Ephesians 6:18-24 | "With All Prayer" [ Equipped ]
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· 51 viewsWith all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints ... Ephesians 6:18 (NASB 95) Sunday, October 15, 2023. Ephesians 6:18-24 | "With All Prayer." Preached to Heritage Bible Chapel in Princeton, MA. This sermon concludes an exposition through the book of Ephesians as part of a mini-series called: "Equipped." Preaching Manuscript https://sermons.logos.com/sermons/1193690-ephesians-6:18-24-or-%22with-all-prayer
Notes
Transcript
I. The Reading
I. The Reading
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
21 But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.
22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.
23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.
II. The Exhortation
II. The Exhortation
With all prayer . . .
EXHORTATION: (18a) Devote Themselves to Prayer (Thielman)
EXHORTATION: (18a) Devote Themselves to Prayer (Thielman)
What do Christians devote themselves to?
Christians devote themselves to prayer.
Verse 18 begins with this exhortation to the Church:
Ephesians 6:18 (NASB 95)
18 With all prayer and petition pray ...
But why? Why do Christians pray?
Truly, that is not an easy question to answer.
For the Bible tells us that God already knows what we need before we ask Him (Mt 6:8).
And yet He still teaches and commands us to pray (Mt 7:7-8).
> So, prayer is NOT about informing God of things He does not already know.
The Bible tells us that we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Rom 8:26).
God knows that we do not know how to pray as we should, yet we are still commanded to pray, and God Himself helps us in our praying.
> So, prayer is not about our effort and ability to pray. God helps us pray.
One pastor said “I have so many questions about prayer, that if I were to share them all with you, it could cause you to doubt your faith.”
(I remember hearing Adrian Rogers say something like this).
Prayer requires faith.
I’m not sure we’ll ever understand it this side of glory, but nevertheless the importance and necessity of prayer is never in question in the Bible.
With all prayer and petition pray …
The reason we pray is the same reason we put on the full armor of God, so that we will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil, so that we will be able to stand firm in our struggle against spiritual forces, so that we will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm (Eph 6:11, 12, 13).
Have we done everything, if we have put on the full armor of God but have not prayed?
Brothers and sisters, we could say, that if we have put on the full armor of God, we have done nothing at all, if we do not pray.
Graham Cole said:
“The armor of God is not enough without the God of the armor, and prayer is the link holding all together.” (Graham Cole)
The armor of God is really useless without prayer, because without prayer, I contend that there will be no spiritual conflict requiring it.
If we want to avoid conflict of a spiritual nature — simply do not pray.
Do not pray. Let ourselves get wrapped up in the busy-ness of life so that we never have time to pray.
Do not pray. Stay focused on ourselves and our own wonderful plans for our lives. Walk in the flesh. Live in the flesh. Don’t give ourselves a reason to depend upon God.
Do not pray. Be inattentive in life, complacent and distracted. Live for the moment. Don’t take anything seriously.
Do not pray. Try for a while and then give up. Let prayer go. Move on to something else.
Do not pray, especially for one another. That takes work. That take presence. That requires awkward questions. That’s uncomfortable. Don’t intercede for one another. Stay focused on ourselves..
Without prayer, what spiritual conflict will there be?
What scheme of the devil is needed? What struggle is there? What are we resisting if we do not pray?
And this question tells us something about the reason for spiritual conflict.
The devil schemes against what he opposes.
That’s who the devil is - a rebel. An adversary. An opposer.
What does the devil oppose? As we’ve seen in Ephesians —
The devil opposes God.
Spiritual conflict is God’s battle, not ours (MLJ). And Jesus reconciles us to God. We are no longer enemies, but have peace with God through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. So if the devil opposes God, the devil opposes all who belong to God.
The devil opposes the Church’s identity in Christ.
We are “God’s own possession,” bearing witness to the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
We have been made alive with Christ, raised up with Him, seated with Him in the heavenly places.
As we trust God to maintain that identity as God’s people, the enemy opposes that. (Thielman).
