February 25 I Monday

Numbers 9-11

Mark 5:1-20

“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.”

—Ephesians 6:18

The only time the strongholds of Satan are driven back is when the work of God is accomplished. This is why Paul encourages us to “pray in the Spirit...for all the Lord’s people.” Along with the Word of God, praying in the Spirit is a crucial weapon that solidifies our victory.

Praying in the Spirit is about the furtherance of the Gospel. It is to pray with the mind of the Spirit and from the perspective of the Spirit, allowing our minds and spirits to be aligned with God. We are told to pray without ceasing. This is a perpetual awareness of God’s presence with a constant disposition of seeking His will and bringing Him into everything we do. Prayer is not just about the physical and practical, but the spiritual dimension in which Satan has a solid grip on our world. We cannot overcome him by human activity; it has to be a spiritual work of God.

In Matthew 13, Jesus told the parable of the sower. “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart” (Matthew 13:19). Satan is constantly snatching away the truths of Scripture. He may not blatantly deny it, but he will distort it, leading our hearts and minds to doubt the Word of God. But as for the seed that falls on fertile soil, it germinates, takes root and comes to life. That is the condition our hearts need to be in.

Satan is not only opposed to us believing Scripture, but he is actively opposed to what God has called us to do. He will offer attractive alternatives or put up obstacles to try and hinder what Gods wants to accomplish through us. This is what occurred in the Garden of Eden. Creation fell when the devil defeated the human race. This is why Jesus calls Satan “the prince of this world” and John writes that “the whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). This world has become the devil’s playground.

As Christians, we need to be praying in the Spirit and become channels that allow divine access to people who are still in bondage to sin and to the devil. Those who have traced and tabulated the history of revivals worldwide have always discovered that behind these revivals were people who were praying. We should not, however, conclude that prayer is powerful. That power belongs to the one on the receiving end of our prayers given in the Spirit. It is God alone who is powerful, and God alone is our means of counteracting Satan.

Prayer: Sovereign Lord, the influence and work of Satan is all over this world, but I thank You that You hear our prayers and keep us on the side of victory.