"Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."
Ephesians 6:18
A Historical Battleground
I was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, a place I called home for the first nine years of my life. The town of my birth is most noted for the Battle of Vicksburg, a key military battleground in the Civil War won by General Ulysses S. Grant and the Union Army. This battle was a turning point in the War Between the States.
A Spiritual Battleground
There is another battleground even closer to home for me; it is a spiritual battleground. This battle is fought beside my bed (see the picture), where my faithful wife and I have the opportunity to go to war each day. It is here that we can fight life’s toughest battles—on our knees. We can fight for our marriage, our children, our grandchild, our parents, our extended family, our friends, our missionaries, our lost neighbors, those grieving, those sick, those depressed, and the list goes on.
Consider the Following
“Prayer is not a preparation for work, it IS work. Prayer is not a preparation for the battle, it IS the battle.” — Oswald Chambers
“You can do great things for God after you pray, but you cannot do anything for God until you pray.” — Chuck Swindoll
Fight Daily!
As soldiers of the cross, Paul describes our armor in Ephesians 6. He climaxes the passage with instructions to pray, understanding that it is God’s power that leads to victory in our lives. Let’s make sure we fight the battle daily on our knees!
Steve Crawley
MD5 Facilitator