The devil opposes the Church’s unity.
The unity of our doctrine. The unity of our fellowship. The devil works to divide us.
The devil opposes the Gospel.
The Gospel promises that God is uniting, God is summing up, all things in Christ by the death, burial, resurrection and heavenly work of Christ. So the enemy lies, steals, kills and destroys.
Why does God allow the devil to oppose him?
And why does God allow us to endure conflict, requiring the church to put on the armor we have been given and continue steadfastly in prayer?
One answer belongs only to God and it is related to God’s TIMING.
God is patient. God is longsuffering.
8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
Jesus says:
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
One reason God allows the devil to oppose him through this conflict is related to God’s TIMING.
Another reason is related to our SANCTIFICATION.
It is good to struggle… with God.
17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
Something about what the Church is enduring now, will matter for eternity.
“an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.”
I can’t explain all of what that means. But something about what we endure now will matter for eternity, and it is related to our struggling.
The armor of God is given for a struggle.
And brothers and sisters, prayer is for the struggle too.
And in our struggling, God conforms our will to His will.
Jesus gave us an example of this on the eve of the cross.
What was He doing in Gethsemane? What was he asking His disciples to do? Knowing what would take place?
— He was praying, and He was asking His disciples to pray with Him for the struggle. He was struggling.
41 And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,
42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”
43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.
44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.
45 When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow,
46 and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Ephesians has helped us to see how struggle and God’s timing and God’s promises merge together to explain why the Church experiences spiritual conflict and why Christians must pray.
For while the devil is already defeated he is at the same time, not yet thrown into the lake of fire. His opposing work goes on, for now.
For while the blessings of God are already ours, they are spiritual blessings in heavenly places, and not yet fully inherited by us this side of glory.
So there exists a tension between what is already and what is not yet, and this tension explains the Church’s present conflict and longing and hope. We are children of the light in this present darkness.
This is the reason for the need to stand firm with the full armor of God, to defend what Christ has won for us, and ultimately the reason that we as Christians pray.
Prayer is not another piece of the armor. Rather, as Bryan Chapell says, prayer seeks to stir within us the will to use the armor.
Verse 18 begins with this exhortation to the Church:
Ephesians 6:18 (NASB 95)
18 With all prayer and petition pray...
III. The Teaching
III. The Teaching
6:18-20
6:18-20
And now the Word tells the Church HOW TO PRAY.
Verse 18 again —
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
Christians pray first —
[ 6:18a ] HOW CHRISTIANS PRAY
“Pray...at all times”
“Pray...at all times”
“Pray...at all times”
There is something special about praying together as a church when we gather for worship on the Lord’s Day.
There is something special about praying at set times during the day - morning, noon, and evening.
But we should not wait until a set time or occasion to pray. Rather, pray at all times. Pray at all occasions.
God is not sleeping. God is not inattentive.
Application: One way we can pray at all times, is to let the circumstances of our lives dictate our prayers.
Whatever circumstance arises in our lives is a circumstance God wants us to depend on Him for and to pray about.
It is good to have a prayer list, it is good to have a systematic way of praying through all that God commands us to pray for in His Word.
But it is also good to pray through whatever is happening in our lives at any given moment.
John MacArthur says —
“To pray at all times is to live in continual God consciousness, where everything we see and experience becomes a kind of prayer, lived in deep awareness of and surrender to our heavenly Father.” (J. MacArthur)
Christians pray —
“Pray…in the Spirit”
“Pray…in the Spirit”
Ephesians 6:18 (NASB 95)
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit …
[ 6:18a ] HOW CHRISTIANS PRAY
“Pray...at all times”
“Pray…in the Spirit”
This means that our flesh does not empower our prayers, but the Spirit empowers our prayers (makes the effective, makes them heard). The Spirit gives us strength and power to pray (Thielman).
This means our prayers do not start with us. Our prayers start with God.
This means our prayers do not even start with our life circumstances. Our prayers instead, are conversations with God as we look for God in all circumstances.
