Prayer for the Battle
Notes
Transcript
Briefly recap where we’ve come:
· 4 weeks in January working through ekklesia and koinonia
· The last 7 weeks has been on Ephesians 6:10-20, Take Your Stand. Identifying and using the armor of God and the importance in relation ekklesia and koinonia.
· Today we’re looking at the thing that holds it all together and powers it up for battle: Prayer.
Without prayer, the rest of the armor really isn’t effective.
ILLUS: Prayer is like the communication system of an army in battle. It’s the way we connect and communicate with HQ.
When the communication goes down…
· no info about the battle,
· no knowledge of battle plans,
· no certainty of where other troops or the enemy is located.
– result is usually people die and battles are lost.
When prayer is combined with connection with the Word
· we get intel on the enemy.
· We talk strategy.
· We call in reinforcements for ourselves and other warriors.
· We are often supernaturally connected with other members of the ekklesia and the koinonia is strengthened. We find ourselves all on the same page, heading in the same direction.
Prayer powers up the armor. Where there is prayerlessness, there is powerlessness.
So, following up with the armor we are to put on, Paul talks of the posture we are to take.
We are to take a stand, but often on our knees!
Let’s get started
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(18a) Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request. (WHEN, HOW, AND WHAT)
WHEN: At all times - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – without ceasing
· “All-access Pass” – Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.
16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
ILLUS: Prayerlessness is like going to a concert with an AAP and only sitting in the crowd.
Get into the practice of going to Jesus all day, every day for anything and everything!
HOW: In the Spirit – reliant upon the Spirit – Romans 8:26-27 (connect with 28??)
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.
27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
How do you know you’re praying in the Spirit?
You know you are praying in the Spirit when you experience a combination of humility/reverence and boldness as you bring “every kind of prayer and request” before him.
There is a holy awe where you understand you are unworthy to come before Him, but you confidently walk into His presence with a burdened heart.
That also speaks to the “WHAT” – Pray about everything!
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
ILLUS:
Next we get what sounds like orders from a commanding officer:
(18b) Stay alert with ALL perseverance and intercessionfor all the saints.
“Alert”: 1 Peter 5:8 –
8 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.
So we have to remain alert and persevere in our own faithfulness and intercede for each other.
(19) Includes himself: “Pray also for me…”
I love this because I love reading biographies of great leaders. We get to see how they think and what they prioritize (reading about IKE right now).
Here, we get this “inside-look” with Paul.
3 insights into how a Commanding Officer thinks: PERSPECTIVE, CONTENT, AND MANNER
1. The right PERSPECTIVE affects our priority: For THIS I am an ambassador in chains.
Bad things happen. When we embrace that God shows up most clearly through hard times, there is encouragement and power. It breaks the hold of discouragement the Devil has on us.
In bad times…
God’s Word ministers TO you – sanctification
God’s Word ministers THROUGH you – Christian maturity
In both of these you grow and become a stronger spiritual warrior.
2. CONTENT: Provision of the Word/Gospel when/as needed.
Paul needed to know what to say and when to say it to deliver the greatest blow against the enemy.
Unlike Paul, we have the Word in writing. How much more should we learn to wield the sword so that we can do battle most effectively!
Keep it before you: Read. Memorize. Meditate. Study.
15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
These are imperative, but not enough, though: Spirit must empower!
Pray regularly for…
· Anointing
· Opportunity
· Right words at the right time IN THE RIGHT WAY–
3. MANNER: Boldness
Boldness to speak in whatever way is appropriate (“to speak it as I should”)
Boldness has always been the main the primary sign of the filling of the Spirit:
On the day of Pentecost, as amazing as everyone hearing Peter speaking the gospel in his own language was hearing Peter speaking the gospel at all!
The guy scared off by a young servant girl weeks earlier was now standing and boldly proclaiming what could have easily gotten him arrested or killed.
Later, it DID get him arrested after healing lame man and having to stand before the Sanhedrin where he and John boldly testified about Jesus:
Acts 4:13 –
13 When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.
“When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
After they were released, they went back with all of those gathered together and they prayed…
29 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness,
30 while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.
And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.
Later, Stephen stood boldly and declared the gospel and testified against those who had put Jesus to death;
Acts 6:10 – “But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.
This is what Paul is asking for:
Look at Paul’s full request for himself one more time - Ephesians 6:19-20
19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.
20 For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.
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Now look at what Paul was able to write at the end of his ministry in his last epistle:
16 At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be counted against them.
17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that I might fully preach the word and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.
Paul had handled the Word of God with boldness and accuracy even standing alone at trial because God answered empowered him.
This is not only to be our ministry to one another, but it is Christ’s ministry as well:
Hebrews 7:24-25 (we’ll talk about this again next week)
24 But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently.
25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.
And those intercessions land on a kind ear because the Father Himself loves you (John 16:27)
This means that prayer is powerful because we’re connected to a powerful God who is sovereign over all rulers, authorities, cosmic powers of this darkness, and all evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ,
10 and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
11 You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,
And so because He who is in you is greater than he that is in the world, take your stand!