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An Excellent Way To Swashbuckle (Or Another Tool For Your Belt.)



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 saints. (Ephesians 6:18)

     Usually, the discussion of the Armor of God ends with the sword of the Spirit. No more pieces of armor or weaponry are mentioned, but I don't think it's done. We are told to "pray in the Spirit." The Word spoken to others is the sword. The Word spoken to God is prayer.  If the sword is "of the Spirit," and we are praying "in the Spirit" then our prayers should properly be as much the sword as any other expression of the Word.
           Even if prayer is not seen as a part of the armor of God, it is certainly a vital tool. Soldiers  don't do battle alone. They are part of an army. That army has a commander. Communication among the soldiers and with the commander is vital to the life of the soldier and to the victory. Praying for all the saints, seeking prayers on our behalf from all the saints, communicating our needs to our Commander and receiving orders and aid from Him, this is all part of doing battle.  
         There is an area of spiritual warfare that seems appropriate the mention with regard to prayer. Often, when we think of spiritual warfare, we think of battle with demonic forces, or with social forces. The list of enemies is a little longer: "the world, the flesh and the devil."  One sort of prayer to keep in mind is the "Your daughter" or "Your son" prayer. Perhaps you've heard someone (even yourself) open the subject of a child's misbehavior to his/her/your spouse with "your son," or "your daughter." This is also the way you can begin discussions with God about your own failures. In effect, you are tattling on yourself. It's helped me face battles with myself more than once.


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Birthday of
Ronald Reagan



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