This means our prayers will be about God’s will being done, not our will being done.
Pray Scripture back to God. Pray about the things the Spirit convicts over: sin, righteousness, and judgment. Let’s pray about what God cares about.
Warren Wiersbe draws attention to the illustration of this given in Scripture of the Old Testament Tabernacle and the Altar of Incense.
It was “a small gold altar standing before the veil, and here the priest burned the incense (Ex. 30:1-10; Luke 1:1-11).
The incense is a picture of prayer. It had to be mixed according to God’s plan and could not be counterfeited by man.
The fire on the altar is a picture of the Holy Spirit, for it is He who takes our prayers and ignites them in the will of God.” (Wiersbe, Be Rich, 173).
We can only pray in the will of God with the Holy Spirit’s flame, empowering, igniting.
And the Holy Spirit points us always to Jesus.
So praying in the Spirit means praying in the name of Jesus, according to God’s plan, in a way that agrees with Jesus’ person and will, work and purpose.
18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
The Church is instructed to always consider the content of our prayers.
Are prayers oriented toward giving to God (praise, honor, glory), or looking to receive from God (self-praise, self-honor, self glory)?
The only kind of prayer that is truly prayer is praying in the Spirit. So as we approach prayer, let us not ignore the Holy Spirit in our consciousness, in our awareness. Let us not ignore His help.
Practically, give thought to the Holy Spirit as we pray.
The Bible’s way of praying is to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 6:18 (NASB 95)
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert...
Here, we are instructed on the purpose of our praying.
“Pray…be on the alert”
“Pray…be on the alert”
[ 6:18a ] HOW CHRISTIANS PRAY
“Pray...at all times”
“Pray…in the Spirit”
“Pray…be on the alert”
This word translated “be on the alert” means to “stay awake” (Thielman).
Jesus says of His return:
33 “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.
34 It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert.
Christians pray with this same alertness, the same alertness we have as we wait for Jesus’ return.
We are watchful. Being aware.
This means are prayers are in tune and in conversation with what is happening in the world and in our church and in our families and in our lives.
This means being busy with God’s work, not insignificant work.
We spend a lot of effort on work that someone else can and will do after us, don’t we?
What about the work that no one else can do? The work that God has given to us only, as individuals, to do?
Someone else can accomplish tasks.
But no one else can be a husband to your wife as long as you live. No one else can be a wife to your husband as long as you live.
No one else can be a father to your children.
No one else can be a mother to your children.
Life is not about tasks, is it?
As Christians, we perform tasks as unto the Lord, and for the glory of God, but we live and pray as those who are watchful and on the alert knowing that at any moment our Lord may return and what will he find us doing?
Making sure tasks are done?
Or making disciples as He has commanded?
For this reason, be on alert in your marriage, and in your family.
The enemy will oppose these while we are busy with misplaced priorities.
Christians, let’s pray as those on alert, not over temporary or insignificant endeavors that will fade away.
Look instead, with the Spirit’s help, for the purpose beyond that work - to the work left in our charge by our Lord (Thielman) as we await His return.
Christians pray with alertness, which means we avoid deeds of darkness and anything that distracts us from being watchful and able to stand firm.
For Jesus is coming soon, like a thief in the night. And so we pray, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.”
Let’s pray with an awareness of the Holy Spirit’s help and with the Lord’s return in mind.
Ephesians 6:18 (NASB 95)
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance …
“Pray…with all perseverance”
“Pray…with all perseverance”
[ 6:18a ] HOW CHRISTIANS PRAY
“Pray...at all times”
“Pray…in the Spirit”
“Pray…be on the alert”
“Pray…with all perseverance”
This word “perseverance” has the idea in an ancient inscription of a physician giving himself over to his profession with particular devotion (Thielman).
And so Christians are enthusiastic about praying, with the same kind of enthusiasm and devotion a person would normally associate with the practice of a craft or trade (Thielman).
We don’t give to others, what we don’t first give totally to our God, as a priority.
