Over the last few years, there has been a lot of discussion about the source of power in America. The power of uniting with other believers in prayer for our nation reinforces the fact that we do not live our lives only for ourselves.
Philippians 4:1-3 tells us that Christ can empower us to do anything, but we must understand that His power doesn’t kick in until we let go of our delusions of self-power. We must surrender. When you acknowledge, “I can’t do this on my own,” you are ready to say, “But through your provision of that which I lack, I can go out and tear down the strongholds that are defeating me. In your strength, I can fulfill your expectations for me.” You have now invited God to do for you what you can’t do for yourself.
Paul writes in Philippians, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (2:12-13).
God has a work for us to do in spiritual warfare, but the only reason our efforts produce anything is that He is powerfully at work in us. What we often want to do is try by ourselves and ask God to bless our best shot.
We are too self-sufficient, and that’s why we haven’t been able to tear down the strongholds. It’s not that we don’t try. I’m not saying that we set out to let sins and problems take a hold in our lives and become strongholds.
How many times have believers promised themselves and God on New Year’s Day, “I’m going to stop doing this or that this year”? And they really mean it. They just don’t have the willpower to carry through with their intentions. But God has something infinitely better for us than self-effort—greater grace.
Accessing greater grace comes through praise and worship of God. Something wonderful happens when you draw near to God. When the air is filled with prayer and praise, it chokes Satan up and makes it very hard for him to function. Let’s agree to make Satan very uncomfortable and unite in prayer like never before.
