THE SURE ARMOUR III: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, 9TH JUNE 2018

MEMORISE:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Ephesians 6:18

READ: Ephesians 6:10-18

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

MESSAGE

Today, we are reflecting on the final two components of the armour of God mentioned in our Bible text. These are prayer and supplication, characterised by perseverance. Regardless of the sophisticated weapons available to a soldier, if he or she cannot persevere, these weapons will have little or no effect.

Therefore, it is very important to emphasise the attribute of perseverance in the place of prayer and supplication. Imagine what would have become of Daniel's requests and fasting if he had not persevered in prayers and supplication for 21 days (Daniel 10:2-13).

PRAYER
Prayer is the key with which we unlock the heavenly armoury in order to access divine weapons for our spiritual battles. Our Lord Jesus Christ said something about prayer that many Christians seem to ignore, particularly in spiritual warfare. At the garden of Gethsemane, He gave us this counsel:

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

Even the Almighty God who became man admits here that the flesh is weak. Therefore, to overcome temptation, we need to watch and pray. Adam's victory would have been glorious if he did not fall into the temptation of the devil. Little wonder when the second Adam came, He took the issue of prayer very seriously and also revealed the importance of prayer to us.

SUPPLICATION
To supplicate is to ask with every sense of humility and not in arrogance like the Pharisee in Luke 18:9-14. Arrogance and a sense of entitlement will not allow some children of God to persevere in the place of prayer. They time God in prayer and command Him to "do it now" or they will quit serving Him! Humility means surrendering to the will of God regardless of your desires and expectations. It is coming to God with trust that He will do what is best for you.

Beloved, the sure armour is Jesus Christ. He is the truth, the righteousness of God in us, the Good News of peace, and the Word of God personified. Our faith in Him earns us salvation. In His Name we receive answers to our prayers. Accept Him and put Him on today, and your victory is guaranteed.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please fill me with Your Holy Spirit so that I can have an effective prayer life for total victory over my adversaries.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Kings 1-2, Acts 8:4-25

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 2: I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR

1. I Need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.

Chorus:
I need Thee, Oh, I need Thee,
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh bless me now, my Saviour;
I come to Thee.

2. I need Thee every hour;
Stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their pow'r
When Thou art nigh.

3. I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.

4. I need Thee every hour;
Teach me Thy will,
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfil.

5. I need Thee every hour,
Most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son.