Prayer: Plugging Into God's Power for the Warfare

Prayer: Plugging Into God's Power for the Warfare

EPHESIANS 6: 18-20

Ephesians 6:18–20 NLT

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. 19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

INTRODUCTION:

A- Paul has impressed upon us three things so far...

1- Spiritual Warfare is real...not imagined!

2- There are real spiritual enemies all around us.

3- You and I are to seek to be constantly clothed in God’s armor, using spiritual weapons to fight our spiritual foes.

B- Today, we are looking at the power behind the weapons that God provides.

1- The power is the Holy Spirit.

(Acts 1:8)

Acts 1:8 NLT

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

2- As believers, the way that we plug into the power of the Holy Spirit is prayer.

TS: There are three questions about plugging into the power for warfare through prayer that are answered from our text:

I- HOW AM I TO PRAY?

(Ephesians 6:18)

Ephesians 6:18 NLT

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

A- Submitted

“ Pray in the Spirit...”

(ἐν πνεύματι)

1- Refers to praying under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in His power.

(Romans 8:26)

Romans 8:26 NLT

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

(Jude 20)

Jude 20 NLT

20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,

B- Specific

1- Paul uses two words in the greek that are translated “prayer” in our text:

“...prayer (προσευχῆς) and supplication (δεήσεως)...”

( προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως)

a.The first word (προσευχῆς) refers to general prayer. Talking to God.

(1) It is impossible to wield the spiritual weapons needed for the battle without tapping into God’s power or getting God’s instructions. That is done through active communication with God in prayer.

b. The second word (δεήσεως) deals with getting down to making serious, specific requests of God.

(1) God challenges us to lay our specific needs before Him in prayer.

Example: Paul praying for the Colossian believers (Colossians 1:9-13)

Colossians 1:9–13 NLT

9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. 11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

C- Alert

“...Stay alert ...”

(ἀγρυπνοῦντες= to be alert, to be on the lookout for, to be vigilant.)

(Colossians 4:2)

Colossians 4:2 NLT

2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

(1 Peter 4:7)

1 Peter 4:7 NLT

7 The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.

D- Tenacious

1- “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on all occasions...”

(ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ διὰ πάσης)

2- “...be persistent in your prayers...”

(πάσῃ προσκαρτερήσει)

(1 Thessalonians 5:17)

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT

17 Never stop praying.

The example of the woman and the unjust judge

(Luke 18:1)

Luke 18:1 NLT

1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

II- FOR WHOM AM I TO PRAY?

(Ephesians 6:18-19)

Ephesians 6:18–19 NLT

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. 19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.

A- Christians Everywhere

“...be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. “

(πάντων τῶν ἁγίων)

Paul set the example for us:

Colossians 1:3

Colossians 1:3 NLT

3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:11

2 Thessalonians 1:11 NLT

11 So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.

1- Brothers and sisters in the local fellowship of believers

2- Brothers and sisters around the world.

Those living under persecution

B- Christian Leaders

Paul requested prayer for himself, (ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ= “for me”)

“And pray for me, too...”

(Romans 15:30)

Romans 15:30 NLT

30 Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.

2. Pray for Christian leaders:

Your pastor

Undergirding Prayer

When Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman had finished his first sermon as the newly elected pastor of the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia an aged man leaning upon his cane approached the famous preacher, and said, “I am afraid you will make a failure here.” That wasn’t much of an encouragement for a young man entering a new pastorate, but Dr. Chapman waited patiently for the old man to finish his remarks. “You see,” he continued as he drew closer to Dr. Chapman, “we have always had a man of large experience, and this is a large church. But I have made up my mind to help you!” Dr. Chapman wondered just how this crippled old man could help him, keep him from failing as pastor of the church. “I have resolved to pray for you every day that you are pastor in this church, and I have covenanted with two other men to pray for you.” The three men grew to ten, the ten to fifty, the fifty to a hundred, and the hundred increased until there were as many as three hundred and fifty to five hundred men who would meet with Dr. Chapman at 9:45 Sunday morning to pray with him and for him as he preached. With such undergirding it is not surprising that in less than three years Dr. Chapman should have received eleven hundred persons into the church on confession of faith.

Other Christian leaders in the local fellowship

Christian leaders in leadership in the association, MBCB, SBC

Christian leaders who are on the front line of the warfare (missionaries, etc.)

III- FOR WHAT AM I TO PRAY?

(Ephesians 6:19-20)

Ephesians 6:19–20 NLT

19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

A- Clarity in communicating the Good News

(Ephesians 6:19)

“Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. “

(ἵνα μοι δοθῇ λόγος ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματός ἐν παρρησίᾳ γνωρίσαι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ εὐαγγελίου)

1- Clarity in proclaiming the Good News of Jesus.

2- Clarity in proclaiming that the Good News is for all people.

B- Boldness in communicating the Good News

(Ephesians 6:20)

Ephesians 6:20 NLT

20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

“...pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.”

(ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ παρρησιάσωμαι ὡς δεῖ με λαλῆσαι)

( παρρησιάσωμαι = to speak openly about something and with complete confidence—‘to speak boldly, to speak openly.’)

(See Acts 19:8)

Acts 19:8 NLT

8 Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God.

C- Consistency in the midst of difficulty

(Ephesians 6:20)

Ephesians 6:20 NLT

20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

“I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador.”

(ὑπὲρ οὗ πρεσβεύω ἐν ἁλύσει)

CONCLUSION: