Spiritual Warfare Part 9 | Prayer

Eph 6:18 “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.”

As Christians, let us get our spiritual-armour checklist out.

– Belt of truth: Have we surrounded ourselves with a solid and robust Christian world view?

– Breastplate of righteousness: Are we resting on the finished work of Christ, aware that we have contributed nothing to our salvation?

– Shoes of the readiness of the gospel of peace: Are we enjoying the righteousness that gives us peace with God and having a readiness to serve Him, even to lay down our lives?

– Shield of faith: Do we have that comprehensive faith in the truths of the gospel, not merely knowing but also trusting in the full spectrum of God’s provision for us?

– Helmet of the Hope of salvation: Are we clinging to the blessed hope that the Lord who began a good work in us will bring it to perfection? And do we rest in the hope of redemption even for our physical body, which is wasting away now, that it will be resurrected one day into a glorious body?

– Sword of the Spirit: Are we wielding the scriptures with specificity and precision, understanding and recalling truths for specific situations?

These are the great weapons that God has given us, but there is something more, which pertains to all that has been said so far. Next we are instructed as to the way these weapons must be utilised.

PLACE OF PRAYER | PRAYING AT ALL TIMES

Paul is not introducing a new subject here. In fact it is not even a new sentence or a new paragraph. The sentence in the Greek starts at the beginning of the passage on the armour of God, with no pause or even a ‘therefore,’ continuing to the idea of prayer. Prayer is not another piece of armour to add to the list. But it is the activity that accomplishes the putting on of the armour.

What use is it to know all about the various pieces of armour and then not know how to put them on and use them? For none of us has the ability to dress ourselves spiritually. So we need help and grace for every piece.

POWER OF PRAYER | IN THE SPIRIT

Prayer is not another weapon nor is it a new activity. It is a power. Often we give a disproportionately smaller amount of time for prayer, and this verse both encourages us and rebukes us, by pointing out to the miracle that happens every time we pray, and even when we are not praying.

Incidentally, by ‘praying in the Spirit,’ Paul does not mean praying in tongues, something that he discusses in 1 Cor 14. Here in Ephesians 6:18, he is talking about praying with the power, capacity, enabling, unction, and intercession of the Spirit. This statement contains layer upon layer of grace.

Layer #1 PRAYING THROUGH THE MEDIATION OF THE SPIRIT: The only reason we have access to the Father is because of the mediation of the Son and the Spirit. Eph 2:18 “For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.” We recognise the Son in our prayers, when we end our prayers with, “In the name of Jesus we pray,” but we are not always mindful of the fact that the Lord Jesus, having died for us, intercedes for us in heaven. Even less attention is given to the Spirit, who came to us, moved our hearts, convicted us, and even now mediates in the whole process of prayer, making up for our pathetic prayers.

Layer #2 PRAYING BY THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE SPIRIT: The Spirit empowers our prayers all the time. Rom 8:15: For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Christianity is the only major religion that refers to God as Father, instead of merely as Creator or Almighty. But we call Him Father because we are moved to do that by the Spirit. Imagine the emotions of a child lost in a crowded market place who suddenly spots their parent—how they are moved to raise their voice and call out.

Layer #3 BEING PRAYED FOR BY THE SPIRIT: Rom 8:26 says: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words.” There are days when we are so spiritually weak that we are not able to get down on our knees. The Son keeps us in right relationship with the Father in the great courtroom of heaven, while, in the theatre of our hearts, the Spirit intercedes for us even when we do not have the strength to pray, keeping open the channel of grace.

Stand up! Stand up for Jesus! / Stand in His strength alone; / The arm of flesh will fail you / Ye dare not trust your own / PUT ON THE GOSPEL ARMOUR / EACH PIECE PUT ON WITH PRAYER / Where duty calls or danger / Be never wanting there!