Ephesians 6:18 - Pray in the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:18: Pray in the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:18 (TNIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions
with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert
and always keep on praying for all the Lords people.
COMMENTARY PEARL
"When all else fails" How would you finish this thought?
Maybe like this: When all else fails I can always pray. It's like
one of those emergency panels in a building with the sign that
reads, "Break glass in case of emergency." But you'd better make sure
it's a real emergency before you do it. Yes, prayer should be your
last resort. But it should also be your first resort - and all your
resorts in between. In today's Scripture, Paul writes, "Pray in the
Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests Be
alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people."
Turn again and again to the Lord, with prayers that are
specific, on the spot, detailed, and out of the box. Pray when you pass an
accident on the highway. Pray when you get into your car and out of it.
Pray when a face floats into your mind. Pray when the Spirit nudges,
and then pray some more. You can never pray too much.
Lord Jesus, I see people on their iPhones everywhere I go -
walking, driving, waiting - whatever. I want to be attached to You like
that - talking to You in an airport, in a mall, in a restaurant, and
on my bed at night when the pain won't retreat and the morning
won't come. The more I pray, the sweeter life becomes. [A Spectacle of
Glory by Joni Eareckson Tada and Larry Libby]
CONTEXT
Ephesians 6:10-20: The Armor of God.
INTRODUCTION
The danger on the battlefield is that we do not take the enemy
seriously and therefore fail to put on all of the armor. By faith, you put
on the armor through prayer, which must be done at the beginning of
every day. Never underestimate the strategy and strength of the devil.
[Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe]
If the effectiveness of our spiritual warfare depends not
just on wearing the six pieces of armor (Eph 6:l4-17), but also on
constant, believing prayer, then we must ask ourselves: What can we do to
make our prayer lives more effective?
The place given to prayer in both the Old and New Testaments
is remarkable. All the great saints of the Old Testament knew how
to pray - Abraham, David, Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, to mention just
a few. The same prowess in prayer can be seen also in the New
Testament saints.
But of course the greatest Person of prayer was none other
than our Lord Jesus Christ.
Although He possessed great knowledge and wisdom, He found it
essential to turn aside time and time again to pray. On certain occasions
He would spend whole nights in prayer or rise long before dawn in
order to pray and maintain His communion with God.
Is it surprising, therefore, that being so dependent on
prayer, He should have told His disciples: "Pray always and [do] not
become discouraged" (Lk 18:1). Praying is the only alternative to
fainting - we must pray or else we faint.
Paul's teaching with regard to prayer in Ephesians 6:18
revolves around four "alls. We are to pray at all times, with all
prayer, with all perseverance, and for all the saints. Most Christians,
however, pray at some times, with some prayer, and some degree of
perseverance, and for some of God's saints.
When we replace "some" by "all" in these expressions, we are
on our way to effective praying.
My Father and my God, I see that through prayer, You offer me
the most breathtaking power. Help me humbly to take it and use it
wisely. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. [Every Day With Jesus Bible with
Selwyn Hughes devotionals re Psa. 12:6]
WORD STUDY
In The Holy Spirit. According to the Spirit's promptings and
with the power of the Spirit (see Ro 8:26-27; Gal 4:6; Eph 6:18).
[NIV SB re Jude 1:21]
COMMENTARY
What does it mean to pray "in the Spirit"? Here again, there
is a good deal of misunderstanding among Christians as to the true
meaning of this phrase.
There are times when one feels deeply affected emotionally as
one prays, but this is not the meaning of the phrase "praying in the
Spirit." It has no relationship to the emotions that we feel in prayer. I
am not saying that feelings are unimportant in prayer; I am simply
saying that I do not believe this is what Paul had in mind when he used
the phrase "praying in the Spirit."
The "spirit" spoken of here is not the human spirit but the
Holy Spirit. Some believe that "praying in the Spirit" takes place
when we pray in other tongues, and although it can include that, I
believe it is much more than that.
Prayer that is "in the Spirit" is prayer that is prompted and
guided by the Spirit. One commentator puts it this way: "It means that
the Holy Spirit directs the prayer, creates the prayer within us,
and empowers us to offer it and to pray it."
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls praying in the Spirit "the
secret of true prayer" and goes on to say: "If we do not pray in the
Spirit, we do not really pray." I would hesitate to make such a sweeping
statement myself, but I would go so far as to say that if we do not know
what it means to pray in the Spirit, our prayers will have little
impact upon Satan and his forces.
