Prayer and Spiritual Warfare
Prayer is a very important element in the Christian life. Pastor Kim emphasizes that prayer is not merely a regular routine in spiritual warfare. It is an intimate relationship with God. However, when a Christian develops that intimate relationship with God, there will also be someone who wants to ruin that relationship.
Prayer is battle. Prayer is not simply communicating with God. Spiritual warfare accompanies prayer, and this is an absolute fact.
Prayer Is Spiritual Warfare
Pastor Kim points to Ephesians 6, where the Bible describes the armour of God.
Ephesians 6:14–17: “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”
Verse 16 says, “Above all,” concerning the shield of faith. Verse 17 describes the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Each piece of armor has its own important purpose. The shield of faith is necessary to fend off the fiery darts of the wicked. If a Christian has no faith, Satan can discourage that Christian. If a Christian has faith, that faith helps him continue.
The sword of the Spirit is obviously important because it is the Christian’s attacking weapon. Yet Pastor Kim emphasizes that there is something even more important in the context of spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:18: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
Pastor Kim points out that verse 18 is not technically part of the armor itself. Verses 14 through 17 describe the armor, but verse 18 moves beyond the description of the armor and deals directly with spiritual warfare. Armor provides protection, but prayer is the secret weapon.
Prayer Is the Secret Weapon
Pastor Kim emphasizes that Satan wants to attack the Christian’s prayer life more than anything else. It is not merely Bible reading, Bible knowledge, soul winning, church attendance, or the other parts of the Christian life. The prayer life is a particular target because prayer is the secret weapon.
Prayer requires no physical armor. Prayer is nothing but the power of God.
A Christian may have all the armor of God, but without prayer, that armor will eventually rust away in practical Christian living. Bible reading can begin to diminish. The helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, faith, and the other aspects of spiritual life can begin to weaken.
Prayer, however, continually asks God for help and strength.
Pastor Kim therefore encourages Christians to keep their prayer life strong. When spiritual life goes up and down, prayer is one of the means by which a Christian can ask God for help, renewed strength, and continued spiritual power.
Prayer should not be treated as a last-resort method. Christians should not wait until they are discouraged, backslidden, or experiencing hardship before they begin praying seriously. Prayer should be a daily part of Christian life so that they continually seek the Lord rather than waiting until a crisis arrives.
All Prayer
Another important expression in Ephesians 6:18 is “all prayer.”
The Bible does not merely say to pray. It says:
Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
Pastor Kim explains that this means prayer should not be limited to a small area of Christian life. This is why the church has a prayer list which identifies particular weaknesses and needs for which Christians want God to intervene and help. These matters need to be continually lifted before the Lord.
A Christian should not think that praying once about one area means there are no other areas requiring prayer. Satan may see another weak area that can be attacked.
For example, if there are problems in the workplace and God answers the prayer concerning that situation, there may still be problems in the family. A Christian therefore needs to pray with “all prayer.”
Likewise, simply praying, “Lord, bless us with a good church service,” may not be good enough. If there have been weaknesses in the church, those weaknesses should also be identified and lifted to the Lord.
Satan seeks weak spots. Christians therefore need to cover those weak areas in prayer.
Prayer Must Be Intensive
Pastor Kim refers to E. M. Bounds and his teaching concerning the intensity of prayer. If a Christian’s prayer life is not as intense as his fighting life for the Lord, then his prayer life is not intense enough. Prayer life has to be intensive.
Romans 15:30: “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;”
The word “strive” is important. Paul did not merely ask believers to casually remember him in prayer. He asked them to strive together with him in their prayers to God. Paul’s life involved tremendous affliction and striving for the Lord. Yet Paul understood his own weakness and recognized the importance of other believers striving together with him in prayer.
If a Christian is fighting hard for the Lord, studying the Bible intensely, winning souls intensely, living right, and fighting against the devil with the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, but his prayer life is not equally intense, there is a serious imbalance.
Prayer is part of the fighting.
Pastor Kim asks Christians to consider their own trials. If they are fighting hard through those trials, is their prayer life equally intense?
Fighting is not merely telling oneself to stop crying, think happy thoughts, and continue soldiering on for Jesus. That can become an attempt to fight through the works of the flesh rather than through the power of the Holy Spirit. If a Christian continually relies upon fleshly methods, the flesh eventually breaks down and wears out. Pastor Kim points to medication, therapy, worldly friends, alcohol, and other fleshly things as examples of methods people may seek for victory rather than depending upon the power of God.
Selfish Prayer
Pastor Kim then turns to James 4 and refers again to E. M. Bounds, who described selfish prayer as one of the most dangerous things in prayer.
