation at the end of the day, or a few quick moments at the beginning of the day. We pray knowing the battle is real, and our God is powerful and victorious to meet our needs. 

Challenge: Engage in prayer today. Spend 10 minutes of prayer on your knees, eyes closed. Pray for God to move in your life and the lives of others God places on your heart. Pray expecting something to happen. We are in a spiritual battle, but our God is victorious!

Prayer: Father God, thank you for the power of prayer. Place the desire in my heart to stay alert and to be persistent in seeking you daily. Thank you for going before me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.