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Keep On Praying Ephesians 6:18-20

Keep On Praying Ephesians 6:18-20. Christmas is a wonderful time of year. Commercialism has turned the focus of many to their Christmas “wish/want list” Christians can often be guilty of the same attitude in our prayer life. Most of our prayer time is spent presenting our “want list” to God.

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Keep On Praying Ephesians 6:18-20

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  1. Keep On PrayingEphesians 6:18-20 • Christmas is a wonderful time of year. • Commercialism has turned the focus of many to their Christmas “wish/want list” • Christians can often be guilty of the same attitude in our prayer life. • Most of our prayer time is spent presenting our “want list” to God. • The Apostle Paul teaches us about the purpose and power of prayer.

  2. Context of this passage is still dealing with spiritual warfare. • The well armed soldier in God’s army is one who is continually praying and alert (v.18) • “Prayer is the energy that enables the Christian soldier to wear the armour and wield his sword” (Warren Wiersbe) • Our prayers are to be: • Spirit Led • Consistent • Varied • Persistent • Intercessory

  3. 1. Spirit Led Prayer • Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) - And pray in the Spirit… • Ephesians 3:16 (NIV) - I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. • Ephesians 5:18 - …be filled with the Spirit. • The Holy Spirit empowers us in our Christian walk • The Holy Spirit is also a vital part of our prayer life.

  4. “pray in the Spirit”  we let the Holy Spirit guide our prayers • Romans 8:26–27 (NIV) In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

  5. The Holy Spirit assists us in knowing what to pray for. • We let the Holy Spirit reveal to us what we need to be focussing on. • Praying in the Spirit takes us beyond our own immediate concerns to the things that concern the heart of God. • The Holy Spirit energizes our prayer life. • The Spirit “steps in” when we are weak or don’t know how to pray effectively.

  6. 2. Consistency in Prayer • Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) - And pray in the Spirit on all occasions… • “All life is to be prayed, not just lived.” • We can be in communication with God at all times. • Prayer should be our spiritual breathing. • Philippians 4:6–7 (NIV) - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

  7. 3. Variety in Prayer • Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) - And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. • One of the wonderful things about prayer is that it never needs to be stale and repetitious. • The Bible describes for us a number of kinds of prayers

  8. The ACTS of prayer: • Prayers of Adoration – praise God for who he is and what he has done for us • Prayers of Confession – humbly tell God how we have wronged him • Prayers of Thanksgiving • 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV) - Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. • Prayers of Supplication (Asking) • Prayer is worship to God

  9. 4. Persistence in Prayer • Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) - With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying… • Luke 11:9–10 (NIV) “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” • Persisting in prayer changes US! • we acknowledge our dependence on God • it teaches us something about ourselves

  10. 5. Intercession in Prayer • Ephesians 6:18–20 (NIV) - …be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. • We pray as part of a bigger group – the body of Christ - the family of God. • Jesus himself prayed for all believers: • John 17:20–23 (NIV84) “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. … May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

  11. There is a corporate aspect to prayer. • Praying for others helps us take the focus off ourselves • Praying for others helps us recognize that we also need the prayers of others • God wants us to pray for one another. • We are in a spiritual battle: • Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

  12. In the face of spiritual battleslet’s make prayer a priority: • Letting the Holy Spirit direct our prayer to be in accordance with God’s will. • Keeping our communication lines with God open at all times. • Remembering not to only ask – but to also praise God, thank him and confess to him in prayer. • Being persistent – keeping on praying • Remembering to pray for one another.

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