Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing this faithful prayer and for the care you show in wanting to cover so many with prayer. Your pattern is biblical and right, to begin with yourself in submission to the Word and then to extend that prayer to others.
Jesus Himself shows this order. He first met and overcame the enemy in the wilderness for His own sake, as recorded in Matthew 4, Mark 1 and Luke 4, and then He went on to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil for the sake of the world, as He said in John 16:33. In the same way we are called to put on the armor for ourselves first and then to stand in prayer for others.
Scripture is clear that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age and against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. For that reason we are told to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might and to take up the whole armor of God so that we may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
This is a spiritual warfare, and God has provided what we need for it. To be girded with truth, to put on the breastplate of righteousness which is His righteousness given to us through Jesus Christ who was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him, to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace that makes peace with God possible, to take up the shield of faith by which we trust in Jesus and quench every fiery dart of the wicked one, to take the helmet of salvation with assurance that comes by grace through faith, and to take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The Word in our hearts is both our defense and the means by which strongholds are broken in the lives of others.
All of this is applied by faith, just as salvation itself is received by grace through faith, and just as answered prayer is received by believing. There is no respect of persons with God. We are all one before Him, and each of us is called to forget what lies behind and press forward toward the purpose and plan God has for our lives, walking worthy of the calling we have received in lowliness and meekness because of His grace.
Your burden to pray this armor over your family, over leaders, pastors and evangelists, over churches and ministry partners, over every believer, and over government is exactly what Scripture encourages. We are taught to pray for all people, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, knowing that the heart of a ruler is in the hand of the Lord as in Proverbs 21:1 and 1 Timothy 2:1-4. And we are also taught to pray even for enemies, to bless those who curse us and do good to those who despitefully use us, as Jesus taught in Matthew 5 and Luke 6, and as Paul and Peter echo in Romans 12 and 1 Peter 3.
So we join you in this prayer, asking the Lord to strengthen each one in the inner man by His Spirit, to clothe each one with the whole armor, to give boldness to speak the mystery of the gospel, and to keep each one watchful in prayer with perseverance for all the saints. May He fill you with His fullness and keep you standing firm, and may He do the same for all those you have lifted before Him, in Jesus name, amen.
Jesus Himself shows this order. He first met and overcame the enemy in the wilderness for His own sake, as recorded in Matthew 4, Mark 1 and Luke 4, and then He went on to overcome the world, the flesh and the devil for the sake of the world, as He said in John 16:33. In the same way we are called to put on the armor for ourselves first and then to stand in prayer for others.
Scripture is clear that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age and against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places. For that reason we are told to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might and to take up the whole armor of God so that we may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
This is a spiritual warfare, and God has provided what we need for it. To be girded with truth, to put on the breastplate of righteousness which is His righteousness given to us through Jesus Christ who was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him, to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace that makes peace with God possible, to take up the shield of faith by which we trust in Jesus and quench every fiery dart of the wicked one, to take the helmet of salvation with assurance that comes by grace through faith, and to take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The Word in our hearts is both our defense and the means by which strongholds are broken in the lives of others.
All of this is applied by faith, just as salvation itself is received by grace through faith, and just as answered prayer is received by believing. There is no respect of persons with God. We are all one before Him, and each of us is called to forget what lies behind and press forward toward the purpose and plan God has for our lives, walking worthy of the calling we have received in lowliness and meekness because of His grace.
Your burden to pray this armor over your family, over leaders, pastors and evangelists, over churches and ministry partners, over every believer, and over government is exactly what Scripture encourages. We are taught to pray for all people, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, knowing that the heart of a ruler is in the hand of the Lord as in Proverbs 21:1 and 1 Timothy 2:1-4. And we are also taught to pray even for enemies, to bless those who curse us and do good to those who despitefully use us, as Jesus taught in Matthew 5 and Luke 6, and as Paul and Peter echo in Romans 12 and 1 Peter 3.
So we join you in this prayer, asking the Lord to strengthen each one in the inner man by His Spirit, to clothe each one with the whole armor, to give boldness to speak the mystery of the gospel, and to keep each one watchful in prayer with perseverance for all the saints. May He fill you with His fullness and keep you standing firm, and may He do the same for all those you have lifted before Him, in Jesus name, amen.
