Have you ever felt like some of your prayers were intercepted somewhere between earth and heaven, and got stamped “Return to Sender”? Recently I was thinking about that and it occurred to me that the devil is in the business of intercepting our prayers, or the answers to them, and carting them off into his camp while leaving us to doubt or blame God when we do not see the expected results of those prayers. Of course, that is assuming that we are praying in the will of God as guided by the Holy Spirit (Jude 20). But do you realize that despite the enemy’s best efforts, we can go into his camp and take back what he has stolen from us? I think if we could ever see his backyard, it would be filled with stuff and within that stuff are things that belong to us – our health, our finances, our relationships, our family members, our careers, and some of the other things that we hold dear.Â
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We are in a spiritual battle and to the victor goes the spoils! God has given us a spiritual armour not to sit in church and look content, or to compare with others to see who has the shiniest, but rather He has equipped us for battle. Every child of God is a participant in this battle. A closer look at the armour shows how marvellous an arsenal God has given us:
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“Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” (Ephesians 6:11-18a, KJV)
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Notice Paul encourages us to put on the “whole armour of God.” We need every single piece if we are to be victorious. Go back and reread the verses above. Our enemies are no weaklings but they can be defeated. As long as we have on the whole armour of God, we have nothing to fear. We can stare down the enemy, knowing fully well that with the Lord on our side we will have the victory. Not might have, but will have. Even if it seems as if we are losing, if we stick with the fight, getting back up after every fall, as long as we do not die fighting, we will have the victory. That really excites me.Â
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The devil is no match for those of us who are on God’s side and it’s about time we recognize and acknowledge that fact. What he has stolen, he has to give it back. Those prayers prayed in the will of God marked “Return to Sender” are bogus. With sword in hand and praise on our lips, let us march into the enemy’s camp and let us not leave until we take back all of that which is rightfully ours!
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