The Weapons of Prayer and Watching Ephesians 6:18

Paul the apostle gave the Ephesian church members a list of the pieces of the “armor of God” they were to take upon themselves to defend against “spiritual wickedness”. Among them were the “loins girt about with truth; the breastplate of righteousness; feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; the shield of faith; the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit”. In chapter six and verse eighteen of his letter, Paul shared the importance of “praying” and “watching” where we read:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

The verse begins, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,...” Paul began with the word, “Praying” which means “the offering of prayers, supplications and worship” “always” or “in each, every, any, all, the whole and everyone of time” “with all prayer” or “in each, every, any, all, the whole and everyone oration addressed to God” “and supplication” which means “needs, indigences, wants, privations, penuries, seekings, askings and entreatings to God” “in the Spirit” which refers to “the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son”. Paul shared another weapon in the armament of God – prayer, and this included “pleadings” and needs” which are shared according to the “Spirit” of Almighty God.

The verse continues, “...and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” Paul added, “and watching” or “to be sleepless, kept awake, circumspect, attentive and ready” “thereunto” which means “into, unto, to, towards, for and among” “with all perseverance” or “each, every, any, the whole and everyone persistency” “and supplication” or “need, indigence, want, privation, penury, seeking, asking and entreating” “for all saints” which refers to “about, concerning, on account of, because of, around and near each, every, any, the whole and everyone of the pure, morally blameless, ceremonially consecrated and holy ones”. The Ephesians were to be “circumspect, attentive and persistent” in their “prayers” for “all saints”.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we realize that “prayer” is one of our greatest weapons against our enemy. The “spiritual” nature of prayer allows us to bring our “worship, needs, desires and petitions” before God Almighty, and by Jesus Christ we have access to His “throne of grace”. As we learn the importance of bringing everything with “tireless, attentive and circumspect persistence” to God in “prayer”, we shall wield our most damaging weapon against the enemy of our souls.

Next time Paul asks the Ephesians to pray he will “may open” his “mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.