When soldiers are in a battle, they are not supposed to think only about themselves. They must think about the well-being of the whole army. Pastor Kim applies this principle to the Christian life.
He explains that Bible-believing Christians should consider whether there is something different about their church compared with other churches. But he suggests that one possible difference could be a prayer life that considers the whole picture—the well-being of the entire army.
Pastors can become focused only on the problems within their own church, their own lives, and their own immediate circumstances. But Christian prayer should also consider the spiritual warfare taking place around the world.
What about heretics deceiving souls and damning them to hell? What about people around the world who are without God and without the Gospel?
Prayer should not be limited to personal comfort.
Pastor Kim also applies this principle to offerings and missions. If offerings are weak because too much is directed toward a building while missions receive less support, Christians should consider the welfare of the whole army.
Personal needs are still legitimate prayer requests. If someone’s grandmother dies, it is appropriate to pray for comfort and relief. But if everything in prayer is focused exclusively on personal needs, there is a problem.
James 4:3: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”
Pastor Kim describes selfish prayer as unanswered prayer and encourages Christians to examine why they are asking God for something.
If someone needs comfort, the question should be whether that comfort is being sought merely for personal welfare or also for the welfare of the whole army.
Personal welfare and the welfare of the army can coincide. A Christian may need comfort because, without that comfort, he may not have the strength to help other people in the church who are going through affliction. Without that strength, he may have an excuse to miss church services and lose opportunities to serve the Lord. In that case, the Christian’s personal welfare is connected to the welfare of the whole army.
Pastor Kim gives his own testimony concerning a promise he made to the Lord. He says that he promised God that if God gave him a degree and the powerful means to reach every person around the world, he would not compromise and would contend against scholars who belittle Bible-believing truth. He connects this prayer with the opportunities the Lord has given him through an online ministry and an international setting. Because his prayer was concerned with the welfare of the whole army, he says he is not going to hold back his sarcasm or hard preaching when pointing out false prophets.
He contrasts this with pastors who may be concerned primarily with their own church or group and may be afraid that confronting certain problems will offend someone.
Charismatic Movement and “Binding Satan in the name of Jesus”
Pastor Kim then turns to the book of Jude and gives a warning concerning spiritual warfare and charismatic teaching.
He acknowledges that charismatic Christians tend to be very spiritual, which in itself can be a good thing. However, he argues that they can confuse spiritual experiences that contradict Scripture.
Pastor Kim says that many charismatic Christians become deeply involved in prayer and Holy Spirit filling, and he believes Bible-believing Christians should also take spiritual matters seriously. The problem, as he presents it, is that charismatic teaching can pursue spiritual experiences without the boundaries of Scripture.
He particularly warns against Charismatic teaching that treats nearly every problem as direct demonic activity.
Some people may look at another person or situation and immediately say, “I bind you, Satan, in the name of Jesus,” or attempt to cast out a devil. Pastor Kim argues that this is not the right biblical model of spiritual warfare.
He turns to Jude as an example.
Jude 8–9: “Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”
Pastor Kim points out that Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, did not bring a railing accusation against him. Instead, he said, “The Lord rebuke thee.” Pastor Kim therefore teaches that Christians should not presume that they can personally handle Satan. The better approach is to turn the matter over to God and ask the Lord to handle it.
Bible believers should not be carried away by charismatic movement because the spirit is not of God. There are many books about spiritual warfare written by charismatics.
Do Not Blame Satan for Everything
Pastor Kim warns against seeing Satan in every person, situation, or problem. Sometimes Satan may use people, but Christians should first examine themselves. People often blame other people or circumstances without considering whether their own flesh or their own decisions contributed to the problem. Satan can use a Christian’s own flesh. But, the Christian should first examine himself.
Satan can use pride, and Pastor Kim refers to Satan as “the king over all the children of pride.” When a person assumes that everything outside himself is the devil while he himself is always right, that attitude can become a manifestation of pride.
The Christian should therefore ask where his own weak spots are.
Before concluding that the devil is working through another person or situation, Pastor Kim says he first considers how the devil may be using him to think or respond. Doing so can prevent him from saying something that Satan could use to hurt the church, damage his own life, or harm his testimony publicly.
The Christian should be careful when confronting the gates of hell. Rather than attempting to confront Satan directly, the better approach is to turn the matter over to the Lord.
Pastor Kim explains that if Satan were allowed to unleash the full force of hell against a church, the church would not be able to maintain its ministry. Yet Satan is limited by God’s permission.
