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Introduction:
Illustration: Catcher’s Shin Guards: (knowing equipment; knowing how to buckle on equipment…etc)
In the sport of Baseball, the catcher has a unique form of armor that he wears as he plays his position behind the plate.
One of the parts of the gear are the shin guards.
There are two things to know about the catcher’s shin guards that he must know.
(1) He must know the equipment itself — that it is placed on the front of the shin.
(2) The catcher must know how to buckle the equipment so that the shin guards do not come off when he crouches down into his position.
The buckle typically needs to go in the eyelets in a certain direction so that they do not come out.
If the catcher gets this wrong, the shin guards will continue to unbuckle from his leg and present a risk to him.
In like manner, there are two things that the Christian must know about his armor in warfare.
(1) He must know the armor itself — the different components which we have discussed.
(2) He or she must know how to buckle on this armor.
How is he to fasten this armor on.
The answer to this fastening is through prayer.
Prayer is the means through which the Christian fastens on the armor of God for warfare.
In as much as you are not given to prayer, you are not prepared for the battle.
Prayer:
The matter of prayer bookends this letter of Ephesians and it is found in the middle of the book.
Notice the following passages.
Prayer was of apostolic importance: Ephesians 1:16, 3:14, 6:18.
What then is prayer?
Prayer is both corporate and personal communication with God.
It is not just prayer though that the apostle is emphasizing in Ephesians.
Paul is emphasizing prayer that is together.
Prayer Together:
It was corporate prayer — prayer together as the people of God.
This kind of prayer together can be traced back to the early gatherings of the people of God after Jesus ascended.
Notice the following passage of scripture.
Acts 1:12-14
Praying with others, then, is also right and often increases our faith and the effectiveness of our prayers.
So, it is not just prayer that Paul is speaking about, but it is prayer together.
Yet, this does not fully reflect what Paul intends here.
GBC has had what were called “Cottage Prayer Meetings” in the past.
Today, there are home small groups where the word of God and prayer take place.
Still, Paul is not just talking about a group of Christians praying together.
Prayer as a Church:
A group of Christians meeting for prayer is not the same as a church meeting to pray.
It was prayer as a church — a local assembly of believers where membership is clear, eldership is clear, ordinances are clear…etc.
Acts 2:42, 46 (note what is conspicuously missing here in 46).
See Acts 3:1.
Acts 4:23-24.
Thus, our passage is emphasis prayer; but it is not private prayer.
Our passage is emphasis prayer together, but it is not just emphasis prayer as a gathering of Christians.
Our passage is emphasis prayer as a church.
Yet, this still does not capture fully what Paul is intending.
Prayer as Corporate Intercession:
It was not just any kind of prayer together as a church.
It was intercessory prayer.
The word intercession has to do with going before someone on behalf of someone else.
Romans 8:34.
While this is what Jesus does on our behalf, it is also a description of a particular kind of prayer that the church is to do together.
There is an example of this in the early church’s records of prayer:
Example: Peter in prison and the church gathered praying.
Acts 12:5, 11-12.
What does intercessory prayer have to do with spiritual warfare?
Matthew Henry, "I love prayer.
It is that which buckles on all the Christian's armour."
[Beeke, 878]
You see, the way we buckle on the armor of God is not merely by individual prayer.
We do not buckle on his armor merely by praying with other Christians randomly.
We do not just buckle on the armor of God by prayer as a church; but we buckle on the armor of God as we gather together as a church and engage in intercessory prayer.
Text:
Fernandez: “Gathered, intercessory church prayer is how we buckle on the armor of God.”
Existential Question:
Is it possible that the reason you are having difficulty standing...
For the gospel...
With forgiveness...
In righteousness...
For sexual purity...
As a loving husband...
As a reverent wife...
As an honest employee...
As an obedient child...
...simply because we are not buckling on the armor of God through intercessory prayer with the church?
Part of spiritual warfare consists of intercessory prayer (Ephesians 6:10–18).
3. The church under stress is best served by corporate intercessory prayer.
So, the question today that we should all consider is:
Am I buckling on the armor of God through intercessory prayer with the church?
Our passage will lead us in this examination showing us:
Preview:
(1) How we are able to buckle on the armor by prayer
(2) How we do intercessory prayer
1.
How are we able to buckle on the armor through prayer?
(6:18)
Statement of Idea:
We are able to buckle on the armor through prayer with willful genuine dependence upon the the Holy Spirit.
Illustration:
[Baby versus Christian Adult Dependence].
Babies are such a treasure from the Lord, but as most of you know, they are completely dependent upon the parents to meet the needs of the baby.
The baby needs someone to feed them, to bathe them, to clothe them, to change them…etc I think that we get a faint idea of dependence from this example, but many of us struggle with dependence upon the Holy Spirit, but why?
We are not babies, and the one key difference between we adults and babies is that our ability to care for ourselves as we have matured, has led us to an illusion — that we are self-dependent.
This key difference really boils down to a matter of self-awareness.
The baby depends out of helplessness, but not necessarily because the baby is so aware that they are intentionally being dependent.
We, on the other hand, need to consider ourselves regularly as people who are dependent upon the Holy Spirit.
We are self-aware in a way that we must intentionally take time to consider our need and the only source of help for that need.
What then will help me to become self aware of being dependent upon the Holy Spirit?
What does it mean to pray in the Spirit.
Explanation:
(1.a.) Praying in the Spirit means remembering the cost of this glorious access to the Father.
(Ephesians 2:18)
Matthew Henry states: "...we are invited to enjoy access to God given us by the gospel of Jesus Christ."
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