Ephesians Final Prayer

Today we wrap up the letter of Ephesians in our series prison letters.

We are going to study prayer in the closing of the letter and then I am going to give us some time to actually practice this together. Our prayer team is going to come up as I finish and lead us in some prayers that we talked about.

Don’t worry. It will be relaxed and the worship team will lead us in worship songs during this time. We are going to treat this like a sports team again. We are going to learn about prayer and then give ourself some time today to practice it.

2023 Survey found that 61% of Americans pray

2022 Gospel coalition survey found that only 2% of those who responded were very satisfied with their prayer life.

Love this! A positive for GenZ

2023 Skylight survey found that millennials and members of Gen Z are more likely to meditate or pray than older adults!

Steve and Michelle introduced Amy and I to an organization in Hawaii called Surfing the Nations.

We were able to go back during Sabbatical and during that time the Lord laid on Amy and I’s hearts that we need a larger focus on prayer here at Bridge of Faith.

To the point, that as I work through core values of Bridge of Faith Prayer is one of our Core values.

We came back and we were fired up to pray more

Ephesians 6:18 HCSB

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

This starts a new sentence from the armor of God but it begins with the greek participle praying

This praying may in fact happen with each of the above pieces of armor. As you put on the armor of God, you do it with prayer. Helmet of Salvation with prayer, belt of truth with prayer, breastplate of righteousness with prayer, sandals of the Gospel with prayer, shield of faith with prayer, sword with prayer.

Praying in the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:3 ESV

3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

To pray in the Spirit is to say Jesus is Lord. What does it mean to say Jesus is Lord? He is Lord over everything. He is God. He reigns supreme. He is in control. We follow His commands. Jesus is Lord. As we begin our prayers, we recognize in the Spirit that Jesus is Lord.

Ephesians 6:18 HCSB

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

With every prayer or all kinds of prayer

What does he mean by this?

Today I want to explore three types of prayer that He uses in Scripture and this will be the focus of our praying time together at the end of the message.

The first prayer that we see early on in this letter is

The prayer of Worship

Ephesians 1:3–14 HCSB

3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. 4 For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love 5 He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, 6 to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved. 7 We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him 10 for the administration of the days of fulfillment —to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him. 11 We have also received an inheritance in Him, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, 12 so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory. 13 When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. 14 He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory.

The Prayer of Intercession

Ephesians 3:14–21 HCSB

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. 16 I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, 17 and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, 19 and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— 21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

The Prayer of Wisdom and Learning

Ephesians 1:15–19 HCSB

15 This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.

Ephesians 6:18 HCSB

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.

Stay alert: Don’t sleep, stay awake

Perseverance: Persistant Determination

Ephesians 6:19–20 HCSB

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 in Him to speak as I should.

Not praying to be set free!

Praying to be bold in the chains to speak as I should

Ephesians 6:21–24 ESV

21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. 23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.

Transition to practicing prayer together

We can learn through being taught as we have just done

We can learn by listening to others

We can learn by watching

We have a prayer ministry every Sunday morning led by Sarah Sharp.

Join them there was so much energy in the room

Not much silence and people jumping in to pray

Any success that happens during this service or Sunday school is because they were praying before it started.