Prayer As Warfare (Ephesians 6:18-20)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 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 firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 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,

Let’s pray once more

O Lord, make your Word a swift Word, passing from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip and conversation; that, as the rain returns not empty, so neither may your Word, but accomplish that for which it is given. Amen. (Prayer by George Herbert)

B. Review

We have been for the last few weeks discussing this matter of spiritual warfare, and how the church—the body of Christ—puts on God’s Armor first mentioned in the book of Isaiah.

And today, we come to the conclusion of this picture of spiritual warfare, and Paul appropriately closes with a call to prayer.

For that reason, I have titled the sermon “Prayer as Warfare” and I will probably get two sermons out of it. This morning is going to introduce you to the concept of prayer, next week we will get into some of the nuts and bolts of understanding how to pray.

Where I want to keep your focus for the next two Sundays is that Prayer is the battleground where all of this spiritual warfare most keenly takes place. We might think of prayer as “fuel for the fight” but what I want to say to you this morning is that Prayer is not just fuel for the fight, prayer is the fight.

Paul concludes his survey of the armor of God, and now we are moving forward, charging forward, and primarily that looks like prayer. Shout on, pray on, we’re gaining ground, Glory Hallelujah.

Prayer is the battleground. Sometimes we tend to think of service to neighbor as the battleground. But that’s not really the battleground. Or we tend to think of evangelism as the battleground. But that’s not really the battleground. Or we tend to think of preaching and teaching as the battleground, but that’s not really the battleground.

All of those things are the fruit of the first battleground, which is prayer. Together. Prayer is the fight, and then as we move out in love and service to neighbor, we see the fruit of our prayers.

C. Introducing Prayer

Prayer is not natural. And I want you to think about that for a moment. Most of the speech that happens in your life is speech to someone you can see. It is a dynamic back and forth. It is an ongoing giving and receiving. Even when you talk to yourself, there’s some kind of odd dialogue happening.

But prayer is different.

Prayer is the only time in your life that you address a spiritual being, perfectly invisible to your eyes and ears. Unless you are hearing voices, which I genuinely hope you are not, prayer is a totally unique act in human life.

Prayer feels different from other kinds of speaking, because it is different. And for that reason, I want to encourage any of you who feel like you struggle in prayer or even struggle to pray--Prayer is not easy. It takes work. It’s a fight. It’s a fight to keep your focus. It’s a fight to keep your resolve and motivation. And that is why Paul gives instruction here. And I want you to notice about verse 18 is that Paul gives “Four Alls.” We are called to be...

Ephesians 6:18 (ESV)

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,

Circle the four “Alls” in v.18

So my thesis this morning is going to be that each of these four “alls” address some deficiency in our prayer. So let me show you what I mean. This sermon is going to have four points this morning, structured by these four alls, and what they guard us against.

We are called

To “pray all times” (which means we don’t pray)

With “all prayer and supplication” (which means we don’t ask)

With “all perseverance” (which means we get tired)

For “all the saints” (which means we forget others)

I. Prayer At All Times

Prayer should be a constant pattern in the life of the Christian. In fact, unlike the imperative verbs of the last few verses, I want you to note that two of the verbs here are participles. That is what your teacher might have called -ing verbs, and they indicate ongoing action

So far in our larger passage we’ve had some imperative verbs. Some calls to action. We’ve been told to be strong in the Lord in verse 10. And we’ve been told to put on the whole armor of God in verse 11. And we’ve been told to take up the armor and to stand firm in verse 13.

Flat commands expressed to us. Things given to us to do with the strength got provides. And then we get to verse 18

Ephesians 6:18 (ESV)

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,

These are ongoing actions. Praying at all times in the Spirit. Making supplication for all the saints.

This is an ongoing, constantly refreshing work. And for many of you, this verse probably reminded you of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (ESV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

And these are really beautiful and important passages for Christians, but they can put some of us into a kind of complex about prayer. Oh no, I’ve been in the drive thru line for 2 minutes and I haven’t prayed. Paul says to pray without ceasing!

I don’t think that is so much what Paul is getting at. He is not saying your prayer time can never be over. And he’s not saying that the real mature believers advance themselves into some euphoric state where even when they place a drive thru order, that too is somehow a prayer.

The meaning here is just don’t let prayer cease to be part of your life.

And we see here that we are also told to pray in the Spirit or by the Spirit—you can translate the Greek phrase either way there. And how do you pray in the Spirit? Well, I would submit to you that to pray in the Spirit is to pray with a humble awareness of the Holy Spirit’s work. Has Paul said anything about the Holy Spirit in Ephesians so far that could pertain to prayer? Yes.

