“If I were your enemy, I’d work to create division between you and other Christians, between groups of Christians, anyone with the potential for uniting in battle against me and my plans. I’d keep you operating individually, not seeing your need for the church or tying yourself too closely to its mission. Strength in numbers and unity of purpose…I would not allow things like these to go unchecked” –Priscilla Shirer, Fervent (169).
If you’ve been following this blog, then you know that I’ve been reading and reviewing Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan for Serious, Specific, and Strategic Prayer by Priscilla Shirer. As I share a few thoughts tonight about the last strategy, let me just say that I have loved this book! I believe prayer to be one of the most powerful aspects of the Christian life. Fervent opens our eyes to just how powerful!
In “Strategy 10–Your Relationships: Uniting in a Common Cause,” Shirer has delved into perhaps the most telling of all the tactics of Satan–his efforts to drive wedges of disunity between people in relationships. Many of us may know these words to be true, but we don’t exercise our faith and demonstrate our actions accordingly.
How easy it is for relationships–within our family, friendships, and churches–to suddenly become divided, tense, or even distrustful. I don’t know about you, but my first reaction is to become defensive, rather than to recognize the work of the enemy and respond immediately with prayer.
In this chapter, Shirer shares how powerful Christians are when we are united, which clearly makes us a threat to Satan.
“The gospel we share in common is meant to continue to be shared together, both the giving and receiving of grace, inspiring each of us to pure living and spiritual fervency so the gospel can shine outward to others through our loving, enriching relationships” (171).
Through a telling analogy and Scripture, Shirer reveals the strategies that can overcome the tactics of the enemy and get us back on track in our relationships with others, thereby reflecting to the world the unity and peace that should mark the body of Christ.
Shirer ends Fervent with a call to prayer for every woman–an invitation to put these words into action and join the countless others who have found their place in God’s presence, before His throne, seeking His face, and trusting Him to simply do what His Words says He will do.
If you would like to purchase Fervent for yourself, You may click the following link. This book was provided to me by B&H Publishing Group in return for my honest review.
http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/