Scriptural Text:  Eph. 6:11 'put on the whole armor of God' .., then to 'stand' (v. 14)..., saying this should be done by 'praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit' (v. 18). 

Introduction: Have you ever watched a talented mechanic or craftsman work?  He always has the right tool.  You or I might strain to reach underneath an engine or struggle with pliers to put together some little piece of furniture.  But for a master mechanic or trained craftsman, it seems that no problem is too great.  The mechanic whips out a long instrument that has a ratchet on the end, slithers it up through the crowded engine compartment, and has a blot out in seconds.  A craftsman can affix the perfect-sized screwdriver head to an electric drill and assemble a complex-looking bookcase in minutes.  If you talk to these people, they will always tell you that it is critical to use the right tool.  A screw won't come off easily with pliers-if at all, and you can't drive in a nail with a screwdriver. This principle is critical when it comes to prayer.  Many Christians aren't aware that there are several different types of prayer discussed in the Bible, and if you use the rules or tools from one prayer when you should be using the tools from another prayer for your needs or your request, it won't work.  You would be applying the wrong spiritual tool to your needs or your request. 

 Consider what Paul wrote to the Ephesians.  He concludes a long section in which he urges the Christians at Ephesus to

Sermon text with italics and bold and John 3:16 and v. 20.

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 Notice that Paul tells us to pray with 'all prayer.'  This refers to all kinds of prayer, or to put it in a different way, Paul is saying there are different kinds of prayer.
A failure to understand that there are different kinds of prayer and that they don't all do the same thing has led some ministers to claim we cannot pray correctly at all, or to conclude each prayer with 'if it be Thy will.'Text with an outline.

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