Subject: Bible Study......"Bible Study: Spears Of Prayer--For God's Warriors"
[23:31] lets pray
[23:31] Father we bow in your presence [23:31] and we thank you that we can come in this way [23:31] lord I thank you for all that are here [23:31] and for all that will come in to hear this study [23:32] lord I ask that you would minister to each of us [23:32] lord bless mailman
[23:32] help him lord to draw closer to you in prayer [23:32] minister to his heart
[23:32] lord bless bandit
[23:32] you see his needs
[23:32] you know what is in his heart at this time [23:32] lord just meet his every need [23:32] lord bless abby
[23:33] lord we love her so much [23:33] and it saddens us to see her so far from you [23:33] lord touch her young life [23:33] and draw her unto yourself [23:33] bless CRONUS as he does this study [23:33] anoint him with your spirit [23:33] bless us as we listen
[23:34] help us to apply what we learn and live for you each day
[23:34] may your will be done
[23:34] in Jesus name we ask it all [23:34] amen
[23:34] amen
[23:34] amen
[23:34] Amen
[23:35] Tonight we are going to look at prayer in one's life from a two point perspective
[23:35] Prayer is the lifeline for a Christian warrior [23:35] for as the prayers of the warrior for God goes up
[23:35] His power and blessings come down [23:36] Now we all know that we are daily in a war in the spiritual sense
[23:36] for Satan is holding captives and is always trying to find ways to disarm the warrior of God [23:37] Tonight we will look at both offensive [23:37] and defensive praying [23:38] Paul in his epistle of Ephesians writes in military terms when he address the subject of prayer [23:38] we all have heard the armor list of God that is found in Ephesians chapter 6
[23:39] and many of us have heard it preached and preached again and again
[23:39] but there is something in it that is sometimes overlooked
[23:39] No doubt Paul was writing this epistle while in captivity to the romans
[23:40] He got to know the roman soldiers very well and their lifestyle
[23:40] and so he used them as examples to show the children of God many points
[23:40] in Ephesians 6 Paul talks of the helmet [23:40] the shield
[23:41] the breastplate
[23:41] the girdle
[23:41] the sword
[23:41] and the shodden shoes [23:41] this is the outfit and equipment of the standard roman soldier
[23:41] but then when he come to prayer he mentions no weapon
[23:42] for the roman soldier there is one weapon above all else he kept with him at all times
[23:42] and this was the roman spear [23:42] the phylum
[23:43] and if Paul follows through with the way he is describing the armor of God then let us now look at the weapon of prayer as a spear
[23:43] kjv Ephesians 6:17-18 Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching
thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; [23:44] In our warfare today we must be ready to use the spears of prayer to defeat the enemy
[23:45] the phylum was used to hold the enemy off or at bay
[23:45] in battle
[23:45] another spear that was used was the throwing spear
[23:46] this was used to be hurled at an advancing enemy and embedded in his shield to weigh it down to the ground and cause him to lower it or even drop it
[23:46] In our warfare with Satan we must thrust our prayers as the throwing spears
[23:46] this is offensive praying [23:46] we see the target and begin to pray against it [23:47] we single it out and then strike at it with prayer
[23:47] this is intercessory prayer [23:47] you are interceding for others [23:47] and striking at the enemy [23:48] an example of this is shown when the people got to gather and prayed for peters release from prison [23:48] peter was in jail [23:48] and the church got together and begin praying for him
[23:49] suddenly in the jail the chains were off and the doors were opened
[23:49] peter got up and walked out [23:49] the offensive prayers of the warriors of God [23:49] found its target and the answer was achieved [23:50] today we are like that small group of prayer warriors that prayed for peter
[23:50] if you have a loved one in need and they are under attack by he enemy
[23:51] then you pick up the throwing spear of prayer [23:51] and hit the enemy
[23:51] break up his attack [23:51] hurling out their spears of prayer [23:52] Jesus has showed us an example of offensive praying
[23:52] also
[23:52] in the book of Matthew [23:52] we find
[23:52] kjv Matthew 17:13-18 Matthew 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
Matthew 17:14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Matthew 17:15 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. Matthew 17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
[23:54] here we see that the disciple that Jesus had been training could not do the job of defeating the enemy that now attacked this mans son
Matthew 17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
Matthew 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. [23:54] why did Jesus say such words to his disciples [23:55] some would have said today if it had happened [23:55] that Jesus was the son of God so he had the power but we did not
[23:55] poor excuses
[23:55] Jesus was not mad at his disciples here but wanted them to perk up their ears for what was said next [23:56] kjv Matthew 17:19-21 Matthew 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
[23:57] what Jesus was saying was that the disciples had not prepared for the engagement
[23:57] in the roman army no soldier was lax with his weapons
[23:57] daily he practiced with the sword and the spear [23:58] for he knew that his life and the life of his comrades depended on his expert use of the weapon [23:58] likewise we have to practice daily [23:58] we must pray daily
[23:58] we must use our weapons of prayer on the enemy [23:59] every day pray for your lost loved ones [23:59] pray for any you hear are under attack from the devil
[23:59] you do not have to be polished with the words you use
[00:00] God does not want great orators but just wants willing hearts that want to do His work here on earth [00:00] you can pray and be just as efficient as any minister
[00:00] you have Jesus in you [00:00] He works through you [00:01] He said that greater works we will do [00:01] and in these days we need to show the world that Jesus still does miracles
[00:01] and answers prayers [00:01] but for this to happen we have to be willing warriors
[00:01] ready to get our spears of prayer and go into battle
