The War is Heating Up

Spiritual warfare around our nation appears to be ramping up rapidly. It should come as no surprise then that Satan is also stepping up his attacks on intercessors and prayer ministries. Intercessors for America has recently experienced significant disruptions in snail mail service and some of the vital technological infrastructure needed to keep our growing army of prayer warriors informed of the latest needs and answers to prayer.

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I don’t know about you, but my wife and I have experienced a lot of personal attacks as well, mainly in the form of mental harassment and oppression.

For the most part, that is good news. The Enemy intensifies attacks on those who cause him the greatest damage. Attacks mean that he is worried and dismayed at the prayer power garnered against him.

However, it does mean that God’s intercessors must be vigilant. This warning from 1 Peter 5:18 comes to mind:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

The Greek word used in this verse literally means “sober-minded” (or “calm”)” and “awake.” In other words, develop a mindset of alertness, being circumspect, and readiness to expect attack at any moment. Vigilance and calm go hand in hand. An experienced soldier knows where to look and what to expect and is not jumpy and nervous like a new recruit. Our vigilance is, therefore, not rooted in worry and anxiety but in understanding that:

• The Christian life is war.
• Attacks are to be expected.
• We fight from a place of victory since Satan’s doom is sure.
• God has given us an armor of light to fend off his attacks.

Vigilance also means not forgetting to wear all or some of the spiritual armor God has given us. A ready soldier always has his body armor on and his weapons in hand-reach and gets disciplined if he doesn’t because it means he isn’t battle-ready and can easily be conquered.

The Intercessor’s Spiritual Armor

The admonition from the Apostle Paul to wear “the armor of God” is addressed to every believer:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Each component, however, has a particular application to the life and ministry of intercessors who understand that what unfolds in the news every day is not merely the work of flesh and blood but of the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the spiritual realm.

The waist girded with truth. The Greek word here means “put one’s belt all around.” A Roman battle tunic was attached to the belt, to which the scabbard of the soldier’s sword and the protective straps covering the loin area were also fastened. No belt – no tunic! In the same way, an intercessor’s faith, perspective, and prayer approach are held together by truth – the sum total of all God’s words & promises, as well as the insight and guidance of the Spirit of truth on knowing what to pray. God’s truth is the only absolute truth and the only one that informs our prayers, especially against spiritual forces that specialize in purveying lies.

The breastplate of righteousness. The breastplate of a Roman tunic protected the heart and vital organs. Likewise, intercessors pray with confidence, knowing that they do not have to earn the answer to their prayers with good works. The right to access the throne of grace and the guarantee of answered prayer were purchased by the blood of Christ that was shed to atone for our sins and make us completely righteous. It guards our hearts against condemnation and accusation – two of the Enemy’s favorite tools to discourage us from praying. The next time you hear, “You’re not worthy,” remember that you have an untaintable righteousness and holiness purchased for you by the blood of Christ that qualifies you to minister before the throne of grace. As a priest, you have been washed and made holy by that blood once and for all, even when sin still clings and entangles.

The feet shod with preparation. Preparation, or readiness, is the constant mindset of an intercessor. It comes from the gospel of peace. You’d think that a “gospel of peace” should result in resting on one’s laurels or cherishing peaceful, easy feelings, but the opposite is true. It is a gospel that brings the peace of reconciliation between God and man – a peace that stills His wrath toward sin. That gospel advances through the prayers of His people, and an intercessor must be prepared to engage in spiritual warfare at any moment when opposition to the gospel of peace occurs. That includes praying for government (see 1 Timothy 2: 1-4) because the Bible draws a clear relationship between good and godly government and the advance of the gospel of peace.

Take the shield of faith. The Roman shield was often made of leather and doused in water so that flaming arrows would fizzle out on impact. The intercessor’s shield of faith comprises a rock-solid trust in the promise of answered prayer and God’s faithfulness to keep it. One of the best Bible verses to remind ourselves of that promise is 1 John 5: 14-15:  Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. Whenever I pray through the armor of God, I will mention specific arrows my faith will repel, starting with the letter “d” – doubt, discouragement, distraction, deception, distortion, and depression. Perhaps you can think of more. I find it helpful to identify potential weaknesses in my mental and emotional makeup that I must guard with the shield of faith.

Take the helmet of salvation. The Greek word used for “take” means “receive.” It implies that we receive salvation as a gift of God’s grace. The word for helmet literally means “encirclement of the head.” Get the picture? Our minds are no longer set on the things of earth but on the things of God. Colossians 3:1-3 explains how this works: If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Intercessors approach prayer from a heavenly perspective. Because we are saved, our minds belong there. We can’t employ human logic or opinion, and we can’t let human feelings motivate or guide us. We seek God’s heavenly perspective and pray back to Him what He wants us to pray. That way, we’ll always stay within His will when we ask.

Take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The Roman sword was short and designed for close hand-to-hand combat. But it would be useless if it remained sheathed. This is the only offensive weapon a soldier has. Paul says that “the word of God’ is our weapon in close encounters with the forces of evil. The Greek word here is rhema, which is the uttered, spoken word of God in specific situations. Jesus exemplified its use in His encounter with Satan when he encountered every temptation with Scripture. Likewise, the most effective way for an intercessor to do battle against the lies and deceptions that permeate the world around us is by praying Scripture: proclaiming God-breathed truth in prayer. Intercessors must be well-versed in God’s Word and let it dwell in their hearts richly.

What ties it all together is verse 18: pray at all times in the Spirit while being watchful. An intercessor’s effectiveness comes from an attitude of constant communion with God and being alert. The latter can be exhausting sometimes, but don’t be dismayed. God knows our need to persevere! Praying in the Spirit (i.e., with the energy He works in us and the direction He gives us) ensures that we stay on track.

I have found it evermore necessary to pray through the components of the spiritual armor every morning when I start my day in God’s presence. They are a mindset I put on. If I don’t, my day goes sideways quickly. I’ve learned by trial and error that Satan is watching what I pray, and when I forget to put on the whole armor of God, he pounces – usually when I least expect it.

Therefore, intercessors, wear your armor at all times! Don’t slack off putting it on every day afresh. Life is war, and you and I are God’s shock troops on the front line. We must be well-protected and battle-ready at all times.

Last but not least, let us not forget to pray for one another as a community of intercessors. The Roman tunic, as described in Ephesians 6, was exposed in the back. Caesar’s armies relied heavily on fighting in formations that would protect soldiers’ backs and make them all but invincible. An intercessor is vulnerable when alone, so let us uphold one another in prayer. It is God’s design that we fight together and protect each other’s vulnerabilities.

Be encouraged! The victory is already won. But at the same time, be alert because God aims to strengthen the endurance of our faith through battle.

Share this article to remind other intercessors to wear their armor!

Remco Brommet is a pastor, spiritual-growth teacher, and prayer leader with over 40 years of experience in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the U.S. He was born and raised in the Netherlands and pastored his first church in Amsterdam. He moved to the U.S. in 1986. He and his wife, Jennifer, live north of Atlanta. When not writing books, he blogs at www.deeperlifeblog.com and assists his wife as a content developer and prayer coordinator for True Identity Ministries. Jennifer and Remco are passionate about bringing people into a deeper relationship with Christ. Photo Credit: Nik Shuliahin 💛💙 on Unsplash.