Dear Father, I have so much to learn about prayer that unless
You take my hand and guide me, I can soon lose my way. Teach me how
to enter the deeper levels of prayer. In Jesus' name. Amen. [Every
Day With Jesus Bible with Selwyn Hughes devotional]
The more I consider "praying in the Spirit," the more
convinced I am that the majority of Christians do not know what it means
to pray in this particular way. Many are content to recite prayers
and know nothing of the thrill of entering a dimension of prayer in
which the Holy Spirit has full control.
Not that there is anything wrong with liturgical or written
prayers"they can be a wonderful primer for one's spiritual pump. Many people
tell me that the prayers I frame at the end of each devotion in Every
Day with Jesus have sometimes helped them more than the actual notes
I have written. Using written prayers can be helpful, but we must
heed the apostle's exhortation to move on into that dimension which
he calls "praying in the Spirit." The best description of this I
have ever heard is that given by some of the old Welsh preachers,
like Daniel Rowlands, Christmas Evans, and others. They describe it
as "praying with unusual liberty and freedom."
There is hardly anything more wonderful in the Christian life
than to experience this "liberty and freedom" in prayer. I can
remember the minister and elders of the church in which I was converted
in South Wales saying after a prayer meeting in which there had
been great liberty and power: "Tonight we have prayed in the Spirit."
Have you not experienced moments when, after struggling and
halting in prayer, you were suddenly taken out of yourself and words
just poured out of you? At that moment, you were "praying in the
Spirit."
O Father, forgive me that I try to do so much in my own
strength instead of learning how to let You do it in me. Teach me how to
let go and let You take over in everything"particularly my
praying. In Jesus' name. Amen. [Every Day With Jesus Bible with Selwyn
Hughes devotional]
I find myself compelled to discuss Paul's pregnant phrase:
"Pray in the Spirit.
There are times in my own life, as I am sure there are in
yours, when I struggle in prayer and find it difficult to concentrate,
only to discover that suddenly I am taken out of myself and given a
freedom that transforms my prayer time from that point on. When this
happens, I know I have been praying in the Spirit. This is the kind of
thing about which the apostle Paul is exhorting us in Ephesians 6:18.
Formal prayer is fine and has its place, but oh, how we need to
experience more times of praying in the Spirit.
But how do we attain these times? Is it the Spirit's
responsibility to bring us there, or do we have some responsibility in the
matter, too? I believe we can learn to pray in the Spirit.
Some first principles are these: (1) Come to God in an
attitude of dependence. This means recognizing that your greatest need in
prayer is not an ability to put words together or form fine phrases,
but the Holy Spirit's empowerment. (2) Yield yourself totally to the
Spirit, letting Him guide and direct your praying. Be continually aware
that He wants to have the bigger part in your prayer life. Start with
these two principles, learning to depend less and less on your own
experience or ability and more and more on the Spirit's enabling. Once you
experience what it means to pray in the Spirit, you will long to experience
it more and more.
O Father, my appetite is being whetted. Help me launch out
into the deep and give myself to You in the way that You are
willing to give Yourself to me. In Christs name I ask it. Amen.
[Every Day With Jesus Bible with Selwyn Hughes devotional re Luke 5:4]
Do you ever get sick and tired of praying? We're all guilty
of it, but in this verse we see how to get out of that prayer rut.
Continual, effectual prayer is not, and cannot be, an exercise of our
flesh; it is the exercise of the Spirit within us. In Romans 8:26, Paul
gives us additional insight into this essential matter when he points
out that "the Holy Spirit prays for us with groaning that cannot be
expressed in words." We typically find ourselves trying to project our
prayers and petitions through space to some far-off place where God
dwells and where we have a mansion awaiting our arrival. But Paul tells
us in Ephesians that God is joining us "together as part of this
dwelling where God lives by his Spirit" (2:22). Our eternal destiny is to
corporately and individually be the place where the Spirit dwells and
through which he intercedes. God is using every circumstance to help us
grasp this truth and to learn to let the "rivers of living water" flow
through us.
Oh GOD, teach me to know the presence of your Spirit within
me and to walk and live in continual awareness of it. May you
freely live your life in me, express your heart through me, and pray
through me. I know that I can't accomplish any of this through my own
efforts, but with you, nothing is impossible! [Praying Through The Bible
By Fuller]
Mark the grand characteristic of true prayer"In the Holy
Spirit. The seed of acceptable devotion must come from heavens
storehouse. Only the prayer which comes from God can go to God. We must
shoot the Lords arrows back to him. That desire which he writes
upon our heart will move his heart and bring down a blessing, but the
desires of the flesh have no power with him.
Praying in the Holy Spirit is praying in fervency. Cold
prayers ask the Lord not to hear them. Those who do not plead with
fervency, plead not at all.
