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Need Prayer Warriors!!!
- Thread starter Draka
- Start date
From Wikipedia:
Prayer warrior is a term used by many evangelical and other Christians to refer to anyone who is committed to praying for others.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_warrior
Prayer warrior is a term used by many evangelical and other Christians to refer to anyone who is committed to praying for others.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_warrior
Biblical context for the imagery of a 'Prayer Warrior':
Ephesians 6:10-20
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 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.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 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. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Ephesians 6:10-20
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 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.13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 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. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Draka
Wonder Woman
But "warrior"??? Seriously? I can't help but compare people calling for "prayer warriors" to basically calling together a coven. Just saying...the whole idea of getting several people together to put their energy into a particular working/ritual/cause/prayer is basically the purpose of a coven.
I see this "prayer warrior" thing frequently on FB and find it just as ridiculous as all the memes made up that go around "like=prayer" and "if you don't comment amen you have no heart" crapola.
I see this "prayer warrior" thing frequently on FB and find it just as ridiculous as all the memes made up that go around "like=prayer" and "if you don't comment amen you have no heart" crapola.
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
It's a bunch of people furiously thinking to themselves out of the misguided notion that this will somehow have a direct effect on things outside of their heads.
I guess you didn't get the memo.
Christianity isn't immune to people with lots of strange ideas and personal interpretations.
Draka
Wonder Woman
I just don't get the concept that people believe that calling out on FB for "Prayer warriors" is going to cure their aunt's cancer or their child's strep throat. It seems delusional to me.
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
I think it's probably more social in nature than spiritual or religious, in reality.
Actually, I like those sorts of prayers ... at least it is easy to verify whether or not they were answered.
Spontaneous remission of cancer is a lot easier to quantify than "peace in my heart".
Draka
Wonder Woman
I don't know, in some I honestly think they fully believe in it. Had a woman on FB (she unfriended me for daring to say that all Muslims weren't terrorists) who often spoke of the "healing" powers of her church, the "miracles" performed in it, and put out requests for prayers often.
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
I'm of the opinion that many, many people have never considered or examined the concept and ramifications of belief enough for their purported beliefs to have any real meaning. Much of it is just simple parroting rooted in social acceptance and compliance, often from a very young age.
Draka
Wonder Woman
But if cancer doesn't go into spontaneous remission then is it looked at like people didn't pray hard enough? If someone badly hurt is prayed for and they don't recover were the prayers not any good? Actually, from what I have seen it seems things like this are self-confirming. That is, if the person gets better, it was because of prayer...if the person dies then it must have been a merciful thing and "God" wanted them and so the prayers still worked. When things go well it's "yay God" and when things don't then it's "God's plan". You don't see people get mad at God for things getting bad, but give credit when things go well. A doctor slaves away for hours and hours in surgery and goes above and beyond to save a life while a few people sit and pray in the waiting room and what is said when the person survives surgery? "Thank God!" As if the prayers in the waiting room to their god is what saved the person and not the surgeon who worked for 10 hours straight doing risky surgery. Now, there will be those who say that God worked through the surgeon but then, if the surgeon would have failed, whether through mistake or just too many odds stacked against, would people still say that God worked through that surgeon to fail after hours of trying to save a life? I just don't understand some of the mindset behind the "prayer warrior" thing I guess.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber
The Bible definitely has the potential for a militaristic interpretation, given the helmet of salvation, the armor of god, and sword of the spirit (Ephesians 6). A prayer "warrior" seems to be a natural fit for Evangelic denominations.
Draka
Wonder Woman
A warrior is such because there is an enemy to fight, right? If one hurls prayers to a god to convince that god to do something it sure sounds to me like the enemy is that god and the warrior is trying to forcefully make that god do what they want. Just my thoughts on it.
Kilgore Trout
Misanthropic Humanist
Also, it's a quick and convenient way for the ineffectual and powerless to create the illusion of being effective and powerful. And, as is typically the case, illusions are strengthened by numbers.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber
That is actually one of my pet peeves. Not so much the good results meaning god healed the person and the negative results just being god's will, but the total neglecting to thank the surgeon who went to school for several years, studied very hard over many hours, worked many internships and clinicals for little or no pay, and then worked their butts off, but god gets the credit.
Most of that comes down to your view of God.
If that person died because you didn't pray hard enough, then you ARE treating prayer like an incantation.
I do not believe that view is supported in scripture, so those who hold to it (and call themselves Christian) need to be shown what the Bible does say.
There is a verse in a popular song that says:
"Sometimes God calms the storm, and sometimes He calms the child."
(I hope that makes sense. God, like life, can be simple at some times and complicated at other times.)
I don't either. I'm first reminded of what Abraham Lincoln said in his 2nd inaugural address about the prayers of the North and South for victory: Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully.
Another problem I have is that I believe in God and in the power of prayer but some prayers strike me as asking God to change his mind. That does not make sense to me. So for some prayers, I would start "If it be thy will..." But my favorite prayer for others is a round that is not a demand or request for a specific outcome but instead:
May the Long Time Sun
Shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light
within you
Guide your way on
Guide your way on
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber
The enemy is the devil and his minions, who cause illness, disease, and suffering. Their fight isn't of flesh and blood, but a spiritual war. It wouldn't surprise me in the least bit to learn that there are many faith healers among these "prayer warriors."