'It is just at this point in much present-day Christian profession, that one may find its greatest defect. There is little, or nothing, of the soldier element in it. The discipline, self denial, spirit of hardship, determination, so prominent in and belonging to the military
life, are, one and all, largely wanting. Yet the Christian life is warfare, all the way. How comprehensive, pointed and striking are all Paul's directions to the Christian soldier, who is bent on thwarting the devil and saving his soul alive! First of all, he must possess a clear idea of the character of the life on which he has entered. Then, he must know something of his foes -- the adversaries of his immortal soul -- their strength, their skill, their malignity. Knowing, therefore, something of the character of the enemy, and realizing the need of preparation to overcome them, he is prepared to hear the Apostle's decisive conclusion:
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
All these directions end in a climax; and that climax is PRAYER. How can the brave warrior for Christ be made braver still? How can the strong soldier be made stronger still? How can the victorious battler be made still more victorious? Here are Paul's explicit directions to that end:
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
Prayer, and more prayer, adds to the fighting qualities and the more certain victories of God's good fighting-men. The power of prayer is most forceful on the battle-field amid
the din and strife of the conflict. Paul was preeminently a soldier of the Cross. For him, life was no flowery bed of ease. He was no dress-parade, holiday soldier, whose only business was to don a uniform on set occasions. His was a life of intense conflict, the facing of many adversaries, the exercise of unsleeping vigilance and constant effort. And, at its close -- in sight of the end -- we hear him chanting his final song of victory, a I have fought a good fight," and reading between the lines, we see that he is more than conqueror!'
Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 65)
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This is truth! I can't stress it enough. Anything I could add to this would probably only take away from it. Read it again and again!
We are in a WARFARE! And so many soldiers are SLEEPING!
In what logical war do the soldiers sleep while the battle is raging around them? Yes, soldier's have to sleep, but ask soldiers who have been in war if they sleep when the are in active warfare, when the enemy is right at their door, right in their face, do they sleep? No. How could they?
If an enemy enters your camp, do you sleep, no matter how tired you are? If you do that enemy will slit your throat, that enemy will put a bullet between your closed eyes, that enemy will slip a pillow over your face all while you sleep. It's NO different in our spiritual warfare. When we know the enemy is attacking us outright we need to PRAY! Truly, pray! When the enemy is working his wiles deviously we have to be on guard, knowing that he is about even when our life seems to be going better than ever, we must PRAY!
Pray without ceasing. 1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
By the grace of our Lord we WILL pray without ceasing! Please LORD, all in YOU!
life, are, one and all, largely wanting. Yet the Christian life is warfare, all the way. How comprehensive, pointed and striking are all Paul's directions to the Christian soldier, who is bent on thwarting the devil and saving his soul alive! First of all, he must possess a clear idea of the character of the life on which he has entered. Then, he must know something of his foes -- the adversaries of his immortal soul -- their strength, their skill, their malignity. Knowing, therefore, something of the character of the enemy, and realizing the need of preparation to overcome them, he is prepared to hear the Apostle's decisive conclusion:
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."
All these directions end in a climax; and that climax is PRAYER. How can the brave warrior for Christ be made braver still? How can the strong soldier be made stronger still? How can the victorious battler be made still more victorious? Here are Paul's explicit directions to that end:
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
Prayer, and more prayer, adds to the fighting qualities and the more certain victories of God's good fighting-men. The power of prayer is most forceful on the battle-field amid
the din and strife of the conflict. Paul was preeminently a soldier of the Cross. For him, life was no flowery bed of ease. He was no dress-parade, holiday soldier, whose only business was to don a uniform on set occasions. His was a life of intense conflict, the facing of many adversaries, the exercise of unsleeping vigilance and constant effort. And, at its close -- in sight of the end -- we hear him chanting his final song of victory, a I have fought a good fight," and reading between the lines, we see that he is more than conqueror!'
Quoted from- 'THE NECESSITY OF PRAYER By E.M. BOUNDS' (Excerpt 65)
*******
This is truth! I can't stress it enough. Anything I could add to this would probably only take away from it. Read it again and again!
We are in a WARFARE! And so many soldiers are SLEEPING!
In what logical war do the soldiers sleep while the battle is raging around them? Yes, soldier's have to sleep, but ask soldiers who have been in war if they sleep when the are in active warfare, when the enemy is right at their door, right in their face, do they sleep? No. How could they?
If an enemy enters your camp, do you sleep, no matter how tired you are? If you do that enemy will slit your throat, that enemy will put a bullet between your closed eyes, that enemy will slip a pillow over your face all while you sleep. It's NO different in our spiritual warfare. When we know the enemy is attacking us outright we need to PRAY! Truly, pray! When the enemy is working his wiles deviously we have to be on guard, knowing that he is about even when our life seems to be going better than ever, we must PRAY!
Pray without ceasing. 1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
By the grace of our Lord we WILL pray without ceasing! Please LORD, all in YOU!
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