Praying At All Times (Eph. 6:18-20)

What's good to be with you all today? I feel like I've been gone for 2 weeks. I was in San Antonio from Monday to Thursday for the Evangelical theological Society with Jennifer calls nerdfest bunch of phds gather together in lecture papers to one another so I had some just riveting papers. I went to on eighteenth-century Baptist history you guys I know just dying chomping at the bit to hear about all of that. One thing that actually was very exciting was to run into all of my friends from school that I went to do my PhD within I was so encouraged that they just they've been watching what the Lord is doing a trinity church and their rejoicing with us and they're praying for you. They were so glad to hear what the Lord's been doing and just to know that we have Pastors in Sea Legends people that if I wanted to name drop you would maybe read their books who have been praying for Trinity Church. It just encourages my heart. I did invite them to come out and visit but nobody ever seems to want to visit the Bay Area anymore. I don't know what the deal is, but I think they're worried the earthquake is going to hit right when they land, you know, it's going to take us right off into the ocean. I don't know but none of that to my notes. I just wanted to share with you that there are people praying for us and it got me emotional to hear about it.

The Lord's kindness towards us is just on display and evidence while we're in Ephesians chapter 6 verses 18 to 20 and we got this week and next week. We'll finish up the book of Ephesians. And then we're going to do an advent series for Christmas Jason and I together and then I don't know yet what I'm going to start in the New Year's so be praying for me. I have a few ideas. I spoke with some of the men at the Men's breakfast about it, but I'll be making a decision here shortly. We're finishing up the book of Ephesians and we just covered the armor of God last week and I separated out this topic of Prayer in verses 18 to 20, even though prayer is given a prominent place within spiritual warfare. There's some indicators in the text that it's really not part of the armor of God, but close. We connected to it. In fact, I would say verses 18 to 20. Paul says the foundation of our strength the way we gain our spirit empowered strength is through prayer in the spirit. That's a summary of what I'm going to say today so we could pack it up and go right now. That was it one sentence, but prayer is given a place of prominence in the spiritual warfare. In fact verse 14. We have prayer connected to standing firm stand there for having fastened on so you have this book ends in verse 11 and 12 put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand and then again in verse 14 stand and then the way it's connected the command to stand has a Greek participle. So about a verbal noun that connect saying This Is How We Stand by verse 18 praying at all times in the spirit with Prayer and supplication prayer is not identified with any weapon. In fact, if we were keeping in the illustration, I would say a prayer is calling in the reinforcements. If we put on the Lord Jesus Christ and we have the armor of God, which is Christ himself what prayer is doing is saying even that is not enough father. Would you send in the reinforcements by the spirit to help me be strengthened? He uses verse 18 while all read it here to you. But notice the word all is used for times as I read it. So praying at all times in the spirit with all prayer and supplication to that in keep alert with all perseverance making supplication for all the saints. I read it really awkward by emphasizing the Al's but I wanted you to see that what Paul is saying is this covers everything? This covers everything. 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 so even the reinforcements were calling in or not just for our sake but for all the saints for everybody where to be praying not only for ourselves, but for one another and then Paul says pray for me verse 19 also for me that words may be given to me and 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 and this seems so crazy to us. You've seen the life of Paul Shirley Paul of all people doesn't need prayer for boldness. This is Mr. Bold. This is the guy that's willing to get beaten Shipwrecked in stoned and for the sake of Jesus and he says Hey pray for me that I would have boldness that I would be an ambassador as I ought to be Paul it already prayed for them twice in this letter fact, let's turn back to 1:15. This is the first prayer of Paul for the Ephesians. For this reason because I've heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus in your love toward all the saints. I do not cease to give thanks for you remembering you in my prayers that the god of our Lord Jesus Christ. The father of Glory may give you the spirit of wisdom and a revelation in the knowledge of him having the eyes of your hearts enlightened that you may know. What is the hope to which she called you what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints? And what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in Heavenly places far above all Rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that's named not only in this age, but also in the one to come and he put all things under his feet and gave him his head over all things to the church, which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in all to the first prayer Paul gives us an example of how we ought to pray for others. We ought to pray that the eyes of our heart would be enlightened to see these things that are already true of us in Jesus.

