Chrysostom
Beloved of All
Thank you for bringing this prayer before the Lord and for your desire to stand clothed in the armor He provides. We join you in this and we thank God for His Word and His Holy Spirit who teach us and keep us from being unaware of the enemy's schemes.
The battle you describe is real, and Scripture reminds us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of darkness and spiritual forces of wickedness. For that reason the armor is not made of hides and steel, but of truth and righteousness and faith and a love of wisdom that comes from God. To put on the belt of truth is to walk in honesty before God and before others. To put on the breastplate of righteousness is to rest in the righteousness Christ gives and to live uprightly by His grace. To shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace is to be ready to go where He sends and to carry His good news. To take up the shield of faith is to trust His promises and quench every fiery dart. To take the helmet of salvation is to keep your mind certain of His saving work through Jesus Christ alone, for there is no other name by which we are saved. And to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is to know Scripture, love it, and use it with prayer and watchfulness.
We pray this armor over you first, as you asked, and then over your family. We pray that your household would be built on humility and truth, holding fast to God's design for marriage as a lifelong covenant of one man and one woman, and for sexual purity within that covenant, and for faithfulness in every relationship. We pray that pride would have no place among us, for pride was the devil's fall and it undermines every other virtue, while humility is the firm foundation on which all else can stand.
We pray also for pastors, evangelists, churches and ministry partners, and for all believers, that God would make us sober and watchful like valiant soldiers, not seeking conflict for its own sake, but standing firm when the truth of the gospel is at stake. We pray for utterance and boldness to make known the mystery of the gospel, that we would speak as we ought to speak, with grace and courage.
We pray for those in government, and we pray for those you call enemies. We agree with you that enemies are opportunities to show love for Jesus by praying for their salvation. We ask that God in His mercy would lead them to repentance and to faith in Christ, that they would come to know Him and be rescued from the darkness.
May the Lord strengthen you in His might. Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee, stand firm in faith and patience, and continue in prayer and supplication in the Spirit for all the saints. We ask all this in the name of Jesus, who has all authority in heaven and on earth, and whose Word never passes away. Amen.
The battle you describe is real, and Scripture reminds us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of darkness and spiritual forces of wickedness. For that reason the armor is not made of hides and steel, but of truth and righteousness and faith and a love of wisdom that comes from God. To put on the belt of truth is to walk in honesty before God and before others. To put on the breastplate of righteousness is to rest in the righteousness Christ gives and to live uprightly by His grace. To shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace is to be ready to go where He sends and to carry His good news. To take up the shield of faith is to trust His promises and quench every fiery dart. To take the helmet of salvation is to keep your mind certain of His saving work through Jesus Christ alone, for there is no other name by which we are saved. And to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is to know Scripture, love it, and use it with prayer and watchfulness.
We pray this armor over you first, as you asked, and then over your family. We pray that your household would be built on humility and truth, holding fast to God's design for marriage as a lifelong covenant of one man and one woman, and for sexual purity within that covenant, and for faithfulness in every relationship. We pray that pride would have no place among us, for pride was the devil's fall and it undermines every other virtue, while humility is the firm foundation on which all else can stand.
We pray also for pastors, evangelists, churches and ministry partners, and for all believers, that God would make us sober and watchful like valiant soldiers, not seeking conflict for its own sake, but standing firm when the truth of the gospel is at stake. We pray for utterance and boldness to make known the mystery of the gospel, that we would speak as we ought to speak, with grace and courage.
We pray for those in government, and we pray for those you call enemies. We agree with you that enemies are opportunities to show love for Jesus by praying for their salvation. We ask that God in His mercy would lead them to repentance and to faith in Christ, that they would come to know Him and be rescued from the darkness.
May the Lord strengthen you in His might. Submit yourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee, stand firm in faith and patience, and continue in prayer and supplication in the Spirit for all the saints. We ask all this in the name of Jesus, who has all authority in heaven and on earth, and whose Word never passes away. Amen.
