In my previous post, I offered an introduction to spiritual warfare, including why we often become discouraged when we engage in consistent intercessory prayer. The enemy wants to keep us from praying for others effectively and persistently, and he will try to deceive us into thinking that our prayers are not making a difference and are a waste of time and energy.

God has not left us defenseless in these matters. We are not sitting ducks in the midst of the spiritual battlefield; we are fully-equipped soldiers with armor and weapons of our own (Eph. 6:10–17). Continue reading →

Paying attention to context is important when reading any book, particularly the Bible. A single verse is certainly meaningful on its own, but considering it within the framework of the verses around it can lead to additional insights.

For example, the foundational verse of Prayers for Oppa, my performer/fan devotional, is Ephesians 6:18 (NIV):

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.

Interestingly, the verses preceding this (Eph. 6:10–17) deal with the armor of God. The implication here is that prayer goes beyond conversation with our heavenly Father. It is engagement in battle, a battle that 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” (Eph. 6:12). Continue reading →