Sometimes we we get to thinking that what we need is something we don't have. What we're if if we would just be obedient and victorious in the Christian Life. We just need to get a little extra something that we don't have before that must be the answer and what Paul says in his first prayer is oh you have everything you need you've been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ. What you need is your eyes the eyes of your heart to be enlightening to be open so that you would see everything you have in Jesus that you would know the hope to which she called you. I hope that will never disappoint. I hope that will never fade a hope that will never perish you've been brought into the family of God and you will never be kicked out. You need to see that second you need to see what are the riches of the father's glorious inheritance in you. He's not talking about our inheritance that we have laid up in heaven. He's talking about the fact that the father sees you and I as his inheritance The God Who Needs nothing. He didn't even have to create he was perfectly content in himself from all eternity father-son Spirit living in perfect fellowship and communion he chose to create and then he chose to include you and I as part of his plan to sum up all things in Jesus and to bring us into his family and he says he sees us as his inheritance forever. That will give you strength to live the Christian life. But that's not even the greatest prayer request. He saved the greatest for last in this section. When he says you need to know you need to have the eyes of your heart enlightened. You need to have that that light bulb go off to say what is the immeasurable greatness of the power that's already working in my life. But what kind of power is it? He says it's the same kind of power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated him at the right hand of the father. That's what God is doing in your life and in my life right now. You see that's huge. Why do I know that's huge because any given day of the week we're tempted to believe that God is not for us. He's against us or the very least. We're not important enough for him to pay attention to us. Where is he in the midst of our circumstances? Where is he in the midst of our suffering? Where is he in the midst of this sin that we battle with are we ever going to make it? Are we ever going to be strong enough? Are we ever going to have enough power to grow in the Christian life and to be fit for heaven? Satan is a master liar, and he tells us this is not true. And so Paul says the greatest prayer that you can pray for one. Another is that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened to see what you already have in Jesus everything that you have in Jesus is yours. It's not a leveling up system in the Christian Life. It's not a role playing game. You don't start out with nothing and then finally get to level 100 where you get everything. You start out with everything. You have it all. But we're trying to forget. That's the first prayer turn over to chapter 3. This is the second prayer. Ephesians 3:14 for this reason, I bow my knees before the father from whom every family in heaven and on Earth is named that according to the riches of his glory. He may Grant you to be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being. So this prayer request is tied to the first one that you would know the power that is already at work in your life. And as a result, you would be strengthened with power by the holy spirit in your inner being So that Christ May dwell in your hearts through faith that you being rooted and grounded in love may have strength to comprehend with all the saints. What is the breadth and length and height and depth to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of god notice what he does here is he says that the eyes so he in the first one it was the eyes of your heart would be enlightened to know this power that it work next Paul prays that you would be strengthened with power through the holy spirit in your inner being. How are you strengthened growing in your knowledge of God's love for you in Jesus Christ more love means more power. That is incredible. So the more I understand how much my Father in Heaven Loves Me In Jesus and the spirits the one who reveals it the more power and strength. I have to live the Christian Life in obedience and in glory to God. Yes.