Ephesians 2:18 (ESV)

For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Prayer in the Spirit is prayer that comes to the Father, in the name of Jesus the Son, with the access given to us in the Holy Spirit. A Sprit filled people delight to approach their Father in prayer, and we are growing more and more in our constancy as we remember that Prayer is the fight.

II. Prayer And Supplication

Ephesians 6:18 (ESV)

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,

Now that might sound funny at first. Paul says you are praying with all prayer. Praying with all prayer? Yes. It’s the same word in English and it’s the same word in Greek. Likely the meaning here is you are praying with all kinds of prayers. Prayers for all sorts of things. Prayers for all kinds of matters and circumstances and troubles and joys.

But this word supplication, you can hear the word “supply” in it, basically means a prayer of request or asking. You have a need, and you are asking God to supply it.

And this is important. God wants us to ask him for what we need. God is in the business of telling us to ask in prayer so that he can answer prayer, so that he can get the glory for answered prayer. So if there is a need in your life, you should bring it to God.

Do we really need to be told to do that? Well, yes. Paul told the Ephesians, didn’t he? God delights to answer prayers. So form your needs into prayers.

You see, again, one of the challenges we face is that we pray to an invisible being, who uses means. That is, he uses stuff to accomplish his will. He uses people. He uses circumstances. He uses weather. He uses gasoline in your car. He uses locks on your doors. He uses experiences in your past. He uses all sorts of things, all sorts of stuff to answer prayer.

Now if we pray to God to heal sickness, can God simply straightforwardly, directly, immediately, mysteriously, miraculously, heal that sickness? Of course he can and of course he does. And moments like that are far easier to thank Him for because you have to be practicing a certain kind of doubt and unbelief to miss it.

But more often, he works through doctors or medicines or vitamins or diet or sleep or exercise or any number of other things, and he might indeed work through all those things to bring healing our bodies without us ever asking. But if we are honest, moments when we don’t ask are often moments when we don’t thank.

So God wants you and I to be in the habit of asking so that we will be in the habit of thanking and praising. I mean, if you think about it, there are seven main petitions in the Lord’s Prayer. Seven things we are asking him to do.

And if you read your Bible carefully, you discover that all seven of those requests are things God has already promised to do. Jesus is repeating Old Testament promises in the form of petitions and requests. In fact, I think you can source the whole thing just from the Psalms, but we’ll grab a few different Old Testament texts for this.

We pray hallowed by thy name—God please make your name hallowed, that is praised and loved and glorified.

Will God do that? Yes.

Isaiah 11:9 (ESV)

They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

We pray that His Kingdom would come. Will it? Yes.

Daniel 7:14 (ESV)

And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Will God’s will be done? Of course it will.

Psalm 115:3 (ESV)

Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

We ask for daily bread. Has God promised to give it? Yes again.

Psalm 145:15–16 (ESV)

The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Forgive us our debts? Yes.

Psalm 130:4 (ESV)

But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

And this request that we be kept from temptation and delivered from evil—is that anywhere in the Bible before Jesus said it? Yes.

Psalm 121:7–8 (ESV)

The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Here’s the point. Jesus is asking us to pray for what God has already promised to do.

Now wait a minute. If God has already promised it, why do we have to ask for it? If God has said he’s going to do it, it’s going to happen, right? Well, yes, it is going to happen. But why is it going to happen? It’s going to happen because you prayed for it, Christian. Because God uses means. God uses stuff. God uses weather and gasoline in your car and the roof over your head and the prayers that you pray to accomplish his will and keep his promises.

Martin Luther–All the pagans have bread to eat today because all the Christians got up and prayed for daily bread.

III. Prayer and Perseverance

Ephesians 6:18 (ESV)

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,

We are told to keep alert with all perseverance (which means we get tired)

Consistent with the instructions about the armor of God, we are told here to keep alert. Or some translations have “stay vigilant.” Keep watch.

Paul is saying stay awake. Not woke, but awake. What does this mean? Well, this is not so much a contrast between high energy prayers as opposed to low energy prayers. Rather, it is a warning that Christians are tempted by a kind of spiritual sleepiness about their own sins, their own needs, and their need to be in prayer.

Prayer is fuel for the fight, but before we get there, we have to acknowledge that many times, prayer is the fight.

And one of the challenges before us in prayer is that we must keep going. We must keep praying. We must have an attitude about us that does not quit concerning the things we pray for.

You should annoy God in your prayers.

Luke 18:1–8 (ESV)

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

This is one of the most staggering things that Jesus ever said. In essence, he commands us to annoy God with our prayers. To be that persistent, that insistent, that consistent in our prayers, that bring earthly annoyance into heavenly courts.

