Study

Winning the Descent

Anticipate the Attack + Pray Backside Prayers

Day 3

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On day three, we learn what we can do to help us prepare to manage the descent well. When we are at our lowest and weakest, that is when the enemy is going to strike, but we can be prepared and be aware.

One of the most overlooked areas of winning the descent is backside prayers. Today, Louie Giglio will discuss the importance of praying just as much after the summit as you do before.

 

Summary

Anticipate the Attack.

On the way down the mountain, the enemy is going to attack. When Jesus was led into the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights, he fasted the entire time...by the time he was finished, he was hungry! He was exhausted, physically drained, and had fought to be with His Father. He came out completely filled with the Holy Spirit. The enemy waited to come and tempt him until he knew he was stretched the thinnest. Luke 4 discusses this in detail. Always be aware that the enemy is out to tempt you. In Luke 4:13, it says that Satan left, waiting for a more opportune time.

If you don't anticipate the attack, you'll put yourself in some really scary positions. It is not good to be alone on the descent because the enemy is coming for you.

In 1 Kings 18-19, we see Elijah, through the power of God, destroy all the prophets of Baal. Then under the unbelievable unction of the Holy Spirit, outran Ahab's chariot back to Jezreel. When he arrived there, Jezebel threatened to kill him. Elijah became afraid and ran. The man who just saw a massive miracle found himself on the run because he didn't anticipate the attack.

We ready ourselves for the moment, but usually, the enemy is waiting on the backside to launch his attack when we are physically, emotionally, and mentally weak.

Pray Backside Prayers.

Many times, we get a major prayer offense going. We have multiple people praying for the same thing at the same time every day up until the event. However, once it's over, does everyone stop praying? That's when you need to be ramping up! Continue to pray for at least 30 days after. When you are going up the mountain, you can see every step in front of you; it's staring you in the face. On the way down, you're facing out and much more vulnerable. There's no falling up. Once you slip, you're falling down, and you're gone.

James 5:16 says that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Philippians 4:6-7 talks about how we don't need to be anxious about anything, but we can bring our requests to God, and His peace will guard our hearts and minds.

Prayer is powerful! It is so important to have intercessors that are on the backside that are powerful and effective. They can pray that peace takes over you and the team. They can ask for things according to God's will. You can rest assured that the prayers are heard.

It is also critical that you, yourself, partner in prayer as well. Engage with the Holy Spirit during the vulnerable aftermath so that you can be filled with peace and ask for protection over your heart, mind, and emotions.

What's Next?

  1. How can you anticipate the attack? What type of mindset do you need to be in to handle the descent well? In what ways have you been attacked before? Do you have a specific area of weakness?

  2. Look at 2 Kings 18-19. Make a timeline of the events that happened with Elijah. When did the turn happen? When was he his most vulnerable? How did the enemy attack him, and what was his response?

  3. While the climb is its own hard, the climb down is even more difficult as each step is slightly unknown. How have you slipped on your way down? Do you have a group of people that would be willing to pray on the backside? Do you pray on the backside?

  4. What do James 5:16, Philippians 4:6-7, and 1 John 5:14 tell us about prayer? Why should this spur us on to intercede on the descent?

Scripture References

11.I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.12.I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
1.I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.2.I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.3.You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant,4.‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’ ”89:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 37, 45 and 48.5.The heavens praise your wonders, Lord, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.6.For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?7.In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him.8.Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.9.You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.10.You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.11.The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.12.You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.13.Your arm is endowed with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.14.Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.15.Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.16.They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness.17.For you are their glory and strength, and by your favor you exalt our horn.89:17 Horn here symbolizes strong one.18.Indeed, our shield89:18 Or sovereign belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.19.Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: “I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have raised up a young man from among the people.20.I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him.21.My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him.22.The enemy will not get the better of him; the wicked will not oppress him.23.I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries.24.My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn89:24 Horn here symbolizes strength. will be exalted.25.I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers.26.He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.’27.And I will appoint him to be my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.28.I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail.29.I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.30.“If his sons forsake my law and do not follow my statutes,31.if they violate my decrees and fail to keep my commands,32.I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging;33.but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.34.I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered.35.Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness— and I will not lie to David—36.that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun;37.it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky.”
1.Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted4:1 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested. by the devil. 2.After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3.The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”4.Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’4:4 Deut. 8:35.Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6.“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’4:6 Psalm 91:11,127.Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’4:7 Deut. 6:168.Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9.“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”10.Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’4:10 Deut. 6:1311.Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
1.Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled1:1 Or been surely believed among us, 2.just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3.With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4.so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.5.In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6.Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7.But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.8.Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9.he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10.And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.11.Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12.When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13.But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
7.Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
16.I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
3.I thank my God every time I remember you. 4.In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
3.We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
11.The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
11.From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.

 


About the Contributor
Louie Giglio is the Visionary Architect and Director of the Passion Movement, comprised of Passion Conferences, Passion City Church, Passion Publishing and sixstepsrecords, and the founder of Passion Institute. View more from the Contributor.