Yeah, it's that simple. And yet, isn't it so difficult. Is it so difficult cuz we're prone to question the love of God. The circumstances of our life the cares of this world. the sorrow that comes because of the Fall we're tempted to doubt that our Father in heaven really loves us that he's really for us since we have an enemy who constantly tells us that we're battling a spiritual warfare in the Battlefield of the Mind to believe. What's true rather than what's false with Satan and his minions would love you to believe is that your father is not for you. He doesn't love you. Jesus death wasn't enough. The spirit is not going to stay with you. He's not going to empower you God is going to abandon you. And the circumstances of life that fill our gaze the darkness when it won't lift. That's how we feel you been there. I've been there. And the problem is not God, it's me. The problem is my faith isn't big enough. The problem is my circumstances are so large. And the only solution is there's no there's not enough spiritual push-ups in the world to get out of that kind of situation is there. The only solution is to flee back to the Cross to look at what Jesus did to look how sufficient is to look at everything that we have in him. And what is Paul say here in chapter 3 what the cross tells you is that you are loved God gave you his best when you were at your worst and if he didn't spare him, how will he not with him freely give you all things. That's a hope that will never disappoint will never put to shame. That's a hope. You can trust in when you are up to your neck in struggles and trials. when the cares of this world threatened to drown you We have a rock. We have a shelter in the storm. We have a high tower in the shield who will protect us and it's the Lord Jesus Christ. And so in chapter 6 when Paul says praying at all times in the spirit with all prayer and supplication. This is what he's getting at those words were repeated over and over from chapters 1 to 6. Stand firm praying with all kinds of prayers and petitions. You seem the reason we don't stand firm it. It's it's not that our enemy really is too strong. He's a defeated foe. We saw that that we've been placed in the heavenlies above these powers and principalities along with Jesus and Jesus has been placed over these rulers and principalities and they these rulers and principalities. We fight our defeated foe, so it's not that our enemy is too strong. And it's not that we're too weak after all we heard in the first prayer that resurrection power indwells us. It's because at the level of our desires our affections, we don't have sufficient desire to resist. This is why Paul gives the final instruction not to add more armor, but rather to speak to stir within us the desire to use the armor that we already have which is the Lord Jesus and that's what we do in prayer praying at all times in the spirit wear to pray at all times because the battle never ends and our prayers are to be in or by the spirit Guided by the Holy Spirit which by the way if you turn back to 2:18,

The spirit is the one who brings us to the father for through him Jesus. We both have access in one Spirit to the father. So to pray in the spirit to be guided by the spirits the spirits the one that brings us to the father and Romans chapter 8 the spirits the one who stirs up family affections in our hearts so that we cry out Abba Father and he's not a spirit of slavery leading us to fear. He's a spirit of adoption. He's the one that reminds us that were loved by the father and were a part of his family.

We've been built into God's Temple by the spirit 2:22 and were filled with the spirit in 5:18. Now we're to pray Guided by the spirit. So it's not just a prayer I think to be guided by the spirit. I mean that is what I just argued. But also it's a prayer for the spirit to stir up in us a greater affection for our father in Heaven a greater affection for the Lord Jesus Christ so that we would stand against the schemes of the devil and we don't have to worry. Because Romans 8 says even when we don't know how to pray as we ought to pray who prays for us the spirit of God, he intercedes with groanings too deep for words. So even in this command to pray at all times Paul understands that sometimes we don't know how to pray as we ought. And we're not left alone. The spirit of God is praying for us. Oh, by the way, did you know that Jesus is always praying for you part of his high Priestly Ministry. He's at the right hand of the father interceding for us. That's incredible. Isn't it? We have God praying for us.

