A foreign soldier was brought before his commanding officer and accused of communicating with the enemy. He had been seen emerging from an area where their troops were known to patrol.

The poor man summed up his defense in a few words, stating that he had slipped away to spend an hour alone in prayer.

“Have you been in the habit of spending an hour in private prayer?” demanded the officer.

“Yes, Sir,” he replied.

“Well,” said his commander, “never in your life have you been in more need of prayer than right now. Kneel down and pray aloud so that we all may hear you.”

Expecting cruel punishment, maybe even death, the soldier dropped to his knees and poured out his heart to God. His prayer revealed a deep intimacy with God. His earnest fluency, humble appeal for divine intervention, and very evident trust in one who was strong to deliver, told without a doubt that he came regularly to the throne of grace.

“You are free to go,” said the officer. “No one could have prayed that way without a long apprenticeship. Soldiers who never attend drill are always ill at ease for the review.”

This soldier was praying intensely because he was plunged in the midst of a battle. The entire world is a battlefield on an epic level spiritually, and you’re in the thick of it.

One of the tactics of the enemy is to prevent us from praying. I read a statistic recently that the average Christian spends just seven minutes a day in prayer.

Let’s realize the strategy of the enemy, and become disciplined in prayer.

As you pray, remind yourself that you’re not just praying, but warring against principalities and powers in the heavenly places. As we come to a realization that we’re are battling, our prayers will become more intensified and our actions will then be backed by the power of prayer.

This is how we change the small world around us!

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7

–by George Whitten of Worthy Ministries