Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and persistent in prayer. Romans 12:12

Devotion

Whether we realize it or not, when we become a Christ-follower, we are entered into a fight. This is a fight we don’t get out of until the day we die or Jesus returns. However, this fight is worthwhile, and we should be honored to be a part of it. The devil doesn’t attack those who are not regarded as a threat. So dear Christian, you can now consider yourself a threat to Satan’s kingdom of darkness! As sons and daughters of God, we are given the greatest power to fight with—prayer.

I experienced an excellent illustration of this when my son earned his Junior Black Belt in Kickboxing last year. The night of his testing, one of his professors gave a speech to all the students about striking, but it felt like God was using him to talk to me. I love it when God speaks through the ordinary events of life.

Here is what he said, “In the beginning of your practice, your strikes aren’t as confident and you can feel stiff and unsure of yourself. You take a lot of hits because you aren’t sure which way to bob and weave. But over time you gain confidence and your strikes become more clean and accurate. Then, as you keep striking and keep striking, it becomes a dance. It becomes natural to your body, and you begin to deflect more and more hits. The one thing that you don’t do is give up. You keep striking and you keep striking until you break through to the point it’s natural and a part of who you are.”

This same concept can be applied to our prayer lives as Christians. At first when our faith is new, our prayers are timid. They feel a little awkward as we stumble on what feels like the right words to say. Truthfully, at first it does feel weird to talk to someone we can’t see. We may not know many passages of Scripture, or have the experience to see how and where to strike with God’s Word. We experience a lot of spiritual warfare and take many hits from the enemy as he strikes back at our growth in Christ. The enemy of our souls is looking to wear us down and make us quit.

But when we persist in prayer, or keep striking with the Word of God, we break through whatever the opposition may be. As our discernment grows, we begin to see the moves the enemy is about to make, and we’re ready to pray ahead of the hits. In the fighting world, we’re bobbing and weaving because we’ve learned how to read our opponent. Yes, we do take unexpected hits from time to time, but we get back up faster because we’ve done the training. The one thing we don’t do is quit. 

Men and women of God, here me now. Don’t ever put down your sword. Over time you will find the breath of prayer has become a part of who you are, and you are fighting as one with the Holy Spirit. He is the author and finisher of your faith and will see you through to the end of the fight.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you that as your sons and daughters, we have the privilege to approach your throne in prayer. Help us to come boldly to your throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and help in our time of need. Holy Spirit, help us to wait on you so that we may be renewed and strengthened to not grow weary in well doing. Thank you, Jesus, for your sacrifice that gives us access to every heavenly resource and manifests your Kingdom here on earth. We love, worship, and honor your holy name. Amen.

Amanda Durning
Location Support Director, OKC

Resources

• Watch Praying with Persistence By Pastor Marq Youngblood.
• Listen to Be Still by Red Rocks Worship.

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