[00:02] as God answers prayer the world will begin to set up and listen
[00:03] Paul used offensive prayer when he command the spirit to come out of the fortune teller that followed behind them yelling these are the sons of the most high God [00:03] even demons will tell the truth [00:03] to get an audience
[00:03] but see Paul after a few days of this turned and leveled his spear of prayer and command for the spirit to be gone [00:04] and it was gone
[00:04] what a witness this was to the city people that had seen this act of the Lord going forth
[00:05] it was even one of the reason that the people of the city burned their books of magic
[00:05] many were saved due to the power of the spear of prayer being used by a warrior of God
[00:05] and this same power is in you today [00:06] through Jesus you can do the same when the enemy shows itself
[00:06] prayer is the weapon that the devil hates the most
[00:07] Satan will walk by a group of christians and if they are not praying offensive prayer he will sit down and relax [00:07] but when you get a group of prayer warriors heated up
[00:07] and they begin to pray with a single purpose of winning for the Lord
[00:07] then Satan begins running [00:08] he will strike out but he knows he will lose for like the throwing spears would cause the attacker to drop or lower his shield
[00:08] Satan is uncovered [00:09] and is left vulnerable for the prayers of the warrior of God to drop him to the ground [00:09] this is your promise from the Lord [00:09] if you ask anything he will provide [00:09] just as he did for Israel he will do for you [00:09] It is prayer that makes the warrior a victor [00:09] for the glory of God [00:10] and for a witness to the world [00:11] kjv Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
[00:11] kjv luke11:9
[00:12] God hears your prayers [00:12] if you stutter it does not matter [00:12] if you stop and think of what to say next it does not matter
[00:12] your age does not matter [00:12] God hears all the prayers that come to Him [00:13] and they all are of equal value to Him [00:13] a small child can walk up to someone who is sick and just say
[00:13] in the name of Jesus be healed [00:13] and it can happen [00:14] just as it could happen if a great preacher came up and said be healed
[00:14] you can do it'
[00:14] you can if you will just do it [00:14] you can be a great prayer warrior for God if you will do it
[00:15] 'kjv 1 peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. [00:16] kjv 1 john 5:14-15
1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 1 John 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. [00:16] you have the promise of God' [00:17] for too long we have sit back and not used the full potential that the Lord has given us
[00:17] it is time now we use it [00:17] are we willing to become the tools for God to save the lost
[00:17] heal the sick
[00:18] and free the captives now in the chains of bondage
[00:18] You are a warrior for God [00:18] you were chosen by Him [00:18] He gave His all for you [00:19] so you could do His all for the world [00:19] Satan must be attacked [00:19] attacked
[00:19] attacked
[00:19] you are the ones that the Lord has chosen for this
[00:19] but you must be ready and willing to take up the spear of prayer and use it
[00:20] now let us quickly look at the defensive side of prayer in this battle
[00:20] while in prayer it is essential that we ask for the Lord to clothe us with His armor
[00:21] we must be daily dressing in the Lord just as we dress for going to school or work
[00:21] you are still a warrior for God [00:21] in the world
[00:21] and people watch you out there [00:22] so we must daily in prayer search ourselves and let the Holy spirit have His way in our lives [00:22] you can pray anywhere [00:22] in the car
[00:22] at work
[00:22] in the bathroom
[00:22] it does not have to be audible [00:22] a prayer warrior can pray and work at the same time
[00:22] or study at the same time [00:23] you can pray for protection for you and your family
[00:23] your home
[00:23] your friends
[00:23] and even those you do not know but you know there is a need and you can pray for it
[00:23] they may never know you were praying for them [00:24] But I tell you now the Lord will remember [00:24] you are his warriors here on earth [00:24] you have been given the weapons [00:24] to win for the glory of God [00:24] all you have to do [00:24] is to do it
[00:25] with all your might [00:25] all your mind
[00:25] and all your soul [00:25] Elijah prayed and God did great things [00:25] Abraham prayed and God did great things [00:26] Moses prayed and God did great things [00:26] and the list of prayer warriors goes on and on [00:26] through out the old and the new testament [00:26] through out the 1st century church [00:27] and it is the same today [00:27] God did not stop when the 21st century came [00:27] no Jesus said you will do even greater acts [00:27] now you say I am no Paul [00:27] I am no peter
[00:28] I am no john
[00:28] you can think you are no Graham [00:28] Robert's
[00:28] I am not like my pastor [00:28] or the elder of the church [00:29] of Cindy may who is there every night in my church
[00:29] she has the power to pray down the power of God [00:29] he has the power to pray down the power of God [00:30] are you saying who am I that I would possibly think I could be like any of these prayer warriors [00:30] I am just me
[00:30] well if that is your mind set then you will never be a warrior for God
[00:30] the truth is
[00:30] YOU CAN BE LIKE THE WARRIORS OF GOD [00:31] YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE PROMISE [00:31] YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY [00:31] GIVEN BY JESUS WHO IS IN YOU [00:31] JUST DO IT
[00:31] JUST DO IT
[00:31] JUST DO IT
[00:31] JUST DO IT
[00:31] pick up your spears of prayers my brothers and sisters
[00:32] you are all needed now [00:32] like the roman soldiers [00:32] form line of battle [00:32] with your fellow comrades [00:32] and attack for the glory of the Lord [00:32] together let us hurl the spears of prayer [00:33] and take down
[00:33] sickness
[00:33] in our selves and others [00:33] let us take down doubt [00:33] frustration
[00:33] addictions
[00:33] destroy fear
[00:33] timidness
[00:33] laxness
[00:33] apathy
[00:34] sins of the world [00:34] form the line
[00:34] form the line
[00:34] lock your shields of faith together [00:34]
