“For 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”- (Ephesians 6:12).
Our leading verse today is perhaps one of the most revealing and critical in the life of a victorious believer in Christ. Because we live in a physical world it is normal that we imagine the battles we engage in are primarily of a physical nature. Yet the reality and truth is whatever manifests in the physical reality is a result of the spirit behind. Because of this here we are urged to wage spiritual warfare against the unseen dark powers operating against God’s will in our lives.
Indeed there are countless passages throughout the Bible we find where by taking on the dark powers through prayer victory happened. This was so when Joshua took on the Amelekites in battle while Aaron and Hur held up Moses’s hands in prayer, “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset” ( Exodus 17:11-12). While there was a physical battle going on, there was a decisive battle going on in the spiritual realm heralding the victory in the physical world.
One thing which our verse also points out is our role as believers. All believers have the power to tap into the spiritual realm to aid the mighty battles of angels to defeat the dark forces operating against us. Precisely put there are standby forces ready to be activated to fight on our behalf. These forces will remain largely stagnant until the believer powers them through prayer as we see in this epic battle. The believer has a choice: stay mute imagining these armies will come to his aid just because or stand up and call upon them to come to his rescue.
Every believer has the power of victory in his hands. And that is through prayer. Whatever opposition any believer faces here on earth he has the edge to wage a victorious battle, which begins in the spiritual realms. Hence Paul concludes, “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people”’( vv 16-17).
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a joy to know that when we pray we activate an army to fight on our behalf in the spiritual realm and may we always tap into that power for victory, ths I pray in Jesus’ name.
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18/05/2024 - 19/05/2024 All day“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)
Perhaps one of the most inspiring passages in the Bible with enduring lessons is where Moses pleads to Pharaoh to let the Jews go. Instead Pharaoh dared Moses if he had the power as that of a king. Challenged to “perform a miracle” Moses turned to Aaron who threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs (Exodus 7: 9-12).
What we see here is the presence of occult powers in high places, as is true even today. A common mistake by some is to deny the existence of the occult behind certain thrones or power centers, especially in instances where we find those putting on a genteel manner of social respectability. There are also those who through their education and confined exposure to the spirit realm of things, doubt the existence of occult powers. The reality is that in the world we live in the enemy is much at work. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
In this passage we see that while Pharaoh did release his snakes the staff God had placed in the hands of his messenger, Moses, was far greater and swallowed all. Here is the point. As believers we do have a far greater and mighty power to protect us from any attacks of the enemy. It is the blood of the lamb. As it is written, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony...” (Revelation 12:11).
Today whatever snakes you may encounter from anywhere be assured that you have a far greater power than of the enemy. It is the blood of Jesus. As His word says, “call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me” (Psalm 50:15).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I pray for protection from the attacks of the enemy by the blood of the lamb, this I pray in Jesus’name.