We are tempted when the road ahead is difficult, to give up. To stop. To not persevere.
Warren Wiersbe again says,
“Keep on praying until the Spirit stops you or the Father answers you. Just about the time you feel like quitting, God will give the answer.” (W.Wiersbe)
(Wiersbe, Be Rich, 174).
Application: Christians don’t stop praying. The Church doesn’t stop praying.
Some used to called this “praying through.” Pray through to praise, but if we cease, how then will we glorify God as those who have struggled?
If we don’t pray through, we are defeated. The devil’s defeated, we are not. So don’t stop praying!
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
How do Christians pray?
According to the Word of God, Christians pray:
[ 6:18a ] HOW CHRISTIANS PRAY
“Pray...at all times”
“Pray…in the Spirit”
“Pray…be on the alert”
“Pray…with all perseverance”
“Pray…for all the saints”
Now, the instruction on prayer turns to the objects of prayer (Thielman). That is, WHO SHOULD WE PRAY FOR?
(18B)
(18B)
i.e., WHO SHOULD WE PRAY FOR?
[ 6:18b-20 ]
WHO CHRISTIANS PRAY FOR
“Pray…for all the saints”
“Pray…for all the saints”
“Pray…for all the saints”
18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
Who are the saints? The saint’s are God’s people…Christians. The Church.
And Christians pray for Christians.
John MacArthur again says:
“But just as the Bible primarily calls us to pray about spiritual needs rather than physical, it primarily calls us to pray for others rather than ourselves.” (J. MacArthur)
(MacArthur, 382-3).
Take a sampling of your recent prayers. Who is the object of those prayers? Is it God? Is it others? Or is it yourself?
Pray…for all the saints.
Petition for all the saints. This petition has a sense of urgency to it.
Your brothers and sisters need your prayers. And if you will not pray for them, should you expect that they are praying for you?
We are in spiritual conflict together. We need encouragement together. The armor of God, the spiritual conflict, the prayers — this is not merely an individual thing (and I think we err if we make it that), as if you and the devil are going to battle.
Remember, the battle belongs to God. I’m not God. You’re not God.
This is all very corporate in nature. US standing firm together. US united, putting on the full armor together. US praying for one another, together.
For application of this, we should consider if we are too prejudiced or segregated in our Christianity or in our ecclesiology.
Are we too narrowly focused? Are we praying for just the like-minded saints? What about the saints in the world who likewise profess faith in Christ but maybe they do something a little differently?
I’m not talking about different doctrines that are important, but practices.
Are we praying for ALL the saints? The persecuted saints?
Christians pray with an awareness of the Holy Spirit’s help, with the Lord’s return in mind, but also with one another in view, considering others over ourselves.
Pray…for all the saints.
19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
[ 6:18b-20 ]
WHO CHRISTIANS PRAY FOR
“Pray…for all the saints”
“Pray…on my behalf”
"On my behalf,” literally translated from the Greek language is “and for me.” Pray for me, too.
Who is “me”?
It is Paul.
Ephesians 1:1 (NASB 95)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God...
In praying for all the saints, we pray broadly.
In praying for “me,” who is Paul, we learn to pray personally.
[ 6:18b-20 ]
WHO CHRISTIANS PRAY FOR
“Pray…for all the saints”
“Pray…on my behalf”
Paul (1:1) - personally
Paul needed prayer and asked for prayer.
And he asked for specific prayer.
“Pray…on my behalf”
Paul (1:1) - personally
his request (6:19) - specifically
19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
Who is that prayer ultimately about? It is ultimately about God. Paul is asking for help so that he might, with boldness, proclaim the mystery of the gospel of God.
This boldness is the ability to speak with clarity and leaving nothing out, keeping nothing back (Stott).
And this is because the Gospel itself is comprehensive and bold.
What effect does the Gospel have if grace and salvation are proclaimed without mention of sin, death, the grave, the Law?
A gospel that does not offend is no gospel at all.