If that doesn't encourage you I don't know what what the hell. the power that the spirit communicates to our hearts we saw in the second prayer is the love of the father and the love of the son that stirs up greater affection in our hearts the Puritan Thomas Chalmers had a sermon Call the explosive power of a new affection. I know I've mentioned it before and what Chalmers argues is. The only way to kill send the only way to stop giving into temptation is too crowded out with a greater affection for Jesus. That's the only the only way that we're going to stop sinning is to have a greater love and affection and desire for Jesus then for that sin. And this is what the spirit does when we pray in the spirit the spirit changes our priorities our affections. Our Cravings makes us have a love for God that's greater than a love for the things of the world that attract us even as they threatened to attack us and destroy us. Haven't you experienced that I was just talking to a man yesterday. He came over to to give us an estimate to rip out all the Juniper bushes in our yard. Yeah, I don't want to I might stumble insane if I talk about how much I dislike Juniper bushes, but you might resonate with that. You might all be saying Amen brother preach it. So this this this man David comes over to the house. He's giving me an estimate. I start talking to him and he starts talking about Jesus. Just start talking about Jesus and I said all man you got to tell me more about this. I said I'm a pastor. I told him I was a pastor. I wasn't like baiting it. I was we start talking in. This is Deacon David who goes to church in Vallejo right under Springs Road at a Missionary Baptist Church there he starts telling me his story incredible story. He was in Richmond. He was a drug dealer and he was a pimp. And he was just his life was full of sin. And he says that in 1989 when he was 19 years old is Mom who had been praying for him said you need to go to church and so cuz he was dissatisfied with all this drugs and all this stuff and he had a ton of money and he wasn't in any trouble with the law and he goes to church and he talks to the pastor and the pastor says to him. What do you want? This is why I want all this stuff. And he said to Matthew 6:33 seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you and he says well, I didn't think much of that. I I just kept living my life, but I kept going to church, you know, I was feeling a little bit like I should do something. So I stopped selling drugs on Sunday, you know, cuz I was going to church so I'm talking to him and he's telling me this story in and he says, you know what Ryan as much as I wanted to stop this stuff I couldn't Cuz I didn't really want to he said to me the spirit of God had to change me it took some time. He he he went down they were asking for prayer 1 Sunday night at church and he went down and he prayed and that's when he gave his life to Jesus in 1989. He said he's never been the same sense that he said the difference is that he took away the desires for those things the want of those things. He didn't want to sell drugs anymore. He gave all the drugs away to his little brother who was still selling dope and he he got rid of his illegal businesses, and he just didn't want it anymore. Why? We said I wanted Jesus. I wanted everything that Jesus wasn't and is in what a picture of what the spirit of God does to change us. Where the stuff that we wanted we just don't want it anymore because we want him more at his right hand is fullness of joy at his right hand and Pleasures forevermore. Isn't that what we found to be true in our own lives when we chase after this world whether it's money or or things that make us feel good like drugs or alcohol or whatever it is or chasing after the promotions in the big name in the reputation or success or whatever. It is. None of it ever satisfies. None of it ever satisfies.

Only Jesus satisfies. The only thing that is going to change us as the spirit of God and what he does is he shows us how much we're loved by the father in Jesus.

Something that the Bible says and I know to be true in my own experience and in the lives of others, is that what we want more than anything in this world is to be loved. More than Sports more than Hobbies more than all of those things what we desire and crave is to be loved and when we understand that the God of this universe who made us has loved us with an everlasting infinite love and he's proven it by giving us his son to save us from our sins and then giving us his Spirit to indwell has to draw near to us. So that Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith and that we would be part of the family of God and with him forever. There is nothing like that. Nothing in this world. No drug no money. No pride. No accomplishment Nothing Compares.

Paul says pray in the spirit at all times. with all prayer and supplication Keeping Alert in all perseverance and petition for all the saints Watch and Pray. That's a Christian catchphrase that Jesus himself said then he mentioned it and dealing with temptation and in view of him returning. So we're to be alert and expectation of the Lord's coming that there will be an end to this war and we're also to persevere so we can overcome discouragement in not fall into spiritual sleep and complacency keep alert with all perseverance making supplication for all the Saints at the end of verse 18. This prayer is for all the saints the community that now we're apart of that. He had talked about him 1:50 not I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the love you have toward all the saints chapter 2 verses 14 to 18 He himself. Jesus is our peace whose made us both one and broken down in his flesh The Divide. All of hostility by abolishing the law of Commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself one new man in place of to making peace and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross killing the hostility and it came and preached peace to you who are far off and peace to those who were near this is who we are 3:8. We are the ones that the grace was given that we are now hearing about the unfathomable Riches of Christ the Church of which Christ is the head And Paul says then pray for me verse 19 in the midst of his imprisonment. He desired to have utterance to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel boldly and clearly and this imprisonment gave him opportunity to Bear witness before Caesar himself. And so I think what he's doing is he saying I just told you to pray to keep alert with perseverance and make supplication for the Saints. Let me give you an example pray for me in prison that I would have boldness then I would persevere that I am an ambassador and change but I would speak the gospel boldly as I ought. So the second prayer if the first one was standing firm praying with all kinds of prayer and petition says the second request is pray for boldness in Ministry. or at least let me make application that way Paul's praying for him asking for prayer for him self, but This kind of prayer for boldness in Ministry. This is something we all need. We we've been talking about on Wednesday nights that were a priesthood of Believers and that we all have a Ministry. We all have spiritual gifts. We all have service to do and one of the ways that we can pray for one. Another is that we would have fruitfulness and boldness in the ministry that God has given us that we would love people the way we ought to love them that we would be dispensers of Grace by speaking words that edify and build up chapter for rather than tear down.

