Topic: The importance of prayer when it comes to standing strong against Satan and his varied attempts to bring us down and humiliate us.
In Ephesians 6:18-20, prayer is not presented as just another weapon in the Christian's arsenal, nor is it only tied to welding the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Instead, the exhortations to pray are directly attached to standing firm in the Lord (6:14). Prayer is something that we must do if we are are to repel the evil one. It is a discipline that we must learn if we are to walk in truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and in the word of God (6:14-17). There is nothing that can make up for a lack of time in God's presence at his throne of grace.
As Paul brings his letter to the Ephesians to a close he is concerned about balance. He knows that a theological understanding of God's salvation that does not lead a Christian to pray is inadequate. He also knows that we will not be able to pray as we should if we do not grasp the basic elements of the gospel as set forth in Ephesians. These two things go together and should not be separated under any circumstances. We should not have to pick between Christians who are knowledgeable but lifeless, or those who are jumping for joy but ignorant. Our aim should be to apprehend the truth as completely as possible with a strength, joy and spiritual ambition that knows no bounds as we pursue God's glory.
First, Paul tells us to pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18). He is not talking about praying in tongues, since not all believers possess that gift (something that almost everyone can agree on regardless of their position of spiritual gifts). Rather, Paul means that we are to pray with the help of the Holy Spirit. In our intercession, we are to seek the Spirit's guidance and to pray as we are prompted by the Spirit. This is consistent with Paul's portrayal of Holy Spirit elsewhere in Ephesians as our heaven-sent helper in all areas of our Christian lives. In Ephesians 5:18 we are told to be filled with the Spirit. This is the same Spirit that all Christians receive when they hear and respond in faith to the word of truth (Ephesians 1:13b-14). And it is the Spirit who incorporates us into the church of Jesus Christ, which is described in Ephesians 2:22, as a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
While the Holy Spirit helps us in many ways, this is especially true when it comes to prayer. In Ephesians 2:18 Paul tells us that through him [Christ] we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. And in Romans 8:26-27 he tells us that the Spirit intercedes with us according to the will of God, even when we do not know what or how to pray for ourselves. Thus Paul's exhortation to "pray in the Spirit" in Ephesians 6:18 is not novel. He knows that prayer is something we cannot do in our own strength. It is a spiritual exercise that requires spiritual help and resources.
Before leaving this first point we should note the close relationship between "the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God" in verse 17 and "praying in the Spirit" in verse 18. One of the main ways the Spirit helps us and prompts us and guides us in prayer is through the word of God. When we read and meditate on the scriptures and allow them to penetrate our minds and hearts they will structure our prayers and give them substance. This is often the difference between struggling to find prayer helpful and meaningful, and really praying in the Spirit. We need to read the word of God and then turn that word into a conversation with God as it moves us to praise and worship, self-examination and confession, and to requests for help so that we might do the will of God from our hearts.
To be continued...
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