Let's paint a picture. You are walking down the street and you see a man attacking a good friend of yours. Which of the following would you be most likely to do:
a: Kneel by your friend, hold their hand and say, "I'm here with you. I feel your pain." while the man continues to attack....
or....
b: Do everything in your power to stop the attacker. To stop the pain. To keep your friend from being hurt. Jumping on the attacker. Pulling your friend from the line of fire. Getting into the fight.
I'm confident that most would choose "b". Yet change the context and you would be surprised how many would choose "a". Make the attacker "money problems" and you might hear "they got themselves into that mess, let them get out of it." Or how about an addiction... "Oh isn't that a shame. They should get some help."
How about a spiritual battle...? Pray for them? Of course. But is that all? No. You have got to fight the battle with them. This is spiritual warfare. "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." "Put on the full armour of God." We are enlisted men. On the front lines of a major war. In the trenches. We would do good to remember that.
If someone you know is having a spiritual battle. If they are feeling the effects of the enemies whiles... don't just sit there! Get in the game! Support them where the battle is. Certainly you should pray for their strength. But what about confronting the attacker?
When Peter was trying to convince Jesus not to go to Jerusalem
You can confront the devil concerning others. You have that authority given you by Jesus Himself. If a friend seems unusually short tempered, pray for Him. But pray also against the enemy. "Satan, you son of perdition. You murderous deceiver, BACK OFF! You've already lost!"
Sound crazy? Maybe. But think about the picture above. If you were the one being attacked, who would you rather have helping you... "a" or "b"? I know who I would choose.
SDG
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