I'm so Paul says pray for boldness that I would make known The Mystery of the Gospel. He had used this word mystery twice before in the letter to Ephesians saying this was hidden in ages past now revealed in Jesus. This is the good news that the father is going to sum up all things in his son. The universe is coming to chaos as a result of sin, but God is going to restore it to Harmony in Jesus. In fact, there will be no corner of the world no feature of Heaven were his rule will not extend. He had told the Philippians every knee will bow every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. And for the existence of the church is a reminder that the authority of powers has been broken and their final defeat is coming. The church is exhibit a of what God's doing to sum up all things in Jesus and we need the liberty of the spirit to express that the others freely and clearly and boldly. What's incredible is that we have so many opportunities to share what God has done in our life and it doesn't have to be in an artificial forestway does it it doesn't have to be standing on street corners is screaming at the top of our lungs. Now the Lord bless those who he's giving him a Ministry to do that. But most normally when you think about the way you came to Jesus it was through relationships and friendships and you probably came to the end of yourself and it given circumstance in your life and you turn to a Christian who seem to have the same problems, but had joy in the midst of it who was not ready to throw in the towel. And you said why is it that you have joy in the midst of your problems? Why is it that you still have it all together? Even though you're the circumstances are a mess and then that person shared with you while it's not me, it's Christ in me in some way. They said it's because Jesus makes all the difference. He's the one who holds me together. It's not cuz I'm so great. It's because he's so great. And you heard that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you'll be saved. And you gave your life to Jesus? And now we have this great mission to tell others this good news.

Making known The Mystery of the Gospel. We have work we have relationships in the community. We desire to be on Mission as missionaries in our ZIP code here. Oh that we would have boldness in Freedom and Clarity to speak the gospel. This is what Paul praying for and we need to be praying for one another. And he says even as an ambassador in Chains verse 24, which I'm an ambassador and change that I may declare it boldly as I ought to speak. Ironically Paul is an ambassador in change now ambassador's ought to be free to come and go to take the message of the king wherever it's needed and Paul had use this illustration in 2nd Corinthians 5 to say we are ambassadors pleading with the world be reconciled to God he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him. What is this look like to be ambassadors?

Paul says I'm an ambassador in Chains, but we know from his own testimony in the book of Acts that he was chained to Roman guards, and he was able to share the gospel and it went through Caesars household.

on a personal level confessing our sins to one another forgiving one another at a church level having reconciliation with one another as we saw in chapter to this racial reconciliation of Jew and Gentile this economic reconciliation overcoming differences in economic barriers in political and educational differences in Regional prejudices and Theological Pride all of these things. As we see how God has reconciled us in Christ. We are reconciled to one another and we call a world to say be reconciled to God.

At the World level Redeeming the whole of life for the glory of Christ. To be Salt and Light in every place.

Abraham kuyper said there's not one square inch of this world over which Jesus does not stand and say this is mine. He's King and he's on his throne.

