Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The Spirit is truly ready, but the flesh is weak – Mark 14:38.

The most effective weapon we have against Satan is prayer and worship. The spirit man is always willing to pray but the fleshly side of man will always make an excuse to keep from praying.

The flesh doesn’t want us to pray neither does Satan, so what he will do is bring a hindrance to keep us from praying because he knows if he keeps us from praying consistently, our spirit man will weaken and this will enable him to destroy us spiritually. Have you ever wondered about those you have seen been saved for years, then you see them return to the actions and thinking of the world? They didn’t return to the world suddenly, the individual was gradually slipping backward and it started in their lack of prayer. When we let up on prayer, we have placed our weaponry down.

Have you ever seen a soldier in enemy territory place their armor down, or places his or her gun away from them, no, the soldier always keep close to their armor and gun because he or she never know when the enemy will attack or set an ambush? As Christians were living in Satan’s territory, he’s the god of this world (But if our gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them – 2nd Corinthians 4:4). Because we are in the enemy territory we must always keep on the whole armor of God.

The armor can’t be placed on a certain day, but it must always be on and ready and prepared for battle. Salvation is our helmet, our weapon is prayer coupled with the Word of God and fasting. Prayer is good, but it is more effective when Scriptures are quoted in our prayer, God watches over His Word to perform them. Some of us have lost battles because we were praying but we were not watching, therefore, Satan attacked in our desires, wills, and emotions. Some of us have lost battles because we let hindrance keep us from praying a consistent prayer. Satan has seven strategies to keep us from prayer, he has more, but these seven he usually uses.

1. He wants us to let up on intensified prayer.
2. Send hindrance to keep us from reading and studying God’s Word.
3. He wants us to stop resisting his attacks.
4. Satan wants to get us spiritually tired and weary.
5. He wants us to stop casting out doubt and fear.
6. He wants us to stop releasing faith.
7. Satan will keep us busy doing something to hinder our persistent, consistent prayer time whether it’s with our jobs, family, or church. Whoever and whatever he can use to hinder our prayer.

When you decide you’re going to spend time with God whether it’s through prayer or reading and studying His Word, people that never call you will call you. People that usually don’t visit you will just show up unexpectedly because Satan has set-up to stop the prayer time. Even as Christians, sometimes we will allow Satan to use us unknowingly because we’re not spending time in prayer to see ourselves, we’re too busy seeing others’ faults and failures. When we spend time with the Father, He will shine the light on us, not others. He will show us our spots and blemishes.

Naturally, when you have an appointment with a dentist or a doctor. If you cancel more than twice the third time you’re asked to pay a canceling fee. When we continue to cancel our prayer time, we pay a cancellation fee. We can’t feel His presence, we’re deaf to His voice. When you’re on a cellular phone or a cordless phone when you reach a certain distance, you can no longer hear the party on the other end because you have lost the connection. It’s the same way with the Father, when we get disconnected because of practicing sin, and lack of prayer we get disconnected from His Spirit.

Prayer is not reading a book. Some people use a prayer book and they read their prayers from the book, not allowing the Spirit of God to move in them for various prayers. Prayer is not memorized nor is it a recital. Some people write out their prayers and memorize them and recite them. As we pray from our hearts and spirit, the Spirit of God will give us what to pray or who to pray for. A Christian without prayer is like a fish without water, they will die spiritually. Take time to pray, schedule a time to meet with the Father, yield yourself to Him and He will boost your prayer time and life. Prayer is a sustainer and it keeps us connected to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.