If you search your heart, I’m sure you have deep, tugging prayers for healing that you often bring to God. Prayers that would seem like if they were answered you could live life care-free! I know I certainly do, and they’re brought to God so often I can almost imagine a pile of ‘unread mail’ a mile high in heaven. The bible clearly tells us God does hear our prayers and none are ‘unread’- His will is for all to be redeemed and restored. So why does it sometimes seem to be an eternity between praying and seeing our miracle manifest? It can certainly seem like an eternity if we are forgetting the shield of faith.
When we pray it’s important to understand that a battle is occurring and that Jesus has already won. Our participation is required to stand in agreement with Heaven’s standard of wholeness and not wallow in the difficult situations and challenges we sometimes find ourselves in.
This battle is described in Ephesians 6:11-13:
“11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
Let’s dive into this scripture a little further…
The Greek word for ‘full armor’ is panoplía and is derived from pás (“every”) and hóplon (“weapon”).
The full armor of God is therefore a complete weapon, not just a defence against something that is trying to attack and hurt you. It is a critical tool in shifting our perspective from earth to heaven. Luckily for you and I, we don’t need to wear physical armor because our battle isn’t a physical one; it’s 100% a spiritual war “in the heavenly realms”. If the battle is spiritual (and it certainly is) then that’s where we need to attack from with the full armor on and full of faith that Jesus has won every spiritual battle.
When we put on the full armor we stand tall in agreement with heaven’s perspective and say no to crouching low and submitting to the difficult circumstances we find ourselves in. We agree that God is sovereign and His timing may be different to ours but our prayers are not “unread”. We agree that God has won every spiritual battle. We agree that He is good – always good. The marvelous and supernatural power of prayer for healing doesn’t consist of bringing God’s will down to us, but in lifting our will up to His.
I have found great growth, joy, and challenge in asking myself the following questions each day, especially when I’m believing for healing:
1. Do I believe that God is good?
2. Have I put on the full armour today?
3. Am I confidently expectant for a miracle to take place?
If my answer to any of these is ‘no’, then I’m too focussed on my lack of healing than my God’s desire to heal. Have you forgotten your shield?
Scriptures
- Matthew 9:28–29
- Mark 2:5
- Luke 17:19
- Acts 3:16
- James 5:14–16
- 1 John 4:4