You see politics or not on the throne presidential candidates or not on the throne economic circumstances are not on the throne. Our troubles and trials are not on the throne. Jesus is on the throne. And what he's doing on the throne is he is seated at the right hand of the father exercising the greatest Authority and interceding for us as a high priest and the father is placing all of his enemies under his feet as we heard in Hebrews 10, which is a quote of Psalm 110. And when that happens when all of his enemies are placed under his feet, he's coming back to make all things new and The Last Enemy is death and death will be no more. Isn't it hard to hear of the death of a loved one? Even a loved one in the Lord? We know that death is an enemy. It's not natural. It's an enemy. But one day death will be destroyed and death will be no more. I didn't Christ The Sting of death is gone. So we have a hope that will never put us to shame and never disappoint. This is what Paul is communicating through the book of Ephesians the glory of Christ in The Community of Faith this hope that everything God has promised will be fulfilled in Jesus and the church is the first example of what God is doing. So when you look around this room and you see your brothers and sisters and you see what they're facing and you know their life And you know, we don't have it all together. But the one he does have it all together. The Lord. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the father, and he's been seated above our enemies those rulers and authorities, and we've been seated in the Heavenly places with Jesus and so we can have great hope reveling in this mission the same mission that Paul was on his arse a mission. Knowing that our life is completely under God's control and Direction Paul, even the extent of his imprisonment was under the Divine hand of God. He knew everything. He had received his first pass through his father's hands. That's a hard thing. Everything that you have in your life right now. Has first pass through your father in Heaven Sans. And The Temptations Satan would like you to believe his he's not for you. He's against you or that he's not good that he's doing you evil. And what we have to remind our hearts is that even when we don't understand why God allows what he allows we have to trust his character that he is good and does good that the problem is not with him is with us not understanding the big picture seeing all of the circumstances seeing everything but there's coming a day when will understand it. We'll get to it next week, but look here at the end verse 24 Paul's benediction here. It's not surprising given everything. We just heard when he says Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. Throughout the book. If you look at love you see that we've been loved by the father from before the foundation of the world. This is love is gone public at the cross and his son. That this Love Of Christ is so high. So wide so deep so long and cannot be measured. But Paul prays that you would understand how high and wide and deep and long. This infinite love is so that you would be filled with all the fullness of the father and the spirits Ministry is to make this love real to your hearts into my heart and soul Paul closes this letter with this benediction this prayer as it were saying grace be with all of you who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love Incorruptible. He doesn't say a perfect love. He says love Incorruptible Paul uses Grace and love to stimulate love hope and Zeal in us and love is power in the book of Ephesians more love that is understanding how much You Been Loved gives you power to love others more to love God more to love sin less. Those who most grasped the grace of God are those made most willing and able to fight in this battle the spiritual warfare for him. So what I am praying for you all and for myself is that you would understand how much you've been loved. That you would approach your father in Heaven with boldness as we heard in Hebrews 10. with confidence you see he's your father and you're always heard because you're always loved. And what Paul says in chapter 3 after he prays that you would grow in the knowledge of this love. He says in verse 20 and 21 now to him who is able to do far more abundantly did all we ask or think according to the power at work within us through the Holy Spirit to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever amen.

I just want to remind you what I said in chapter 3 you can't ask too much of your father because he's able to do far more abundantly above all you could even think or ask.

Isn't that incredible? Like you're praying and your you're tempted to doubt that the perhaps what you're asking is too big. Then maybe you're tempted to think the reason why God isn't answering his you're asking for too much.

Maybe you're thinking you have to ask for so much that maybe you'll just get a portion of that. So all over ask. But I'll settle for a little bit while your father in Heaven is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or think. It's not your asking or thinking. He's a generous father every good and perfect gift comes down from him the Father of Lights in whom there is no variation or shifting Shadow. You can come to him and ask him whatever you want. Whatever you need and he's going to give you what's best. What's incredible in Luke 11 Jesus says the gift he gives that is the best gift is the Holy Spirit to those who ask? And when we see everything the spirit brings us in the book of Ephesians, there's no doubt. That is the best gift God himself. Let's pray father. Thank you for this time in this word. Oh that you would encourage our hearts. remind my brothers and sisters that they are dearly loved. But they've been dearly bought by the blood of Christ dearly redeemed you see them as your inheritance. And you want us to be with you forever. You're working all things according to the kind intention of your will and it brings you good pleasure to do so.

Father do a work in us use us as ambassador's in this community that we would have boldness to speak the mystery of the Gospel that we would have freedom and Clarity to do so.

May we see you do a work in our friends and our family and our co-workers and even our enemies that would be to the praise of your glory. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen.