The Command of Prayer
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praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Prayer is Battlefield Communications
Prayer is Battlefield Communications
Over the years we have used a variety of methods to communicate on the battlefield
Hand Signals
Horns
Drums
Flags
Lights
Radios
Though different all of them have one purpose to communicate the commands from the leaders to the troops and to communicate the status of the troops to the leaders.
Prayer is the method of Communication
Pray by the Spirit
Pray by the Spirit
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Spirit is the means of communication
Signal
Prayer cannot be accomplished without the Spirit of God. Even salvation requires that the Spirit of God is drawing you to Himself.
You must pray in the Spirit anything else is just meaningless repetition of words.
This means you must be seeking and thinking about the Spirit when you pray. Meaning if one mindlessly repeats the same words over again say in a blessing or a bedtime prayer without thought for what it is they say then it is pointless and no communication occurs.
In order for prayer to be effective we must be praying both to and through God.
Furthermore Paul writes in Romans 8:26-27
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 groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
This means that sometimes we don’t know what to ask for or what to say exactly but the Spirit of God knows our hearts and intercedes for us before God on our behalf.
Prayer-Us Speaking to God
Prayer-Us Speaking to God
All soldiers need to be able to communicate with headquarters to relay positions status reports and request further aid
Prayer in the same way allows us to communicate with God to tell him where we are how we are doing and to request his aid.
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Alert with all perseverance
Satan does not want us to pray
Prayer requires striving and endurance It is to be a constant companion in our lives and yet many do it infrequently. Let us not be caught unaware as the disciples were rather let us be alert that we might be prepared for the battle against sin and temptation.
And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Supplication for all the saints
pray for all believers
Pray for Paul
Boldness to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel
implies explanation preaching
He was already in chains yet asks for boldness to speak in spite of further punishment.
Prayer - God speaking to us
Prayer - God speaking to us
We do not often think of Prayer as a means for God to speak to us.
In fact most of us would say that he speaks to us through his word, and that is true. Yet it is not his only method of communication.
The Bible tells stories of many people who were praying and God spoke back to them.
Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
Jeremiah had prayed to God for Revelation of the Judgement to come and God here tells him to pray again and he will get an answer.
two things here first sometimes prayers require endurance as we saw above that we may have to pray multiple times to recive an answer. Second, God does answers prayers and speaks to his people.
We know from Elijah that this can be in a small still voice
And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Thus prayer is also an opportunity for us to hear commands and responses from the Throne room of God if we will release the push to talk button on our radios for him to do so. Yet we are often too busy talking to hear from him.