If you’re a Christian, you’re in a battle whether you realize it or not. The battle is for your mind, your spirit, and ultimately your life. The apostle Paul warned us about this ongoing conflict in several of his epistles, but perhaps most importantly in his letter to the believers in Ephesus, where he also spells out our strategy for winning the battle. That strategy has to do with the armor we wear as we enter into warfare with the enemy of our souls.

Paul lists this armor for us in Ephesians 6, where we read,

Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. (Ephesians 6:14-17, HCSB)

Paul ends his discussion on the armor of God with a clarion call to prayer, where he says, “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints” (v. 18). Why does Paul wrap up his discourse on spiritual warfare with an emphasis on prayer? Because prayer is how you get dressed for your warfare. Prayer is how you put on the armor. In addition, prayer is how you put those weapons to use.

I define prayer as relational communication with God. It is earthly permission and request for heavenly intervention. It is a humble surrender that recognizes the greater power of God and the need you have for Him to bring His power to bear on your mind, words, relationships, or situation.

One of the reasons why prayer often seems difficult to us is because Satan seeks to direct us away from it. He does this because he knows how important it is. He will use every possible avenue to keep you from seriously communicating with God, because he knows what prayer does—it activates heaven’s response on your behalf, in accordance with the will of God. Prayer never forces God to do what is not His will, but it does release God to do what is His will. And it is definitely His will for His people to wage victorious spiritual warfare.

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