The devil is our enemy. He goes about seeking whom he can devour (1 Peter 5:8). We must not be passive toward his rage of war against us. We can and we must contend with him. And prayer is one of the most potent weapons we have against the works of the devil.
Jesus models this truth in Luke’s record of the gospel. He said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:31, NASB). “But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail….,” He added (v. 32). In these two verses, we find the problem and the solution.
The problem is that Satan wants to sift us as wheat. The sifting of wheat was utilized to remove the dirt and chaff, and to eliminate the withered and broken grains from the good grain. Similarly, demonic assaults take us beyond our comfort zone. These times of testing cause not only our strengths but also our infirmities and shortcomings to manifest themselves. Sometimes, the side of us that we see during those times even surprises us.
But note what Jesus did to assist Peter. He prayed for him that his faith might sustain him. Jesus responded the way He did because He knew that was the proper response. He understood that prayer is a powerful weapon against the works of the devil. Jesus prayed for Peter, and the devil could not carry out his plan as he wanted to.
Prayer Without Faith Is Futile
This incident with Peter is not the exception but the rule. The devil wants to destroy of us. Like Jesus, we should respond by praying for one another.
But I want to underscore the point that it is not enough for you to simply pray. Or to use vain repetitions thinking God will hear you for your many words (Matthew 6:7). But you must have faith when you pray. “All things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive,” Jesus said (Matthew 21:22, NASB).
If we really have faith in the power of prayer to stay the works of the devil, we will pray for ourselves and for others. Saying we believe in prayer while not committing ourselves to prayer is empty, religious talk.
Let us not be naïve, concerning the goal of the enemy. He stays on the war path against all who name the name of Christ. Everything we hold dear is on the devil’s radar. That includes our children, our marriage, and our health, to name a few. We can respond in one of two ways. We can be passive and endure his wrath. Or—we can rise up and withstand his works through faith in the power of prayer.
Which will you do?
Copyright© 2022 by Frank King. All rights reserved.