Be watchfull in prayer

Ephesians 6:11–19 (NKJV)

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Many times in New testament when the scripture exhort us to pray there is in addition the admonition to watch.

Watch means to be alert. in other words, Be alert in prayer, or let you prayers be alert.

In what way is being watchful(alert) in prayer essential to witstanding against the wiles of the devil.

Matthew 26:37–41 (NKJV)

37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”

39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?

41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Jesus was not concerned about their physical sleep but their spiritual slumber.

Psalm 13:3 “3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death;”

The lack of prayer was a symptom of the ir spiritual slumber. They did not pray because their are spiritual a sleep.

In other words when our prayer sleeps, or prayer life is not longer a alert then we are spiritual a sleep.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “17 pray without ceasing,”

Colossians 4:2 “2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;”

A sign to you that you are about to go into spiritual slumber is a decline in your prayer life, you are no longer being watchful in your prayer.

Prayer life in connection to withstanding the evil day

Matthew 26:41 “41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.””

Jesus was foreseing what was ahead, a temptation was coming their way.

The devil had set a trap for them in their path ahead of them, and the only way that they would overcome that temptation is if they are praying now.

Whys?

Because what they need to overcome that temptation would be given them now in prayer.

Luke 22:41–43 (NKJV)

41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed,

42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.

What we need to overcome the wiles of the Devil in the evil day is given to us in prayer.

However if we are sleeping then we will fall right into the trap of the enemy.

Praying when the temptation comes is not going to do much.

Prayer life in connection to withstanding the The theif.

Luke 12:37–39 (NKJV)

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

John 10:10 “10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Revelation 3:1–3 (NKJV)

1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

Jesus will only come as a theif to those who have not been watching.

1 Thessalonians 5:4–8 “4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”

David as an example in Ziglag.

Zechariah 9:12 “12 Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare That I will restore double to you.”