The Christian’s prayer should therefore be directed to God: “Lord, please put a boundary. You handle it. Please protect us from his attack. Please do not allow our ministry to be destroyed. We need to reach more souls.”
Do not dare the devil. He’s going to pay attention to you. A Christian should not become preoccupied with Satan. His eyes should remain fixed on Jesus Christ.
Dealing With Satanic Forces
1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
Pastor Kim says that this passage, together with the book of Jude, demonstrates how Christians should deal with satanic forces: leave satanic forces to God. Michael the archangel “durst not bring against him a railing accusation.” The word “durst” means that he did not dare to do so. If Michael the archangel did not presume to bring a railing accusation against Satan, a Christian should certainly not assume that he is more capable.
Pastor Kim therefore describes his own approach as one of asking the Lord to take care of the matter. Rather than praying as though the Christian possesses authority to defeat Satan through dramatic declarations, the Christian should pray and let God handle the enemy.
1 Peter 5:8 also teaches that Satan is actively seeking whom he may devour. This is part of spiritual warfare.
Pastor Kim emphasizes that Satan is interested in attacking Christians. Christians should therefore be careful about assuming that Satan’s primary target is a situation, a person, a false prophet, or a false church. The Christian should look at himself first.
Prayer and Watchfulness
One thing that accompanies prayer in spiritual warfare is watching.
Ephesians 6:18: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
Pastor Kim says that he has observed a lack of watchfulness and discernment not only among Bible-believing members but also among Bible-believing pastors. Some people become so confident in their Bible knowledge that they jump to conclusions, make accusations, or issue judgments without sufficient discernment.
Sometimes pastors may say something from the pulpit that they should not have said, or make a judgment that should not have been made. Pastor Kim suggests that a lack of prayer may be connected to a lack of watchfulness.
Those who are truly prayerful should also become more watchful and cautious.
Prayer is therefore not merely about how many times someone prays. A person may claim to have prayed for a long time, but the more important question is whether he prayed correctly. For example, has the person examined himself in prayer?
Examine Yourself Before Praying Against an Enemy
A Christian may believe that he is right about a matter and may pray that God will deal with his enemies. However, before doing so, the Christian should examine himself. When angry or frustrated, Pastor Kim says that his own practice is to pray: “Lord, if there is something I am doing wrong, please show me before I pray about something wrong right here.”
The important principle is self-examination.
Pastor Kim recounts situations in which he believed he was right about a matter and saw the Lord handle his enemies. Yet even when he believed he was right, he says he did not assume that he was completely right.
He first looked at himself. He would confess to the Lord anything that was wrong in his own life and then leave the matter of his enemies in God’s hands.
Pastor Kim says that this process helped him understand that God wanted the problem in him dealt with first because Satan could attack through that weakness.
The lesson is that Christians should remain watchful.
Prayer, Idleness, and the Tongue
1 Timothy 5:5: “Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.”
Pastor Kim points out the example of the widow who continued in supplications and prayers night and day.
He then contrasts this with the description in verses 13 and 15.
1 Timothy 5:13: “And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.”
1 Timothy 5:15: “For some are already turned aside after Satan.”
Pastor Kim draws attention to two areas: idleness and the tongue.
If someone has a great deal of time on his hands, Pastor Kim encourages that person to examine his schedule. If there are not many things to do, that time can be used for prayer.
The second issue is excessive talking, particularly gossiping and tattling. Pastor Kim asks whether someone who spends a great deal of time talking has also been spending that time praying. A strong prayer life can help prevent a person from falling into these weaknesses.
He connects idleness with the opportunity for Satan to influence a person’s thoughts. Pastor Kim refers to Sodom and Gomorrah and the abundance of idleness described in Scripture. He argues that having too much time and allowing the mind to dwell on sinful things can become an avenue through which Satan gains influence.
The tongue is another area of danger.
Pastor Kim says that some of the most hurtful things he has seen have come through the tongue. Words can have an enduring effect. Even when someone forgives another person, the words that were spoken may still be remembered. A person may reconcile and ask forgiveness, and the other person may forgive him, but they’re not going to forget.
Therefore, Christians should watch their tongues.
Pastor Kim warns that talking excessively creates opportunities for something wrong to come out accidentally. Instead of using the tongue primarily for talking, Christians should use it for prayer.
Likewise, if someone has much free time, that time can be devoted to prayer.
A Life Filled With Prayer
A life filled with prayer can help prevent idleness and uncontrolled speech. As a Christian prays more and more, the Holy Spirit fills him more and more and shows him what is wrong.
Idleness and excessive talking are described as fleshly tendencies. Prayer turns the Christian toward God rather than toward the flesh.