Stop for a moment and think about the battles you are facing right now. Think about the strongholds Satan has tried to build in your life, your home, your community, and your nation. You may be facing situations and problems that are causing you to be confused and afraid. You don't even know how to pray concerning them. You may be facing Satan's attacks in your finances. Your debts keep piling up and, regardless of how hard you try, there is never enough money to go around. Your mind has been in constant turmoil. You have been worrying about what you are going to do and where you are going to get the money you need.

You may have been attacked physically and mentally. Your strength seems to be gone and discouragement and doubt are setting in. You may have been seeking God for direction — to hear His voice and know His will concerning important decisions you need to make. You have done everything you know to do. You have wept. You have pleaded. You have cried out to God. Yet, it seems as if the heavens are as brass and that somehow your prayers aren't getting through. Like the great warrior King David, from the depths of your spirit you cry out, “How long, Oh Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1, NIV).

God has not left you alone. He has not forgotten you. The very first moment you called upon Him, He heard you. You are fighting against powers and principalities that have built a strong line of defense, a barrier to hinder you from receiving the answers to your prayers. God is not withholding Himself from you.

Before you can experience the breakthroughs you need in your life, you must penetrate deep into the Spirit and break through that barrier the enemy has built. To be able to penetrate the enemy lines where the forces of evil are positioned, locate, and bind the enemy, you must pick up your most powerful weapon — your weapon of prayer — and go beyond the surface into the spiritual realm.

The word “penetrate” means “to pierce; to enter by overcoming resistance.” Through prayer Jesus penetrated enemy lines and tore down the strongholds of Satan. Using His mighty weapon of prayer Jesus opened blind eyes, unstopped deaf ears, restored crippled limbs, cleansed lepers, loosed tongues, cast out demons, and raised the dead.

Like a conquering soldier, Jesus broke through the enemy's line of defense. He penetrated Satan's territory and took authority over him. Out on the front lines He did not pray for demons to leave, He commanded them to go. When He saw those who were blind, deaf, or mute, He did not pray asking God to open their eyes, unstop their ears, or loose their tongues. He commanded them to see, hear, and talk. This was because He fought and won the battle before going out to the front lines.

I will fight the battle before going out to the front lines, then like a conquering soldier, I will break through the enemy's line of defense.