This is the second in a series of blogs on Prayer as a part of the Armor of God.
The Roman army used a communications network to coordinate and synchronize a cohesive battle plan that was executed by individual soldiers; each with different roles and missions. Their strategy used messengers, flags, and trumpets to synchronize their actions as a whole. With this tactical communications network, they effectively executed their objectives even when the individual soldiers in their army were distributed across the battlefield.
Prayer is the communications network through which the Lord orchestrates His guidance to the body of Christ; to synchronize each believer in achieving His plan for all believers. When we pray according to His communication strategy we will be synchronized with His guidance and wisdom standing firmly in our position when challenged by worldly beliefs and doctrines; sometimes shaken, but not stirred away.
But you may ask, what is God’s communication strategy? Understanding what true prayer is also involves understanding how to apply it successfully in our life. Fortunately, Jesus our Lord, provided His communication strategy to us in His word. Consider what Jesus said in Matthew 6:9-13, “Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”
Often called The Lord’s Prayer, I have read this passage many times over the years. But for a long time, I did not understand its significance as a communication strategy. When I began to formulate topics on the armor of God, I then considered this passage from the perspective of a Roman soldier and how soldiers communicate on the battlefield. It was then that I saw it as a clear description of the communications strategy for the body of Christ.
The phrase “Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy” emphasizes that our Lord is the one true God and is worthy of honor. The commander of the Roman army was the highest-ranking military leader and warranted honor and respect from all soldiers in their command. The Lord is commander over the church, and each Christian needs to honor His name and accept His position as head over the entire body of Christ. This communication strategy reminds us that our prayers are with the one true God, and we should approach Him giving Him the honor and respect that He deserves.
The phrase “May your Kingdom come soon” emphasizes that the Lord has authority over us. The commander of the Roman army was given authority by their government to use the army to institute rule over a conquered land. Jesus is Lord over the body of Christ and He, as God, institutes the rule of His Kingdom over us. This communication strategy reminds us to pray acknowledging His authority over us and to embrace His Kingdom’s rule throughout the body of Christ.
The phrase “May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” emphasizes that the Lord has a good plan for the body of Christ, and that we should desire to fulfill His will in our individual part of its execution. The commander of the Roman army was responsible for ensuring each soldier understood their role in executing the battle plan. Each Roman soldier was responsible for executing their assigned role and to trust that their role was important in winning the battle. The Lord gives each Christian the gifts they need to fulfill their role in the body of Christ. This communication strategy reminds each Christian to pray acknowledging that the role we are given is important to the will of God for the entire body of Christ.
The phrase “Give us today the food we need” emphasizes that we can trust in the Lord’s provision for our needs. The commander of the Roman army was responsible to ensure their soldiers had what they needed before they were sent into battle. This communication strategy reminds each Christian to request their needs in prayer and then be satisfied with His provision.
The phrase “and forgive us our sins” emphasizes that we are accountable for our sins and their consequences within the body of Christ (see also John 8:1-11). The commander of the Roman army held each soldier accountable to strict rules, and they were disciplined when they did not obey. In each case, for the Roman soldier or the Christian, repentance is a choice. This communication strategy reminds each Christian that the Lord forgives us, but to avoid disruption in our communications we need to be repentant and live according to the Lord’s guidelines for the body of Christ.
The phrase “as we have forgiven those who sin against us” emphasizes that we need to accept our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, forgiving them of any offense against us. This was important in the Roman army to ensure camaraderie and unity during battles, keeping each soldier focused on working together to achieve the overall battleplan. The wording “who sin against us” includes the present tense, meaning we must forgive others while they are sinning against us, even before they stop offending us (see also Colossians 3:12-13). As hard as it is for us to do, this communication strategy reminds each Christian that Jesus did this for everyone; including us! In Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus emphasized the importance of this strategy to the Lord, and how critical it is to avoid disruption in our communications with Him and with others in the body of Christ.
The phrase “And don’t let us yield to temptation but rescue us from the evil one” emphasizes the importance of trusting the Lord for His protection. The commander of the Roman army collected intelligence reports from different units and consolidated this into situational awareness for the entire battlefield. The commander would then provide each unit of soldiers with updates as needed to take action or to avoid a threat. This communication strategy reminds Christians to seek intelligence reports from the word of God and from others in the body of Christ. We need to consolidate these reports into assessments for each situation we encounter so we can be aware of threats and take the necessary actions to avoid them.
As we rely on God’s communications network and practice His communication strategies, we can stay synchronized with His guidance and wisdom standing firmly in our position when challenged by worldly beliefs and doctrines; sometimes shaken, but not stirred away.
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All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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