Now when I say “annoy God” do I mean that our prayers literally are an annoyance to our Father? No, of course not, I speak in a human way, to help you remember this. Your prayers do not annoy God.

But the purpose of this parable is that when you pray, you yourself in your own spirit might be tempted to wonder “Good grief, am I getting annoying at this point?”

Now the answer is “No!” the Almighty is not annoyed with your prayers, but we are called to be so persistent and persevering in what we ask for that we are almost tempted to wonder “Surely this must be reaching an annoying level by now.”

And so we are called, dear saints, to a kind of holy stubbornness in prayer. For as I am fond of saying, You have not been given permission to despair. You have not been given permission to tell God you’ve had enough waiting. You have been called to perseverance. Even if you don’t get to witness all the fruit of your prayers, you are called to perseverance.

There is a story about two childhood friends of Charles Spurgeon—both of them unbelievers. And he prayed for them diligently throughout his life. It grieved his heart that they did not know Christ, so he prayed for them, that they would turn from their sin, and turn to Jesus Christ and believe. And God answered those prayers. And both of those two men came to Jesus at the same time, on the same day.

It was the day of Spurgeon’s funeral. Those two old friends of his showed up to pay their respects. They heard the Gospel for probably the 100th time if Charles Spurgeon was their friend. And all the fruit of his prayers came to bear at that moment.

Brothers and sisters, do not give up. Do not give up. Prayer is the fight. Do not give up on that prodigal child. Continue to bring him or her before God in prayer. If the cross and blood of Jesus Christ can reach you, it can reach all those you love.

Do not give up on praying for your husband or your wife. Bring them before God in prayer. Do not give up on fighting that besetting sin in your life. Confess it, seek help, seek accountability, and keep bringing it before God in prayer asking him to pull it up by the roots. Prayer is the fight.

IV. Pray For All The Saints

I’m not going to stretch this one very far, y’all. Prayer for all the saints means we pray for each other, and we do our best not to forget each other.

Do you forget people in prayer? Do you forget to pray for others? I do. I forget to take the trash out when it’s almost overflowing. I have gotten out of my car and forgotten to turn it off. If forgetfulness was a sport, I would be an Olympian.

I am very forgetful. It’s part of why I write everything down. It’s a part of why I thank God all the time for Karen Murphy who keeps so much of what we do around here clear and organized and communicated. It’s why I write down your prayer requests during the Pastoral Prayer. Because on Sundays, I have Etch-a-Sketch brain. Almost anything that gets said to me between 7am and 1pm on Sunday, well, about the time Sunday nap hits the etch-a-sketch gets shaken up and it’s all gone.

But there’s a helpful word here for us, I think to be mindful that prayer for each other is one of the primary good works of ministry that you will ever have, Christian.

Edward Welch put it best when he said

“The overwhelming majority of ordinary Christian ministry to each other is praying for people and praying with people.”

And I really do think this is the root and foundation of Christian fellowship together. Not as much that we sing together or feast together or laugh together, as important and vital and fundamental and necessary as I think all those kinds of things are.

The defining reality of Christian fellowship is that we pray for each other and pray with each other. This separates us from virtually every other kind of fellowship or community or connection out there.

So we are called to be mindful to pray for all the saints. To keep the needs of others in front of us. This is part of the whole purpose of the Pastoral Prayer on Sunday Mornings. Where all the Saints are welcome to express their needs and concerns and thanksgivings.

But it’s also why we gather for prayer in here on Sunday evenings. As I’m sure most of you know, about three months ago, the Session agreed together that for us to not have a corporate prayer meeting was to fall very short of what God had called us to. There was grief over that. We brought that before God in prayer. We prayed about prayer. And we were convinced that the next step for this body is to regularly united together and pray for all the saints. It made good sense to make that part of our Sabbath rest together, so we set it for Sunday Nights, and on April 14, 2024, we had our first prayer meeting. Why? Because Prayer is the Fight.

And there’s no question that it’s hard to inculcate new habits and patterns into your Sundays, and we are a pretty spread out people from Alexandria to Pineville to Woodworth to Echo to Ball to Ft. Johnson. And we are as a Session trying to discern what the best way forward for us is with those challenges. Because the point and purpose is not that prayer has to happen at 5:00pm. But the point and purpose is that we are in prayer together, hearing one another’s voices as we interceded for all the Saints.

Conclusion

So as we move forward together, let us keep in mind Paul’s admonitions. To be in prayer at all times. To bring prayer and supplication before God. To pray with perseverance, and to pray for all the saints.

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