Join the Wrestling Team

You don’t have to weigh 300 pounds, be strong as an ox, or even wear a red or blue onesie to be a valuable member of the wrestling team. If it's the right team. I believe Epaphras might be the captain of the team. I love Paul's description of him in Colossians 4:12. Paul says Epaphras was “always wrestling in prayer for you” (NIV). 

Intercessory prayer is a privilege, and it is one way we can live out Paul’s instructions to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). There are messages all over social media asking for prayers, with responses (either in words or emojis) of “praying.” There are all sorts of occasions when we need our wrestling team to have our backs.

Oftentimes, I have received requests to be in prayer at a specific, appointed time over a certain event in someone’s life. I am happy to do this and had never considered that timed prayer might not be seen as a viable practice until I overheard a recent conversation. Several individuals near me were discussing whether or not it was really necessary or even beneficial to set an alarm and pray for a specific event at a pre-ordained time. Their conversation prompted me to consider their comments. Does it really matter when we pray, just as long as we pray sometime? 

Perhaps the logic behind their thinking was that we should always be in prayer, rather than reserving our prayer time for a particular time or day. Paul often mentions his own constant attitude of prayer (Phil 1:3; 2 Tim 1:3; Phlm 1:4), and he instructs us to “pray continually” (1 Thess 5:17). Even so, are there any biblical examples of prayers and answers happening together, at the same time, which would prompt us to schedule certain prayers, as requested …to set specific, purposeful times for a wrestling match?

I thought about the prophet Daniel. He reported that “while I was speaking and praying...and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill” an angel came to him “in swift flight” and gave him an answer to his prayer (Dan. 9:20-23). Now that is an example of a powerful, timely answer to prayer and a victorious wrestling match.

You may remember on one occasion the prophet Elijah “bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees” in prayer (1 Kings 18:42). Occasionally, he would take a break from praying in order to send his servant out to look for evidence of an immediate answer. No answer yet? Elijah bowed again and continued praying. It took seven times, but finally, his servant was able to report a visible, immediate answer to Elijah’s prayer. What an example of persistence in prayer at the moment an answer was needed.

Matthew recorded for us several instances when individuals asked Jesus for healing and he answered by healing their loved one “at that moment” (Matt. 8:13; 9:22; 15:28; 17:18). I’m sure there are more examples, but these are the ones that came to my mind.

If you think about it, we can only pray about needs or situations in the present or in the future. Even though God is eternal and has no limits of time, we are mortal and (at least while we are alive here) are bound by time. We can’t pray that history will be changed. We can’t pray that a past decision won’t be made or that a past tragedy or illness won’t occur. We can only pray about what is happening now.

This doesn't mean that God will always answer our prayers at the very moment we pray them, as He did for Daniel and Elijah. He might delay, but He always invites us to come to Him for help, for grace, and for mercy in our time of need (Heb 4:12). Might we flood the throne room with many friends and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, all seeking grace and mercy for a specific “time of need”?

Remember that we are in a spiritual battle, and we “do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12 ESV). Since our enemies are of another realm, it is a good thing our weapons “are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:3-4). We should be ready and willing to use these weapons (to pray) at the very moment of our brothers’ and sisters’ time of need.

Soldiers who are headed into battle need protection while they are in the midst of the battle. They have no need to be fully suited up for battle before it’s time for the battle to begin, or to suit up after the battle has ended and they are already wounded. They need to armor and protection during the fight, in the thick of the enemy’s attacks.

It is easy to get worn down in battle, but Jesus tells us that we “should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1). Remember that we are not alone in our battles and we have a great army in battle with us that we can call upon to pray for us, not only when they happen to think about it, but at specific times on specific occasions when we know we need that extra measure of protection, direction, strength, mercy, discernment, or wisdom in the midst of a battle.

So while we may “pray continually” on some level, I am going to continue to set my alarm and wrestle in prayer, interceding at specific times during a fellow brother or sister's time of need. Let's show up en masse at the wrestling match in the throne room and follow Epaphras' lead. Join the wrestling team.

Stand Your Ground!

Why am I so overwrought?

Why am I so disturbed?

Why can’t I just hope in God?

