PUTTING IT INTO ACTION

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints; and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:18-20) The Apostle Paul related what we need to live the Christian life to the armor that a Roman soldier used and wore. Now, following that section Paul tells us what we should do with that spiritual armor; how we put it into action. Primarily, it's done through prayer: "Praying always with all prayer." The idea is all kinds of prayer or prayer upon prayer. We should use every kind of prayer we can think of. Group prayer, individual prayer, silent prayer, shouting prayer, walking prayer, kneeling prayer, eloquent prayer, groaning prayer, constant prayer, fervent prayer - just pray. We can say that it is through prayer that spiritual strength and the armor of God go to work. In theory, the prayerless Christian can be strong and wearing all the armor - but actually goes into battle through prayer. Often we just don't pray because we are simply overconfident in our own abilities. Winston Churchill said to Britain in the early days of World War II: "I must drop one word of caution, for next to cowardice and treachery, overconfidence leading to neglect and slothfulness, is the worst of wartime crimes." It's especially true in the spiritual war we fight. Paul reminded us that we can pray "for all the saints." We can battle spiritually not only on our own behalf, but also on the behalf of others. The soldier isn't only concerned for his or her own safety. They feel an instinct to protect and battle on behalf of others. After bringing up the idea that spiritual warfare can be waged on behalf of others, Paul asks his readers to pray for him. "And for me, that utterance may be given to me…to boldly make known the mystery of the gospel." Paul could have asked prayer for many things, but he wanted them to pray for this. We could imagine Paul asking for many things, such as relief from his imprisonment or other comforts. But his heart and mind are fixed on his responsibility as an ambassador of the gospel. He probably has in mind his upcoming defense before Caesar. Specifically, Paul asked "that utterance may be given to me." The idea behind utterance is clear speaking. Added to boldly, Paul asks for prayer that he might proclaim the gospel both clearly and with a fearless power. It is easy to neglect one or the other. It all comes back to the idea of spiritual battle. When Paul preached in difficult circumstances, he knew the spiritual struggle firsthand, and knew the prayers of others would help in that struggle. If you want to do something with the armor of God, pray! By David Guzik