Step 8- Pray for Men and Fight the Enemy

“Something's coming…Something hungry for blood. A shadow grows on the wall behind you, swallowing you in darkness. It is almost here. - Mike Wheeler, Stranger Things

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The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10 (ESV)



Spiritual Warfare

Ephesians 6:12 (ESV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.



I strangely got more excited about this topic than any of the other of the 12 steps to following God as single woman.  Something kind of odd or special about me is that I love and desire to go into the darkest places to help people.  I know some women who are true servants, like my mom, and I envy and desire that quality, but I wouldn't say that I possess it.  If you ask me to clean up or watch children or greet people at church, I may run the other way and feel guilty about it later... but ask me to talk to a homeless person, a drug addict, a prostitute, or an inmate about the serious matters in life, and I come ALIVE.  I feel the most comfortable in the most uncomfortable of places...

Fear Not  

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (ESV): But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

Spiritual warfare isn't something that I was taught much about growing up.  When I was younger, demons were something from horror films in my mind, similar to vampires or zombies.  I didn't like the idea of being possessed or controlled by something evil, but what I didn't understand was that I was already submitting to them as a non-christian.  of course, there are some pretty dark things that people get into that are indeed demonic, but most of the time, demons present themselves as tricky and enticing.  Even living a life of fear could be exactly what they would want for you.  Furthermore, the truth is that I've experienced much more spiritual warfare as a believer than a nonbeliever.  Why would Satan and his demons care much if you're not a threat to them?  They start to care a great deal more when you become a threat.  You can be sure that if you pray for God to build up righteous men, that the enemy, the Devil, will wage war against you; therefore, you must learn how to fight and stand against it.  Also, not all things that go wrong can be attributed to spiritual warfare.  Sometimes bad things just happen the fallen world we live in.  

God is much stronger than anything you'll face.  Demons flee at the name of Jesus.  There is nothing to be afraid of.  

In the Book, Fervent, Priscilla Shirer claims these are Satan’s boundaries:


•   He can’t be everywhere at once (only God is omnipresent)
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•   He can’t read your mind (only God is omniscient).


•   He is merely an illusionist, using cunning trickery to deceive and mislead (only God can work flat-out, unmistakable miracles).

•   He’s running out of time (our God is eternal).

God has the Power to Destroy Strongholds

"There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain." - Jesus Culture 

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (ESV) For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

By the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are given divine power to destroy strongholds. We can pray for God to release men from strongholds in their lives.

I never liked the term "getting saved" when I was a non-christian, and I still think it sounds a bit cheesy, but I learned a new appreciation for the term when I learned more about freedom.  "Saved from what?"  Jesus saves you from YOU... saved from yourself... saved from your own destruction.  You will most likely be the biggest setback that you face in your spiritual journey.  The dark forces in the spiritual realm mostly just encourage you to tighten the locks on the chains you've already built for yourself.  Jesus wants to give people life, set them free, and grow them into their full potential of who He made them to be.  He's not some judgmental liar, or someone who tries to keep you from what you want.  That would be attributes of Satan.  Satan is a liar and has been a liar from the beginning of time.    

Fight with Prayer

Psalm 34:7 (ESV): The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 

Praying for men and spiritual warfare go hand in hand.  

"Any movement toward freedom and life, any movement toward God or others, will be opposed.  Marriage, friendship, beauty, rest - the thief wants it all." - John Eldridge 

One thing I know for certain about spiritual warfare is that our prayers alter what is going on in the spiritual realm.  How and to what extent, I'm not sure, but it's not to be taken lightly.  

There is an interesting passage involving an angel/messenger in Daniel Chapter 10, who was prolonged from giving Daniel a message because of the battle in the spiritual realm.  I don't need to add much of my own thoughts for it to speak for itself.  

Daniel 10:10-14 (ESV) : And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.  And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days.  For the vision is for days yet to come."   



Pray for God to Build Up Men in Our Generation 

"Dear Lord, give me the words to fight the battle. I am here to fight it wholeheartedly and I bring my empty hands before you. Cover me with the Armor of God. Please rise up godly men with a desire to pray and seek your face. I pronounce victory in the name of the Lord Jesus over pornography, laziness, and passivity in men. I pray that you would not allow doubt to creep in thus paralyzing their calling. Give them assurance that they are under the blood rather than under judgment. Keep their hearts pure and prepare them to be open to your calling. O great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, surprise us with your might. Do infinitely more than we could ever dare ask or imagine. Nothing is too hard for You. You are the Lord of all flesh. Thank you for the work you are going to do."



Pray for Specific Men 

"Dear Lord, please seek out ____.  Speak truth into his heart about who You are and who You have created him to be.  Remove his heart of stone and give him a heart of flesh.  Overwhelm him with your spirit.  I ask in Jesus's name that You would speak to him clearly and loudly in a supernatural way.  Overcome strongholds of sexual addiction, pornography, selfish ambition, pride, and fear.  Pursue him until he cannot help but to fully surrender completely to You and Your plan for his life.  Rid his mind of any false doctrine and teaching.  Let him be free of his own chains.  Let him lay down life and begin to fully run the race to which you have called him.  Create in him a clean heart.  Send angels to fight the demons surrounding him.  Give him a heart to love you above all else.  Do not allow the evil one to attack his passions, confidence, calling, purity, or heart any longer.  Let him run into You no matter where he tries to run."     

Pray for Your Future Husband



"Please provide a spouse for me.  I ask that you begin working in his life right now if you aren't already.  Prepare him for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.  Allow him to be in a place where he is open to hearing you speak to him. Give him a heart to love you above all else.  Put godly leaders to point him to truth and show him the meaning of marriage. Please do more in his heart than I could ever dare ask. I come before your throne boldly asking for these things. I pray that the evil one would not be allowed to attack him. I pray that you would make him steadfast.  Pour your heart into his heart."