Last week was an amazing week for me. I’m spending a lot of time in the Lord’s Word, in prayer–standing in the gap for others, and in being an encourager. The Bible tells us: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thess. 5:11). I’ve been so blessed by the Lord using me to encourage others, to pray for their specific needs with boldness, to heed the Holy Spirit’s voice and act on what He is telling me to do for others. I believe that has blessed me even more than them!

And then Friday morning I found myself needing encouragement because the devil was using his wiles on my family. I took it directly to the Lord in prayer, and then I almost stopped there. But the Holy Spirit urged me to call out for some specific prayer because when we are in the middle of spiritual warfare we need all hands on deck! The encouragement I needed was an army of prayer warriors standing in the gap with me to defeat the devil, to send him packing in the name of Jesus, and for the Holy Spirit to go to work on my family members. I literally sicc’d the Holy Spirit to saturate their minds with a reminder of their love for each other and to give grace upon grace, that He soften their hearts, that He speak life into them and to set a guard over their mouths. “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29)

Instead of praying this myself (which I did), I also enlisted an army of sisters-in-Christ to stand in the gap with me, several of whom had reached out to me to stand in the gap with them for their needs. The Holy Spirit reminded me that we should not wage battle on our own. I remembered the following passage: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Eccl. 4:9-12)

After calling out for prayer warriors, I went back to the Lord and praised Him for putting all of these women in my life, and for what He would do in the situation KNOWING He would accomplish more than I could even begin to think to ask of Him. Our Lord is near and I have “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” guarding my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

One response I received back from my warriors really hit me: The enemy loves to keep discord in families as those families represent our relationship with the Father. Yes! That’s why it is those so close to us that can hurt us the most and cause the most discord. As I said in a post a few weeks’ back, if you are a Christian you are in spiritual warfare. The devil will attack you, your family or whatever he can use to steal your testimony for Christ.

If you don’t have a body of believers that you meet with, pray with, encourage one another, I want to strongly encourage you to do so this week. We need a strong believing body so that we can be encouraged and encourage one another! “What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” (1 Cor. 14:26)

We all have a gift the Lord has given us to be used for His glory in building up the saints! “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Eccl 4:12) We can’t navigate this worldly life on our own–do not forsake the gathering of the brethren!