Game Changer: Prayer

Intro

Passage Context

Again we find ourselves reading a letter from an imprisoned Apostle Paul to the young church at Ephesus. Paul is writing concerning the matter of prayer in terms of war. Just in case you had no idea, there is a spiritual battle happening all around you for control of your life and your heart. Paul encourages the believers to do battle in their prayer life not only to conquer Satan, but to guard against his attacks.

Read

Ephesians 6:10–20 HCSB

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. 12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. 13 This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, 15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. 16 In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. 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. 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.

Ephesians

So what does this passage tell us about our prayer life?

Message Points

1. Prayer is important (10-13)

I believe that after we accept Jesus as our Savior, prayer is the most important part of our faith journey. It is the only avenue in which we can have a deep personal relationship with Jesus like we are called to have.

The bible has a lot on the subject of prayer, but that is because it is the hinge point of our faith. There is a battle for our devotion and our focus, and distraction and desire are tactics from the enemy, but we have victory when we rely upon the world.

1 John 4:4 HCSB

4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4

James 4:7 HCSB

7 Therefore, submit to God. But resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.

Jas

1 Peter 5:8–9 HCSB

8 Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.

1 Peter

God has given us victory as a promise in his word. We have to be aware that there is a battle happening in our lives, and that we are equipped with the tools to fight back.

2. Tools of the Trade (14-18)

Paul describes the armor in terms of what the people were used to seeing used by the Roman soldiers that held the nation of Israel in captivity. Paul was painting a picture of victory by describing the tools and weapons that were available to the God’s people.

Belt of Truth (v.14a)

The belt was one for the most important pieces of a soldiers armor because it held multiple weapons, but it also held all of the armor in place.

Paul’s word about the belt of truth was referring to the Word of God as the belt which hold all our our strength and weapons together and in place. The bible is our greatest weapon to use against the enemy and against this world

Breastplate of Righteousness (v.14b)

Breastplate of Righteousness (v.14b)

The breastplate was the part of the armor that covered the entire torso of the soldier that it protected. It guarded all of the important organs from swords, spears, and arrows. Possibly most importantly, it covered the heart.

The breastplate is meant to protect our heart against the evil things that try to own it like greed, sexual sin, and pride. Righteousness is the act of doing what is right according to God and His word.

Gospel Kicks (v.15)

Destin illustration about walking barefooted.

If you are going to walk any distance at all, you have to have good shoes. Paul writes this because the Gospel was never meant to JUST be personal, it was meant to GO!

Shield of Faith (v.16)

Shields are were and still are one of the most effective means of defense against attacks. (C.O.D illustration)

Paul writes that we should pray for the “shield” of Faith to defend us from the things that tempt. These attacks are compared to flaming arrows because they don’t only pierce us, but sin also sears the one that attacked by it.

We become callused to the things in our life that pull us away from God.

Helmet of Salvation (v.17a)

A helmet protects your head, which is also where your mind would reside.

This particular passage is referencing 1 Thessalonians which speaks about the helmet of the “hope of salvation”. Which means that our salvation and our mind doesn’t bow to the value system of this world, but has hope for the one that is to come. So essentially it puts your mind to ease.

Sword of the Spirit (v.17b)

I am all about some armor for protection, but I am not comfortable running into battle if I don’t have a weapon. The sword was the personal weapon of choice during this time because it was lightweight, and inflicted a whole lot of damage in the hands of the right person.

Paul writes of the Sword of the spirit in terms of both offensive and defensive measures. But he is referring to scripture as the sword, especially like Jesus used it in when he was temped in the wilderness by Satan.

Response

So what is the point…?

Prayer is our biggest asset in our faith, but it can also be our biggest hurdle.

Don’t let the thought or fear of prayer scare you, but let it encourage you.

Matthew 7:7 HCSB

7 “Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.