It is praying perseveringly. As one prays he gathers force as
he proceeds, and grows more fervent when God delays to answer. The
longer the gate is closed, the more vehemently does he use the knocker,
and the longer the angel lingers the more resolved is he that he
will never let him go without the blessing. Beautiful in Gods
sight is tearful, agonizing, unconquerable supplication.
It means praying humbly, for the Holy Spirit never puffs us
up with pride. It is his office to convince of sin, and so to bow
us down in contrition and brokenness of spirit. We shall never sing
Gloria in excelsis except we pray to God De profundis: out of the
depths must we cry, or we shall never behold glory in the highest.
It is loving prayer. Prayer should be perfumed with love,
saturated with love"love to our fellow saints, and love to Christ.
Moreover, it must be a prayer full of faith. A man prevails
only as he believes. The Holy Spirit is the author of faith, and
strengthens it, so that we pray believing Gods promise.
O that this blessed combination of excellent graces,
priceless and sweet as the spices of the merchant, might be fragrant
within us because the Holy Spirit is in our hearts! Most blessed
Comforter, exert thy mighty power within us, helping our infirmities in
prayer. Morning and Evening by Charles H. Spurgeon
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
How can anyone pray on all occasions? One way is to make quick,
brief prayers your habitual response to every situation you meet
throughout the day. Another way is to order your life around God's desires
and teachings so that your very life becomes a prayer. You don't
have to isolate yourself from other people and from daily work in
order to pray constantly. You can make prayer your life and your life
a prayer while living in a world that needs God's powerful
influence. [Life Application SB]
Demonstrate your trust in Me by sitting quietly in My
Presence. Put aside all that is waiting to be done, and refuse to worry
about anything. This sacred time together strengthens you and prepares
you to face whatever the day will bring. By waiting with Me before
you begin the day's activities, you proclaim the reality of My
living Presence. This act of faith - waiting before working - is noted
in the spirit world, where your demonstration of trust weakens
principalities and powers of darkness.
The most effective way to resist evil is to draw near Me.
When you need to take action, I will guide you clearly through My
Spirit and My Word. The world is so complex and overstimulating that
you can easily lose your sense of direction. Doing countless
unnecessary activities will dissipate your energy. When you spend time with
Me, I restore your sense of direction. As you look to Me for
guidance, I enable you to do less but accomplish more. (Luke 12:22-26;
Ephesians 6:12 NKJV; Proverbs 16:3) [Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
Do everything in dependence on Me. The desire to act
independently - apart from Me springs from the root of pride. Self-sufficiency
is subtle, insinuating its way into your thoughts and actions
without your realizing it. But apart from Me, you can do nothing: that
is, nothing of eternal value. My deepest desire for you is that you
learn to depend on Me in every situation. I move heaven and earth to
accomplish this purpose, but you must collaborate with Me in this training.
Teaching you would be simple if I negated your free will or overwhelmed
you with My Power. However, I love you too much to withdraw the
godlike privilege I bestowed on you as My image-bearer. Use your freedom
wisely by relying on Me constantly. Thus you enjoy My Presence and My
Peace. (John 15:5; Ephesians 6:10; Genesis 1: 26-27) [Jesus Calling by
Sarah Young]
Direct your thoughts to Me more and more. When you are
working on a challenging project, you tend to seek My Face and My help
frequently. This pleases Me - and it enhances the work you are doing. There
is a delightful rhythm about this: You look to Me in a listening
mode; then you act with the help of My Spirit. This is repeated over
and over as you and I collaborate on the project. Being attentive to
Me takes sustained effort, but this collaborative way of doing
things does not drain you.
I encourage you to live more and more of your life in this
way. When the task before you is less challenging, you tend to be
less attentive to Me. You may even forget about Me for a while as
your mind slips toward neutral. You forget that you live in a world
at war - with an enemy that never rests. This is why the apostle
Paul admonishes Christians to be alert and always keep on praying.
The more you direct your thoughts to Me, the more alive you
will feel. This prayer-privilege is not a chore. It's a joyous
lifeline! (Psa. 105:3; John 10:27, 28; Mark 9:7, 8; Eph. 6:18) [Jesus
Today by Sarah Young]
ONE LINER
We must not only pray in Christ's name, but by the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit. {COL 147.3}
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2000/20000313-1523.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20161112-1519.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: http://www.bibleresearch.info/
ABible.com: http://www.aBible.com
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Restoring The Power by John Bradshaw:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRogO1SxoZN15Boa7BMon4BouVMdteVaq
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
Last Day Prophecy: His Other Sheep by Pastor Gerald Babanezhad:
https://vimeo.com/162267518
