Call of Duty 1
An Intimate Communion
by Daniel Carandang
written by Sheresh
Eunice Cortes
Life is a battlefield, we’ve all heard it. And so we are viewed as warriors, fighting
everyday in the battleground. But a faint-hearted warrior wouldn't be capable
of facing the war unless one goes through training. It is the same with one’s
spiritual life, which is also a constant battle; one must go through such
discipline to be spiritually fit.
“7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and
old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is
of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both
the present life and the life to come.”
1 Timothy 4:7-8
As spiritual warriors, we ought to undergo
spiritual disciplines which are necessary in facing our battles. The first
spiritual discipline- prayer- is often taken for granted by most
of us. Some are embarrassed for doing it; some are too lazy, while some
consider it as ritual. But what we don’t realize is that we are missing out on
the tremendous blessing that it can bring.
Most people don’t like praying because they
perceive it as something so formal and boring, or too complicated… something that
requires much effort. But Jesus said in the Bible:
“5 And when you pray, do not be like the
hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street
corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward
in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your
Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will
reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like the pagans, for
they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like
them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”
Matthew 6:5-8
For the longest time, people have developed
misconceptions about prayer. Some think that it has to be full of big words, or
has to be quite long or performed in a particular position, place, and time.
But Jesus did not speak of these things. Prayer, foremost, is not some kind of
performance or ritual.
“Prayer is an intimate communication
between us and our heavenly Father.”
There is nothing too complicated and boring
about prayer! It is quality time with God, our bonding moment with our Creator.
Flowery words are of no necessity when you pray, but sincerity of the heart.
For God is far more interested in our hearts when we pray than He is in our
posture, location, attire or words. In the simplest sense, just BE YOURSELF
when you pray!
But I don’t know how to pray, say most people. Again, prayer doesn’t need
to be complicated. The following steps will guide you on how to pray:
· - Remind
yourself of who God is
“Our Father in
heaven, hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as
it is in heaven.”
Matthew
6:9-10
Remind yourself that you are not talking to
an imaginary being. God is alive! He is not some distant God but an intimate
one. He is sovereign in the heavens and the earth, yet He gave up His precious
Son so you could be saved. That is how precious you are to Him. And so remind
yourself of these things, of the greatness of God whom you’ve been given the
privilege to talk to.
· - Refocus
your eyes to God and look
to Him for your needs
“Give us today our
daily bread”
Matthew
6:11
Turn your eyes
from your worries, and unto God who sustains you. Present your requests to God
and surrender your distress. Surely, you’ve been told that worrying isn’t even
a tad of help to any circumstance. But rather, it helps worsen the situation.
So when you pray, quiet your heart and mind, and present your requests to God.
“6 Do not be
anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus”
Philippians 4: 6-7
·
Repent;
ask for forgiveness for
sins
“And forgive us
our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”
Matthew
6: 9
Do not be afraid to talk to God because of
the things that you’ve done. He is a forgiving God, and all you need to do is
ask for His forgiveness. Do not be deceived by the evil one by not talking to
Him because of guilt. For as long as you are sincere, and you turn back from
all your wrongdoings, He is ready to absolve you from any stain of
transgression. His grace and love for you is greater than the multitude of your
sins.
“If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us
from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1: 9
·
Rely on God for protection from the evil one and
temptation
“And lead us not
into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”
Matthew 6: 13
It is inevitable
for temptations to come our way. That’s why it is important to rely on God for
protection and strength to not fall into the trap of the enemy. The Lord has
promised to provide a way out for us whenever we are tempted, so you don’t need
to worry. If you find yourself in a situation where you are on the verge of giving
up to a temptation, immediately ask for God’s protection and do not play with
fire any longer.
“And pray in the
Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in
mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Ephesians 6: 18
Prayer is a
wonderful privilege to communicate with the King of kings and Lord of lords. It
is a precious activity we all can freely do. Prayer is not about what you wear,
what your position is, where you are, or what time you pray – it is something
you can do wherever, whenever, however. Prayer is a valuable weapon a warrior
can and should carry in the fields of war. Through this, a warrior can breathe
confidently even in an uproar – he knows he’s not fighting his battles alone.
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