Be Praying
Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro Testimony Opportunity:
What is one way in which prayer made a specific impact in your life?
What is one way in which prayer made a specific impact in your life?
“We do not know the true potency of prayer until our hearts are so steadfastly inclined to God that our thoughts turn to him, as by a divine instinct, whenever they are set free from the consideration of earthly things.”
“We do not know the true potency of prayer until our hearts are so steadfastly inclined to God that our thoughts turn to him, as by a divine instinct, whenever they are set free from the consideration of earthly things.”
-David MacIntyre, The Hidden Life of Prayer, p.5.
“I am not afraid to look the king of terrors
“I am not afraid to look the king of terrors
in the face,
for I know I shall be drawn, not driven,
out of the world.
Until then let me continually glow and burn out
for thee,
and when the last great change shall come
let me awake in thy likeness,
leaving behind me an example that will
glorify thee
while my spirit rejoices in heaven”
-Valley of Vision, Retrospect and Prospect
Introduction: When it comes to the struggle of holy living in the midst of a sin-sick world there is one aspect of the fight that is vital. It is so important that we left it out of our message last week so that we could spend the bulk of tonight on the topic of prayer. Prayer is essential for the wholeness of the person in the fight. The Kendrick Brothers were on to this priority with their 2015 Christian movie on the topic of prayer entitled “War Room.”
We must be praying.
We must be praying.
Calvin:
To call upon God is the chief exercise of faith and hope; and it is in this way that we obtain from God every blessing.
Stott:
The Message of Ephesians 3. The Armour of God (Verses 13–20)
Finally, Paul adds prayer (verses 18–20), not (probably) because he thinks of prayer as another though unnamed weapon, but because it is to pervade all our spiritual warfare. Equipping ourselves with God’s armour is not a mechanical operation; it is itself an expression of our dependence on God, in other words of prayer.
Stott sees four universals in prayer indicated by the word “all”:
1. We are to pray at all times
2. With all prayer and supplication
3. With all perseverance
4. Making supplication for all the saints
John R. W. Stott, God’s New Society: The Message of Ephesians, The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979), 283.
What do you think Paul means when he writes: “Pray at all times?”
What do you think Paul means when he writes: “Pray at all times?”
Calvin says good and bad times. Sproul says unceasing prayer - he draws the example of a soldier on the front-line in communication with his commander. I think one of the helpful ways to consider this is to live in such an attitude of prayer and to develop such an attitude of prayer that we remain in that posture and the issues and swells of life do not distract us from this imperative necessity.
Sproul says unceasing prayer - he draws the example of a soldier on the front-line in communication with his commander.
We must be praying at all times.
We must be praying at all times.
Do you live in an attitude of prayer? When are the times you are tempted not to pray? When do you need to make time to pray?
Why does Paul encourage us to pray “in the Spirit?”
Why does Paul encourage us to pray “in the Spirit?”
Prayer that is not in the Spirit is found in the warning of Instead, we must pray as Jesus taught us to pray and to cry out to God from the depths of our souls. The heart in prayer must be Spirit-filled.
Notice the connection of the word in the Spirit and praying in the Spirit in this text.
We see the importance of the Spirit in both of the disciplines here: He is the one who has given the Word - God to us; and He is the one who empowers prayer - us to God. So, without the Spirit we are dead, lifeless, and mute before God.
We must be praying in the Spirit.
Are you praying in the Spirit? Are you tempted to pray in your own strength? For glory? As a perfunctory repetition?
The Message of Ephesians 3. The Armour of God (Verses 13–20)
Thus Scripture and prayer belong together as the two chief weapons which the Spirit puts into our hands.
Why does Paul say Prayer and Supplication?
Why does Paul say Prayer and Supplication?
Supplication is a part of the whole. Perhaps as a subtle reminder that prayer is much more than supplication. (Adoration, Vow, Imprecation, Etc…)
Perhaps as a subtle reminder that prayer is much more than supplication. (Adoration, Vow, Imprecation, Etc…)
How does watchfulness (alertness) associate with prayer?
How does watchfulness (alertness) associate with prayer?
Be alert (watchful) - PAI
Persevere - weariness must be counteracted by cheerful performance of the duty. Earnestness -Calvin. Always keep on praying - NIV. The noun to accompany the verb. As if a commander is saying “stay alert!” you say: “how? He says: “by perseverance.”
Illustration: Target Guy - truly positive in the midst of a stressful situation.
Why does Paul say “prayer and supplication” and then “supplication” again in vs. 18? Is this more than repetition?
Why does Paul say “prayer and supplication” and then “supplication” again in vs. 18? Is this more than repetition?
Supplication for the saints: While it is not wrong to pray for ourselves, the needs of those around us should motivate us in supplication.
We must be praying for others - especially our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Do you pray for others? Who do you need to be lifting up in prayer? Can I encourage you to pray for them before you go to bed tonight?
If, at any time, we are colder or more indifferent about prayer than we ought to be, because we do not feel the pressure of immediate necessity,—let us instantly reflect how many of our brethren are worn out by varied and heavy afflictions,—are weighed down by sore perplexity, or are reduced to the lowest distress. If reflections like these do not rouse us from our lethargy, we must have hearts of stone.
Why do you think Scripture places a level of priority on the believer over the lost person?
Why do you think Scripture places a level of priority on the believer over the lost person?
c.f.
Why do you think Paul asks for Boldness?
Why do you think Paul asks for Boldness?
Paul’s Personal Request - of all the things he asks prayer for, this is the one.
Boldness - “that is, that I may answer with confidence, with courage, with great prudence.” - John Chrysostom
Pastor did a remarkable job this morning reminding us of the dangers of fear in the life of the believer. Fear necessitates boldness. What else necessitates boldness? Weakness, Inability, Fear, Tensions, Recipient, Repercussions, etc...
To open the mouth, therefore, is to speak with perfect freedom, without the smallest dread.
We can come at this from two ways with Paul. We could talk about his thorn and the fact that many think Paul was inhibited physically of with slurred speech or something. We know that Paul referenced his lack of eloquence with the Corinthians in their dispute about who to side with. Additionally, Paul is an “ambassador in chains.” Ambassadors should be treated with respect and dignity, yet Paul is being humiliated. Boldness is needed. Chains and Boldness don’t go hand in hand.
However, we also know that Paul has shared the gospel countless times an in hundreds of contexts; he is no stranger to the work of evangelism. I think in this passage Paul is highlighting our own inability (despite our experience) and picturing for us the necessity of dependence upon God in every instance when proclaiming his truth to others.
We must be praying for Boldness
Are you dependent on the Lord during those difficult conversations?
We must be praying for Boldness .
We
Where is the Lord calling you to be bold this week? Are you operating from fear or weakness? Are you handicapping yourself by forgetting the boldness of the Lord?
We must be praying for the Gospel .
Proclaim the Gospel
Proclaim the Gospel
Let us not forget the main thing.
Speaking
Conclusion: From the beginning to the end Paul reminds us that it is God who saves by his power. He reminds us that we are called to walk as he wants us to walk and we are equipped by his hand throughout.
Conclusion: From the beginning to the end Paul reminds us that it is God who saves by his power. He reminds us that we are called to walk as he wants us to walk and we are equipped by his hand throughout.
May we be people who exalt our God, depend on him, respond to his work in salvation and growth, fight to defend holiness in our families, circles of influence, and the world in which we live, and may we never forget that it is God who is above all, in all and works through you all.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .