My Prayer

God, I need you.

That's no news to you, I ALWAYS need you...and you ALWAYS provide. You are good and you are good all the time.

Satan is relentless...he waits...he is always looking for a way in...a way to get at me. He disguises himself, he uses misdirection, trickery, illusion, boredom...fear. I am yours and because of that I call myself a Christian - taking on the name of your son. Over the years I have built defenses that you support...that are powered by your Spirit and your strength.

It's like a soldier's shield. He makes his shield to be strong, and to cover the areas that are most succeptible to attack. He doesn't have a shield that goes all the way around because he has other soldiers behind and around him to that will protect the back. Over time, he get's used to that situation...he uses it to his advantage. He makes his foe come straight at him and work to his strength. His foe has to come through his shield to get to him, and he doesn't "worry" about the back - some else has it.

Father, I've had to spread my shield all the way around me. Its like stretching fabric around an object that is too big for the fabric - you may be able to force the ends to meet at the back, but the fabric rips and stretches until it is thin - it tears here and there. The strong, thick shield is now thin and has holes. Over time I hope to shore up those holes and work on the overall thickness of the shield. But right now it's thin and has holes in it.

Satan want's to exploit this. He is jabbing at me through the holes in an attempt to weaken me. My attention is spread out because now I have to be aware of things all around.

Father, I need you to fill the holes. No, not just fill the holes, but to put your shield around me, to stand behind me and beside me...and in front of me. All the while filling in the holes and thickening my shield. It's a lot to ask, but you have told me that to "ask and it will be given to you" (Luke 11:9), so I ask. I am at your mercy.

And I know you will be faithful to me.