Who’s Your Wingman?

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. And pray for me, too.” (Ephesians 6:18-19a NLT)

There’s a line in the movie “Devotion” that really spoke to me. The young Lieutenant said: “The real battle in all of life is being someone that people can count on.” In aerial combat, as the movie portrayed, you must be able to count on your wingman, the pilot in the plane beside you.

As believers in Jesus, our lives are a constant battle. Everyday we’re faced with circumstances that can cause us to crash and burn. The loss of a loved one; the illness of a child or someone we love; the loss of a job or opportunity on which we’d counted; a falling out with a friend; a debilitating illness or diagnosis.

Satan is constantly inspecting our lives seeking to determine where we’re weakest in order that he may launch an attack. The Bible is clear that there’s no such thing as a “Lone Ranger” believer. One of the most powerful scenes in the Scriptures to me is when Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to accompany Him a short distance from the rest of the disciples to undergird Him in prayer.

Jesus said to them: “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” Jesus was sensing the weight of the burden He must bear was going to crush the life out of Him if His friends didn’t support Him with prayer. Think of the implications if Satan had been able to kill Jesus before He could lay down His life on the Cross.

How many plans are foiled by Satan because we don’t have anyone supporting us in prayer? We talk about putting on the “full armor of God,” but we too often dismiss the reality of spiritual warfare, to our demise. We give lip service to prayer, rarely giving it the priority it deserves until we face a crisis.

Every morning I receive a text from a dear friend who has moved to another state but continues to pray for me and my family. Often, he’ll ask: “How are you doing? Anything special I can pray for you about today?” He’s my “wingman,” and I am his. I know I can count on him to pray for me regardless of what’s going on in my life, as I pray for him.

Do you have someone like that in your life? Are you that person in someone else’s life? The truth is, we both have many more people for whom we pray every day, including family, friends, our Pastors, those who are lost, and those who are saved. I literally pray around the world every day. Why do I do that? First, because it’s Biblical, but mostly it frightens me to consider that I might be the only person praying for someone who needs Jesus.

Dick Eastman, a great proponent of prayer, said: “Behind the saving grace of every person is someone praying.” What does that mean? It means to me that people aren’t being saved because no one is praying for them. Which begs the question – For whom are you praying? Who will be in heaven because of your prayers?

Think of the many marriages that could be saved if each of us would become our spouses “wingman?” Think of the children who could become giants for God if only we’d be more persistent and serious in lifting them to the Lord in prayer. Think of those obnoxious co-workers, neighbors, relatives, or _________, whose lives could be transformed if we’d persevere in prayer on their behalf.

Do you realize that if you’re saved, the only reason you are is because someone took the time to pray for you? Who are you taking time to pray for every day who is lost? As Jesus followers we have a lifeline to the Father. Let’s use it! Let’s bombard the throne of God with people’s names and needs that can change the trajectory of their lives forever.

In Romans 8 Paul reminds us that the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus are constantly bearing intercession for us. If you desire to be closer to God, snuggle up to Him as you lift your needs and the needs of others to Him in prayer. The Lord never seems closer to me than when I’m speaking with Him about the needs of others.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