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
We see in this request for prayer from Paul, that the method should match the message. The Gospel is bold, so Paul requires boldness and he asks for boldness, that he would leave nothing out and preach clearly this mystery.
“Pray…on my behalf”
Paul (1:1) - personally
his request (6:19) - specifically
ambassador in chains (6:20) - empathetically
Paul as an apostle of Jesus Christ is an ambassador for Christ.
We should pray on behalf of all ambassadors for Christ, all Gospel-proclaimers, preachers, evangelists, missionaries … and really for all of us in our Gospel witness.
Paul is in ambassador in chains.
The chains do not change the fact that he is still an ambassador. But nevertheless, he is an ambassador in chains.
I suggest this means that we should pray personally, specifically, but also empathetically.
(Dict.) “empathetically” - means in a way that shows an ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Before you offer criticism to the preacher, have you ever tried to preach? Before you criticize someone’s lack of evangelism, have you ever tried to share your testimony or lead someone to the Lord?
Christians pray with a deep, heartfelt concern for others. That’s what I mean by empathetically. There is a heartfelt concern there, such that, if there is not a reported update to that concern, then we are not comforted, we are uncomfortable.
6.19-20
6.19-20
19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
APPLICATION: Ask for prayer personally for you (as you endeavor to obey the Lord and do His will).
The flip side of that is this: be willing to share embarrassing or awkward things with someone who asks…even confessions…Make conversations distinctly Christian and deep; forego small talk.
Ask for prayer specifically, not generally.
I personally do not like “unspoken” prayer requests.
I understand sometimes what people mean when they share that. But Church! If we are able to pray specifically for one another...
If you feel you have to share an unspoken prayer request, then go find a group of one or two trusted, faithful people, that you can share that burden with specifically, and know that you are being prayed for and supported in that work.
Be specific.
Ask for prayer empathetically (in a way that others may understand).
This may mean asking for prayer of someone who has gone through something similar as you. They will empathize.
In fact the Scriptures say that one reason we struggle and endure suffering is so that we may be comforted of God so that then we may comfort others who are going through similar afflictions (2 Corinthians 1).
You are not the only one going through what you are going through.
6:21-24
6:21-24
Now, Ephesians starts to come to a close. And there are some final words to the churches reading this letter, and also some final prayers for them.
6.21-22
6.21-22
6.21-22
6.21-22
21 But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.
22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.
At the risk of making too much of this, I want to point out that Paul was concerned that the churches know about his circumstances...
That seems very counter-cultural for us today. I don’t want people knowing my business. But this is very Christian...
We are to make known our circumstances. Maybe not to everybody, but at least to others who can faithfully walk alongside us in prayer through them.
6.23-24
6.23-24
The apostle ends with two prayers. The first:
6.23-24
6.23-24
23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
PEACE
Throughout this letter of Ephesians, we know that this is the peace that we have with God, and the peace that we have with one another.
This is what is characteristic of God’s people, the saints, Christians, the Church. Peace.
But also -
LOVE WITH FAITH
Jesus demonstrates God’s love and gives faith to receive that love.
He did this on the cross.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
And in response to the love of God through jesus Christ, through this Gospel, God gives faith to receive it.
I say this to children often when explaining the Gospel to them. I’ll take a dollar bill, or something of value, and I’ll hold it out to them, and I’ll ask: “When does this become yours?” You have to take it. You have to receive it.
And so it is, receiving the love of God. You can reject it. Or by faith receive it, with the Spirit’s help and the Word.
The second prayer begins in verse 24, and this is the end of the book of Ephesians:
24 Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.
GRACE
Grace is what Paul prays for ALL who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.
“INCORRUPTIBLE LOVE”
So that “incorruptible love” creates some difficulty for interpreting what that means.
One of the better suggestions (Thielman) is that it is sincere, untainted.
It is love becoming of saints who are beloved of God.
The kind of love the Scriptures speak of: We love God because He first loved us.
It is God’s incorruptible love.
A love that acts with all prayer.