E78 - Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions - Armor of GOD - Praying in the Spirit

Hope’s Harbor

Gritty Bible Devotions

Episode #78

Title: Praying in the Spirit

Date: October 31, 2022

Contact: info@hopesharbor.net

Key verse(s): Ephesians 6:18 – ‘praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…’

Intro: This episode is a summation of the previous seven episodes about wearing the Armor of GOD, and also an exhortation to put the armor to use primarily in and for prayer.

Prayer is described by some of the saints from church history as the work of the kingdom, all else being an outflow of prayer. Oswald Chambers in the devotional Utmost for His Highest describes prayer as the means of knowing GOD and then allowing GOD to work through us.

Devotion focus: Effective prayers bring us closer to GOD –

If you’re not sure how to pray in keeping with GOD’s design and/or desire let me suggest praying GOD’s Word back to Him. When I do this it reveals a lot of GOD’s mind and heart to me.

An example of this is when I pray Psalm 91 to GOD. I start off by praying the first part of Jesus’s teaching on prayer in Matthew 6:9 &10:

Matthew 6:9 – “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

Matthew 6:10 – “Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.”

Praying these verses leads me to worship mindfulness because when Jesus said “Hallowed be Your name,” it means ‘may Your Name be revered, loved, respected. GOD’s Name is of course Who He is; His nature and authority are implied.

Then, I move to pray Psalm 91 and say the name of the person for whom I am praying and say their name this way:

(Actually, I’m going to pray for you right now and when you hear this know you have been prayed for and GOD still to this day remembers this prayer for you)

Psalm 91:1 – ‘Those listening who dwell in the secret place of you Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:2 – ‘I will say of the LORD, “You are their refuge and fortress; Their God, in You they will trust."

Psalm 91:3 – ‘Surely You shall deliver them from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.

Psalm 91:4 – ‘You shall cover them with Your feathers, And under Your wings, They shall take refuge; Your truth shall be their shield and buckler.

Psalm 91:5 – ‘They shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

Psalm 91:6 – ‘Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

Psalm 91:7 – ‘A thousand may fall at their side, And ten thousand at their right hand; But it shall not come near them.

Psalm 91:8 – ‘Only with their eyes shall they look, And see the reward of the wicked.

Psalm 91:9 – ‘Because they have made you LORD, their refuge, Even You Most High, their dwelling place…’

This is just one way to pray and it ensures GOD hears such prayers coming from His Word.

Summary: This episode is short for a reason. Because praying need not be complicated. At the heart of all prayer should be a realization and experience of being in GOD’s presence. You can have bold confidence to pray when you come to realize you are GOD’s dear child. Of course, our Father hears us.

Action to consider: Use a concordance to find the words pray/prayer and study those verses to help you further develop your own prayer life.

Next week’s devotion: Marriage