Our prayers are powerful and effective and each one of us is called to be an intercessor.  When we intercede for others, we are showing our true dependence upon God.  Intercessors do many things, but one of the most important things they do is break chains.  One of the saddest realities is that we have eyes, but oftentimes we do not see what the enemy is doing.  Most of the time, we would rather live in the darkness of denial, instead of in the light of truth.  I Corinthians 16:13 tells us that we must be on alert, be strong, and stand firm in our faith.  We know the enemy is capable of prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour or slithering around looking for someone to tempt, but because we are not on alert, he has made it past our perimeter and is able to masquerade into our home and family’s lives by seemingly harmless means.  Our ignorance and denial that there is a war being waged over our souls has given Satan a foothold in many of our lives.  As pastor Kraig said last Wednesday night: “We must choose” and even our decision not to choose is still a choice.  We are either with Jesus, or we are against Him; there is no other option.

We have a responsibility to watch what we allow into our life and the lives of our family.  The encroachment may seem subtle, but as watchmen, it is our duty sound the alarm and cut the head off of any snake attempting to slither its way into the lives of God’s children, well before any stronghold can be established.  God has given us the ability and instruction to shut down the enemy’s supply line by breaking chains as intercessors.  By and through the power God has entrusted to us, we must begin to tear down the strongholds that are holding His people in bondage.  Whatever we bind and loose on earth will also be bound in heaven.  We must begin to stake ourselves to our brothers and sisters in Christ and stand in the gap for them when they walk through trials and attacks from the enemy.  There is a story in II Samuel 10: 11-12 that I love.  It begins with the armies of David coming together to face an army that by far outnumbered them.  Joab was David’s commanding general and he recognized the enemy was going to attack from the front and rear, so he and his brother Abishai decided they would work together and trust God to do the rest because they understood that God fights all of our battles either for us or through us.  Joab challenged his brother with these words and I challenge you with the same words against the army of the enemy that tries to attack us from all sides: “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you.  Be strong and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”  When the battle is too much for you to bear, call for your brothers and sisters in Christ to stand in the gap with you and fight the enemy back-to-back if that is what it takes to prevail.  God has chosen to work through His people and the sooner we realize that we don’t have to do life alone, the sooner we can crush the enemy beneath our heels.