Prayer Slew the Lion

The Emissary Kefa (Apostle Peter) counseled believers to be of sober spirit and to be on high alert for the purpose of prayer (1 Peter 4:7).  Tefillah, the Hebrew word for prayer, calls for self-evaluation before praying.  Tefillah prayer originates with self-assessment within one’s heart.  Diligent, persistent, and tenacious prayer, coupled with reflection and self-judgment, are armament against every type of evil.     

Prayer is the missile which is aimed at the accuser HaSatan (the satan).  The Adversary introduced in 1 Chronicles 21:1 prowls around as a roaring lion seeking someone to maliciously devour (1 Peter 5:8).  Peter offered this warning as a shepherd who, while guarding the flock of the Almighty, had spied a circling lion.  

In Hebrew thinking, the Accuser functions as a legal opponent in a courtroom.   The opponent litigates, before Elohim the Judge, every infraction of the law committed by His people.  Any breach of Torah becomes a violent grievance in formal legal arguments.  

He accuses Elohim to men, and men to Elohim, to pit them against one another over scripture's royal laws (Job 1:6; Job 17:6).  HaSatan seeks judgment and punishment for all who have missed the high mark of the Torah.   

Yet, prayer defeats him.  In the words of Revelation 12:11, “They defeated him because of the Lamb’s blood and because of the message of their witness.”  Prayer contains the message of the believer’s witness.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective because his testimony is fighting on his behalf (James 5:16).

As we offer prayers to the Almighty today, our prayers will be the testimony which fights for us.

Published July 13, 2017