CHRIST-DAILY
DEVOTIONS
 November 11th

PRAYING ALWAYS IN THE SPIRIT

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Eph. 6:18).

The last two (2) of the seven pieces of armor are for the spiritual warfare. "The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God" (Eph. 6:17) – the very Spirit of Christ within us (Rom. 8:9). Christ is the living Word of God (John 1:1), and He will flow through us as a sword to discern every situation in the Spirit (Hebr. 4:12). Why? To fulfill the seventh spiritual armor piece by, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Eph. 6:18). That is the spiritual warfare that only Christ, Himself can do, in and through us. Christ and His finished work on the cross in us as us, defeats Satan every time!  You will have a problem, if you attempt to fulfill that separate from Christ in your own physical strength.  Paul gave us the love command to "Pray without ceasing" (I Thess. 5:17).  That is continuous praying. How can one fulfill that?  The truth is that you cannot fulfill that verse.  If we would just read on it context to the end of the chapter, we would have our answer. "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it" (I Thess. 5:24).

John informs us, "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (I John 2:1).  Paul also declares that Spirit Himself makes intercession for us (Rom. 8:26).  For years religion informed me that this intercessor spoken of here in this verse was the Holy Spirit. However, after reading this in context with this passage and other similar passages of Paul, the scriptures convinced me that Paul is informing this intercessor is Christ.  Paul says, Christ died, is also risen, and now in all heavenly authority is making intercession for us (Rom. 8:24).  Paul is focusing in on Christ throughout this passage.  "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His, and if Christ is in you. . ." (Rom. 8:9b,10a). Even the Spirit of adoption crying out "Abba, Father" in Romans 8:15 is defined as "the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba, Father' " (Gal. 4:6).  So, "the Spirit Himself that bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" is Christ (Rom. 8:16).   Then, Christ is the same Spirit Himself who makes intercession for us and for the saints according to the will of God (Rom. 8:26-27).

We have Christ the Advocate and intercessor of us and all of the saints, who can pray without ceasing on the very inside of us.  I need know Christ as the intercessor within me as taught by the Holy Spirit, so that I can fully know and understand the expression of Christ in this area in and through me.  Christ is the living Word of God, who lives in me, to speak the living Word through me, and communicate the will of the Father.  We live by the faith of the Son of God, not our own separate faith.  We by faith, let Christ live in and express Himself through us.  Christ is our shield of faith (Eph. 6:16).  Christ is our helmet of salvation (Eph. 6:17a).  When the Holy Spirit has renewed our mind to the mind of Christ (I Cor. 2:16), then Christ can begin to fully express Himself in the Spirit through these lips of clay and pray always in the Spirit through us.  Through the Spirit of Christ in His strength and the power of His might, we can allow Him to speak with all kinds and manner of prayer in the Spirit.  Christ will intercede for all the saints according to the will of God (Rom. 8:27).  Christ will be praying always in the Spirit! V

Written by Dwight Davis
Christ-Ministries
 

                                               

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