ON THE VANGUARD

AND PRAY…
“But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.”
Jude 20

I remember while in college the interview and application process I journeyed on to become a student chaplain. First, after showing interest, I was given two short interviews with current chaplains. The standard questions were based on why I wanted to be a chaplain, what had God been teaching me, and the like. Then I remember being assigned to a chaplain to teach a devotional to his group of guys. Once that was completed I was called in for my last interview with leaders from the spiritual life team. It was in that interview that you may recall, I commented that Esther was hot. Later, with all the interviews now behind me, I embarked in the adventure of assisting men on their spiritual journey. I was not left hanging, though. As part of the training process each chaplain was given pages of verses to memorize over the summer and be able to answer to once returning on campus. It was from these pages that I first learned and committed to memory Jude 20, which has helped me many times since.
The verse is short and sweet. “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” Easy enough, right? Yet within the words is a depth that maybe we have not considered. Within the words is more than just a statement, but rather a charge in how we are to build ourselves up.
Let’s face it, the world is full of traps and temptations, and around every turn the enemy is looking to take us down. Just recently I was reminded about this again in my own life. About a week back, while in prayer, I felt God urging me in a deeper path of seeking Him out. The following day, after embracing this path, things began to happen that felt like an attack. While I did find myself with a renewed strength to take my next steps, I also felt the enemy coming at me in greater force as well. As I was in prayer about this onslaught, I felt I heard God say that the enemy was working to scare me into believing that serving the enemy was less dangerous than serving God. The counter attack to this was to keep in prayer, keep resisting the enemy, and keep expecting him to flee (Jms 4:7). While as of today I can still feel the enemy’s attempts, I know that God has sent His protection.
But let us look back at our text for today. We are charged first to build ourselves up in the most holy faith. This is something you must do for yourself. The verse reads, “build yourself up in your most holy faith…” Notice it doesn’t say to let your pastor build you up, your friends build you up, or even your parents build you up. While they can be a support and strength, you have to do your own building. And the building must be done in the most holy faith. What is that? This is PISTIS, the Greek word defined as conviction of truth and the belief in a relationship with God. This is the same word used to define our shield in Ephesians 6:16. Without PISTIS it is impossible to serve God (Heb 11:6).
It is in this assurance then that we move to the next part which continues, “…and pray in the Holy Spirit.” Prayer is a key in our building of ourselves. I think of this in terms of a body builder. The body builder works to build muscle, but it is more than just simply lifting weights. A true body builder knows that there is a regiment of sleep, diet, and physical training that will affect his final outcome. Having pistis is good, but not enough. We must also have prayer. And Jude explains we build ourselves up additionally with praying “in the Holy Spirit.” In the Greek it actually states praying “with the Holy Spirit.” We build ourselves up by praying as the Spirit leads us, praying how the Spirit leads us, and declaring as the Spirit leads us.
I leave you then with this challenge in your prayer life. Build yourself up! Take it upon yourself to strengthen your own muscles in prayer. Be secure in your faith so that you can please God, and pray in that security. Remember, nothing is impossible with God, but faith is needed to make the impossible possible. And finally, pray with the Holy Spirit. Pray in agreement to what is placed on your heart, trusting it is His leading you in your prayers. Do it now. Go to God’s gym now! Pray and pray and pray and pray...