Praying the Word # 2

Now as we begin to prayerfully read the scriptures, we find that the Word of God is living and operative; and as we prayerfully read and pray the Word back to God, our mind will be girded up. The Word says, "Gird up the lions of your mind" (1 Peter 1;13). Praying the Word will accomplish this, for as we pray our mind will be filled with the inspired Word of God. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God," it is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16); and as we pray the Word, the very Breath of God begins to take hold of our heart. The Resurrected, Glorified Christ takes our sinking heart, and brings it into its rightful position, which is that we are seated with Him at the right hand of God, "far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion," situation, circumstances, and problems. Now from this position, we can look at the problem from God's vantage point - the Throne. No longer will we be in the circumstance looking up, but we will be seeing things as God sees them. Although our situation may not change, nevertheless, we will come to know that He is Lord over all in experience.

We will come to know that "(Christ) hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son" (Colossians 1:13). Let us note that the Word says, "hath delivered us," not "is going to." As we pray scriptures such as these, we automatically will speak an "Amen" by the Spirit. - "He is before all things, and by Him all things consist (are held together). And He is the Head of the Body, the Church: Who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead; that in all things He might have the Preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him ..." (Colossians 1:17-19; 2:9, 10). Amen! Amen! Amen!

As we pray the Word in Colossians, and in other scriptures as the Lord leads, we will come up over any problem into the Ascended life of the Lord. Also, we will find that our mind will be turned away from self, and we will begin to pray for the needs of others, for it is only after we have "come up over" our problem into the realm where Christ is All in All, and the enemy is under His feet, that we can begin again to intercede for others.

When we pray the scriptures found in Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:14-21; and Colossians 1:9-19; 2:9, 10; 3:1-4 for the Body of Christ, we join ranks with those who are praying for the Full Plan and Purpose of God. Ephesians 6:17 and 18 tells us that our two offensive weapons are the "sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" and "praying in the Spirit" with "ALL-prayer." As we pray the Word of God, we turn our sword upon the enemy and begin to do battle for God's Plan and God's people; thus, our sword is already sharp should the enemy attack us. We do not have to draw our sword for we are already prepared in full battle array; we have on the full armor of God, for we are seated together in Him Who is "far above all."

And, brethren, we should not wait to be attacked by the enemy, for the greatest defense is a vigorous offense. Let us attack the enemy with these prayers of God, for our of His mouth goes a "sharp two-edged sword." Let us be "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit ... for all saints." "Let the high praises of God be in (our) mouth and a two-edged sword in (our) hand." Amen

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(The End)