These are not my words, although there are so many days they could be. They were written thousands of years ago by the sons of Korah, as recorded in Psalm 42:5, 11 (VOI). Have you ever experienced such an intense struggle with discouragement? The psalmist knows God is real, and that He is with him day and night, but still he still cries out to God:

“‘Why have You forgotten me? 

Why must I live my life so depressed, crying endlessly while my enemies have the upper hand?’

My enemies taunt me. They shatter my soul the way a sword shatters a man’s bones. They keep taunting all the day long,

‘Where is He, your True God?’” (Psalm 42: 9-10 VOI).

I can relate to so much of this psalm, but when I read this last part, I thought, “I don’t really have any enemies. No one says that to me.” And then, I think the Holy Spirit spoke to me and reminded me of the truth, as Jesus said He would do (John 14:26; 16:13). Yes, I do have enemies who say these things.

I was reminded of Paul’s words to the Ephesians: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12 NLT). Yes, I do have enemies that taunt me and “shatter my soul,” and so do you. Their attacks can seemingly come out of the blue, and if we’re not prepared, they can assault us and knock us down just like a massive tidal wave. How can we prepare for and protect ourselves from these kinds of attacks?

1. Always keep in mind that the enemy is real and that he is going to attack. The apostle Peter warns us to “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith” (1 Peter 5: 8-9a NLT). Be aware and don’t become complacent.

2. Be committed to standing your ground. Because of the nature of the enemy we are fighting against, Paul says, “you need to be head-to-toe in the full armor of God: so you can resist during these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground” (Eph 6:13 VOI). This reminds me of the scene in Princess Bride when a large squadron of men is stationed to guard the castle. As a giant, engulfed in flames, is approaching, uttering menacing threats, the head of the castle guard keeps shouting at his frightened men, “Stand your ground! Stand your ground!” Don’t believe the enemy’s lies and empty threats, and don’t run away. Stand your ground.   

3. The verse quoted above also says we are to wear protective armor. We are to stand our ground protected by truth, righteousness, and peace, but the most important piece is the shield of faith. Paul says, “Don’t forget to raise the shield of faith above all else, so you will be able to extinguish flaming spears hurled at you from the wicked one” (Eph 6:16 VOI). In her e-book on Ephesians 6, The 7-Day Prayer Warrior Experience, Stormy Omartian says these flaming spears that are hurled at us “are designed to pierce our heart with discouragement and make us fearful, anxious, uncertain, or incapacitated.” To prevent us from being such an easy target, we must remain under the cover of our shield of faith. The apostle Peter says that through faith, we are “shielded by God’s power” (1 Pet 1:5 NIV). It is God’s power, extended to us through our faith, that protects us from the enemy’s words, taunts, barrages, jabs, and flaming arrows. Reflect on some of these passages describing God as our shield, our source of protection.

•       “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety” (Ps 18:2 NLT).
•       “Like a bird protecting its young, God will cover you with His feathers, will protect you under His great wings; His faithfulness will form a shield around you, a rock-solid wall to protect you” (Ps 91:4 VOI).
•       “He is my tower of strength and my deliverer. He is my shield of protection and my shelter” (Ps 144:2 VOI).
•       “Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle” (Ps 140:7 NIV).
•      “But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high” (Ps 3:3 NLT).

4. Finally, we need to stand our ground together. We don’t have to fight this enemy alone. Paul says that we are to “Carry each other’s burdens…” (Gal 6:2a NIV). I am reminded of when the Israelites were fighting a battle, and Moses was atop a hill holding up the staff of God. “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning” (Ex 17:11 NIV). When he grew tired and unable to hold up his hands on his own, “Aaron and Hur held his hands up –one on one side, one on the other –so that his hands remained steady till sunset” (Ex 17:12 NIV).

I am so very thankful for the Aarons and Hurs that God has placed in my life that help hold up my hands and reinforce my shield of faith. Just as with Moses, it makes a difference in the battle.

If you see a brother or sister who is under attack who is struggling to hold up their shield of faith, encourage them. Pray for them. Hold up their hands and help support their shield. Likewise, if your shield of faith is sagging and you feel targeted by the enemy, reach out to a fellow soldier and allow them to help you, to encourage you, to pray for you, and to help bolster up that shield to protect you from those arrows of discouragement. Let’s stand our ground together.