Article: How Satan Stops Our Prayers - 4

You can imagine we were all seated looking at this man. He was telling us the things he used to do and what he used to see. Then he told us what they would do to people who have broken through in prayer. He said they marked such people; they studied such people. They dug up everything they could find about such people. So they knew their weaknesses, and when someone overcomes them in prayer and breaks through, they communicate with other spirits and say, "Target him with this and with this and with this. These are his weaknesses."

So when this person walks out of the prayer closet, the spirit of prayer is upon him, the presence is upon him, his spirits are high, the joy of the Lord is his strength. As he moves the enemy tries to bring those things that can distract him from focusing on the Lord.

If his weakness is in the area of temper, then the enemy is going to cause people to do things which can make him really angry. And if he is not sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and he allows himself to go into the temper, he takes his eyes off the Lord. He gets angry, he feels so furious, and after a few minutes later, he wants to put that behind him and move along in the joy of the Lord, but he doesn't feel it anymore. He tries to feel good again; he doesn't feel any good again. Why? As he yielded to the temptation, they worked hard to close the door upstairs. And once they restore the rock, the presence is cut off. The person does not cease being a child of God. But that extra anointing that goes on his life, that presence that could do things without his manipulating anything, it's just cut off. They seek out where the weaknesses are.

If it is in the temptation to sexuality, the enemy will prepare people, events, something that will suddenly draw out that passion to go towards that temptation. And if that man yields to this temptation and opens up his mind to receive these thoughts, entertains them, when he is through with everything and wants to move again in the anointing, he just discovers it is no longer there. Maybe you say, "That's not fair." Just remember what the Bible says, "Put on the helmet of salvation. Put on the breastplate of righteousness." We normally do not see the position, the place of these weapons of warfare. But remember what Jesus told us to pray towards the end of the Lord's prayer, "Take us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

Every time you have a breakthrough in prayer, as you come to the end, remember you are still a weak human being. Remember you have not yet been perfected. Ask the Lord, say "Lord, I've enjoyed this time of prayer, but when I walk out into this world, lead me not into temptation. Don't allow me to walk into the devil's trap. I know the enemy is setting a trap out there. I don't know what form it is going to take. And I know I am still weak in certain areas. If I am just put in the right place, I will yield to that. Protect me, Lord. When you see me turning that corner where the trap is, just cause me to turn to the other side. Intervene, O Lord. Don't allow me to move by just my own strength and ability. Deliver me from the evil one."

God is able to do that. He is able. That is why sometimes things happen, all you need to say is, "Thank you, Jesus." That's why Apostle Paul wrote in the book of Thessalonians and said, "Thank God in everything for that is the will of God in Christ for you." Some things are not good. They are painful, and we wonder why God would allow it. But if only we knew what He is saving us from, we would thank Him. When we learn to trust the Lord, we just thank Him in everything.