…To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Pastor John Piper said, “Until you know that life is war, you cannot know what prayer is for.” This wartime mentality sets the context for the Apostle Paul’s prayer request. He reminds us that as Christians, we are right now, in this moment, standing in the crosshairs of a spiritual enemy (Eph 6:12). Satan and his demons are real and they are active. They hate us, our church, and our Savior Jesus Christ. They are relentlessly committed to deceiving and destroying as many people as possible. They are aggressively working as you read this to divide, derail, and discredit the ministry of McLean Bible Church.

Division. Sin. Gossip. Heresy. Unbelief. Pride. Addiction. Bitterness. Cowardice. Worldliness. These are only a sampling of the ways Satan would love to infiltrate and attack our church. And this is why we MUST pray. We are no match for Satan. But Satan is no match for our God. Through prayer, we have access to the power of God – the same power that created the universe, healed diseases, terrified demons, and raised Jesus from the grave. We need divine power to resist the enemy and advance the Gospel. And we have it! So let’s pray.

Let’s pray for the Lord’s grace and protection over our congregation and leaders. Let’s pray for supernatural boldness to proclaim the truth of God’s Word even in the face of the forces of evil. Let’s pray that Almighty God would continue to display His unrivaled power through McLean Bible Church.