Prayer Warriors

Are you familiar with the term "Prayer Warriors?"  It generally is used to refer to certain people who seem to be specially gifted in prayer.  It lends itself to the idea a group of people who are called upon to pray in an especially dedicated way.  It seems to be used chiefly to indicate a special class of Christians and Christian ministry.  But let me assure you that is not so.

Anyone who prays is a prayer warrior as our prayers are not only petitions to God, they are an affront to or an attack on Satan.  While God loves and encourages prayer, Satan despises and wars against them.  If you are to bring your requests to God in prayer, it will be over Satan's best efforts to stop you.

In Ephesians 6:12, Paul warns us, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  Then he commands, "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground" (v. 13).  "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests" (v. 18).

Do you see the connection?  Paul tells us to acknowledge our enemy is the spiritual forces of evil and we need, therefore, to put on the full armor of God so that we can take our stand against the Evil One in prayer.  To pray is to engage in spiritual warfare.  Prayer qualifies you as a prayer warrior.

Now, how good of a prayer warrior you are and how effective your prayers tend to be are separate matters.  Some soldiers cringe in the foxhole while others take aim from there.  Some advance on the battle field, others retreat.  There are some Bravehearts and there are some faint of heart.  All of us who pray are prayer warriors but just how much of one depends.

The effectiveness of our prayers to God depend upon three things: 1) How righteous we are ("the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective" (Js 5:16).  2) How godly our prayer is ("if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1 Jn 5:14).  And, 3) Perseverance or the act of continuing in prayer regardless ("will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?" (Lk 18:7).

Live right, ask right and keep right on praying until you have seen the results of your prayer or you have the assurance in your heart that it will be so.  Once you begin to pray something for someone, don't stop until you see the result.  This might take a day or years.  I've been praying for my children since before their births.

Being an effective prayer warrior does not require a special skill in the art of prayer, it requires only a special commitment or a heart of prayer.  Effective prayer is prayer that comes from one who yields to the Father, seeks the Father's will and waits on the Father's answer.  If you pray, you are a prayer warrior.  To be an effective one, seek God's will from an honest heart and do not give up.  Jus' Say'n.