Ephesians 6:18
Thoughts from Pastor Stuart
Dive Deeper
“With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints,”
Ephesians 6:18
Behind the Scenes
Just before this passage, the author (Paul) gives us a visual picture of how we arm ourselves spiritually. He reminds us that we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces. It’s his battle cry and a call to take up arms against the real enemy of our souls.
Then he concludes this call to arms with a call to prayer. Some commentators have suggested that Paul is not starting a new train of thought in verse 18, but instead tying all the pieces together with prayer. Priscilla Shirer in her Armor of God study suggests that prayer is the thing that “activates” the armor of God. She points to the power of prayer in every piece of the armor to not only help us put it on, but to keep it on and to use it well.
Once again, we have a passage that includes some pretty big words. “Every” and “all” are both used multiple times in this verse. Don’t miss that. Paul could have just said to pray. But that would not have encompassed the totality of our need for Christ in all things. No, Paul understood and wanted us to understand that this prayer he is talking about is not just a little bedtime prayer or a blessing over a meal. This is prayer that is infused into every fiber of our being, woven through every minute of our day, and welcomed into every thought in our mind. This prayer is not just the ramblings of my mind, but instead the result of the Holy Spirit working in my life.
And this prayer helps us to remain alert. This prayer keeps our hearts and minds fixed on truth and not numb to what is going on around us. This prayer takes our eyes off the physical façade that hides the real battle and helps us to see behind the mask our enemy wears. It helps us to see the truth and know how to respond. This prayer is both an offensive and defensive weapon in our arsenal as a believer.
Make it Real
I don’t know about you, but I spent many years of my walk with Jesus thinking prayer was just something I did, something that I was told to do. I prayed over meals and before I went to sleep. I prayed before a big test and asked God to help me pass. I prayed when I wanted something or when I needed help. I guess in a way I just looked at prayer as some sort of cosmic request form or comment box.
But in the last decade, God has been wooing me into a deeper relationship with Him. And He has been showing me that prayer is so much more beautiful, powerful, and fulfilling than anything I had ever imagined before. He has been teaching me the sweet surrender of prayer, this resting in Him that binds me to Him closer. It’s beautiful and so fulfilling. It’s become my lifeline, the only thing that gets me through the day. I literally feel like I am suffocating without prayer. And it’s the thing that enables me to continue my particular fight, wage my particular battle, and win the particular victories God has for me in His name.
Maybe you’re like I was, viewing prayer as just a good thing that we do or some sort of cosmic request form. Maybe you wouldn’t say it this way, but your prayer life has amounted to viewing God as some sort of genie in the sky. Or maybe it’s more like a slot machine- you put in your prayer, pull the handle, and pray you get what you hope for.
Sometimes we view talking to God like we view that obligatory call we make once in a while to a relative who wants to stay in touch. We check our watch and wonder, “when was the last time I called aunt Edna?” We realize it’s been too long and she’ll probably guilt trip us when we call. But it will be worse if we wait. So, we make the call, do our duty, and then go on with our day.
Can I just tell you that God wants so much more for you than that. He wants more than the cold connection of a cosmic request form. He wants a deeper relationship than some genie in the sky. He wants to provide for you more than some epic slot machine. And He wants you to crave His voice more than some once-in-a-while obligation. He loves you so much and wants to draw near to you. He wants your prayer life to be about a relationship with Him and a means through which He can care for and love you in the way only He can. He wants to equip you, embolden you, and fill you to overflowing.
And guys, He doesn’t need our prayers. But He wants them! Let your heart and mind really sit on that truth. The God of the universe WANTS to be near you. He wants to love you well and fill you up and hold you close. He desires it more than you or I can imagine. So why do we fight it? Why do we treat prayer as some sort of burden or obligation?
This week, as we wrap up our study through the book of James, I want to challenge you to consciously weave prayer through every lesson we’ve learned. Like Pricilla Shirer says, it truly is the thing that “activates” our faith. It is the thing that makes it all stick and causes it all to take root in our life. If you try to accomplish everything we’ve learned in the book of James without bringing prayer into it, you will either fail, or you will succeed in self-righteousness. Prayer is the key. So, let’s grab hold of it with both hands.
Crystal Garnett
ACF Digital Discipleship Team Lead
End in Prayer
Jesus,
I am blown away that You want to draw near to me. I am astonished that you care what I think, what I feel, or what I want. I can’t comprehend that the God of the universe wants to work intimately and uniquely in and through me. Wow… just wow! Lord, help me to let go of my business, my pride, and my distractions- anything that gets between You and me. Help me to stop looking at prayer like just something to do. Help me to see it for what it really is and to lean into it more every day. Teach me what this looks like.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen