Ephesians 6

Ephesians 6:1

Continuing his call for harmony in the home, Paul addresses the children in the Ephesian congregation, knowing they would be in attendance when his Epistle arrived. In other words, Paul didn’t see church attendance as an activity only for Mom or Dad. He simply assumed the children would be in church… Teknon, the Greek word translated “children,” refers to anyone of any age living under his parent’s roof. One could be nineteen, twenty-three, or thirty-two years of age and still fall under the category of teknon. Thus, as long as you choose to live with your parents, this is the Word of the Lord for you. The Greek word translated obey is hupakouo, which speaks of a soldier about to engage into battle, listening carefully for the orders and instructions of his commanding officer. If he didn’t listen carefully, he could be in the wrong place at the wrong time, costing him his life. The scriptural command to obey one’s parents doesn’t call for a “yeah, yeah, yeah” kind of response. No, it calls for one to obey them as if his life depended on it. In the fourth quarter, twenty yards from the end zone, six points down, every person in the huddle listens intently to the quarterback, knowing they have to hear the play and get the count lest they cost their team the victory. That is the degree of intensity wrapped up in hupakouo. Although children are to listen to their parents as if their life depended on it, they need only embrace what their parents say if it’s “in the Lord.” That is, if a parent tells a child to do something contrary to the heart and will of God, he is under no obligation to obey. However, if a child forgoes obeying his parents on the grounds that what they ask of him is contrary to the will of God, he better have chapter and verse and theology down pat. Otherwise, the person under the roof of his parents is to submit to them enthusiastically. It’s just that simple.

Ephesians 6:2

Why is it right to obey Mom and Dad? Because there’s a promise connected with that premise: He that does so will live long on the earth (Exo_20:12). What does this mean? The rabbis say it means that the days of the one who obeys his parents will be richnot necessarily long in quantity, but long on quality. This could very well be true, for some of the finest saints in church history died at relatively young ages. Jim Eliot, for example, was perhaps the most impacting missionary of the last fifty yearseven though he died at age twenty-three. His days weren’t long, but they were rich, indeed. What if you feel you know more than your parents concerning a certain issue? I am reminded of another who could have felt this way… Having lost track of Him, Joseph and Mary returned to the temple to find Jesus. “Where have You been?” they asked Him. “Don’t you understand?” He answered. “I must be about My Father’s business” (Luk_2:49). At that point, obviously knowing more than His earthly parents, Jesus could have remained in the temple. Instead, Scripture records that He returned to Nazareth and was subject to His parents. The result? He increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with man (Luk_2:52). Jesus submitted to His parents even though He knew more than they did. And because He submitted to them, we read that He grew in favor with God and man. In other words, there was something about Him that attracted people to Him to such a degree that a few years later, fishermen would drop their nets, a tax collector would abandon his table, and multitudes would leave their homes to follow Him.

Ephesians 6:4

Paul doesn’t say anything to mothers as it relates to raising children. Why? Because it’s natural for a mother to care about her kids, to do whatever she can for her kids. Dads, however, are sometimes a different story… What does it mean to provoke your children to wrath? Col_3:21 gives the amplification when it says, “Fathers provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” To provoke your kids to wrath means to make them discouraged. How? By loading them down with expectations. Because men have a dangerous tendency to want to relive their glory days through their kids, they often say, “I played ball, so you’ll play ball,” or, “I was good at math, so you’ll be good at math,” or, “I’m gregarious and outgoing, so you’ll be gregarious and outgoing.” Don’t do it, Dad. Wise is the father who understands that his children are not to be molded, but to be unfolded. In other words, you have the privilege, Dad, of observing your child carefully, seeing how God made himand then unfolding what God has built into him from the moment of conception, all for His glory. The tendency for men is to say, “Earning a living is my job. Raising the kids is my wife’s job.” Scripture says otherwise. The Word of God says dads are to bring up their children. How? First of all, by being there… During “Show and Tell,” elementary kids were telling what their dads did for a living. “My daddy is the president of his company,” one said. “He travels all over the world.” “Well, my daddy is really rich,” said another. “We have nice cars and a pool and even an airplane.” “My daddy,” said a little boy, “is a professional baseball player.” Kids and teacher alike were impressed with the storiesuntil a little girl in the back of the room cautiously said, “My daddy is…here.” Are you there, Dad? Although we hear lots of talk about “quality time,” in many cases, I think it’s nothing more than an excuse for not spending enough time with our kids. We see the same word translated “nurture” here in Ephesians in Heb_12:6 when the writer says, “Whom the Father loves, He chastensor nurtures, or disciplines.” Even as you help your children walk in the path God has laid out for them uniquely, it is your responsibility, Dad, to deal with the sin within them innately. “In sin did my mother conceive me,” the psalmist declared (Psa_51:5). This means David was born a sinner. The depravity of man is a doctrine that today’s educators deny, but which God’s Word underscores from cover to cover. Kids are born sinners. Oh, they’re talented. After all, they’re made in the image of God. There is all kinds of potential packed into their little bodies. But there’s also sin, anger, rage, and hostility within them. One study of juvenile delinquency came to this conclusion: Every baby starts life as a little savage. He is completely selfish and totally self-centered. He wants what he wants when he wants it: his bottle, his mother’s attention, his playmate’s toys, his uncle’s watch. Deny him these things and he seethes with a rage and aggressiveness that would be murderous were he not so helpless. He’s dirty. He has no morals, no knowledge, no developed skills. This means that all children, not just certain children, are born delinquent. If permitted to continue on in their self-centered world of infancy, every child would grow to be a criminal, a thief, a rapist, a killer. He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.Pro_13:24 Empty threats produce unresolved guilt without healing or restoration. On the other hand, when I spanked my children, they were dealt with quickly, emotionally, and in a way they understood completely. They cried; I hugged them; they hugged meand the issue was put behind us totally. “Admonition of the Lord” means you talk to your son and daughter constantly about the things of God. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.Deu_6:7 Dad, you are to talk to your kids all the time about the Word of God. “But they won’t like me,” you say. You’re not parenting to be liked by your children. You’re parenting to train them how to live on earth successfully and in heaven eternally. “But they’ll think I’m preaching at them.” You don’t have to give your kids a ten-point outline of Leviticus 23. You simply need to use opportunities that arise naturally to help them to grow spiritually. “But my kids won’t let me. They don’t open up conversationally.” Then you have the privilege of doing what the most righteous man on the face of the earth did. Scripture says Job got up every morning and offered sacrifice on behalf of his kids. He bloodied his hands; he sweat; he expended energy in prayer for his children “lest today be the day they forget God or curse Him” (see Job_1:5). Even if he doesn’t have access to his children because of physical or emotional barriers, there’s not a dad who can’t say, “Even though it’s bloody, even though it makes me sweat, I’m going to pray for my kids with intensity and consistency.” If your children are still under your roof, even if they don’t talk to you, you can slip into their rooms at night while they sleep, kneel at the foot of their beds, lay your hand gently upon them and pray, “Father, please bless what goes on in my son’s heart or in my daughter’s mind even as they sleep. I pray Your Spirit to come upon them. I pray for wisdom to be understood and embraced by them. I pray that their lives would be pleasing to You. I pray that, even now, Your blood would cover them and that Your angels would stand by them so that the evil one would not be allowed to penetrate, seduce or destroy them.” No matter what else you may or may not do, Dadyou can and must pray.

Ephesians 6:5

When Paul penned these words, there were over six million slaves in the Roman Empire. Because they were viewed as less than human, they were treated brutally in most cases. Thus, Paul’s words are shocking when he says, “Servantsor slavesyou are not to rebel against your masters, run away from your masters or be angry with your masters. You’re to obey your masters.” David had a brutal boss. While he played his harp, King Saul tried to pin him to the wall with a spearnot once or twice, but three times. Realizing his services were not wanted, David headed to the caves at En-Gedi. Saul, in turn, gathered an army of three thousand to chase him down. When Saul inadvertently took a nap in the very cave in which David was hiding, David’s men were overjoyed. “God has delivered Saul into your hand!” they said. “Now you can chop off his head!” Instead, David did nothing more than cut off a piece of Saul’s garment. But even then, Scripture says David’s heart “smote him” (1Sa_24:5). David shows us that he saw Saul as God’s instrument in his life to produce patience, maturity, compassion, and a greater dependence upon God within him. Here’s the question: Have you clipped the garment of your boss? Of your teacher? Of your parents? They are God’s instruments, anointed ones in your life to develop depth, character, and maturity in you. Lop off their heads by launching a rebellion or losing your temper, finding fault with, or gossiping about themand you will forfeit what God wants to do for you and through you. You might not respect the person in authority over you, but you must respect his position because God has put him in your life. Lop off the skirts of the people in authority over you, and you will stunt, retard, and cripple that which God wants to do for you. But be like David and say, “Forgive me. I will never do that again"and God will honor you.

Ephesians 6:6

We are to enthusiastically do what’s asked of us. The word “enthusiasm” comes from the Greek phrase en theos, or “full of God.” Eugene Ormandy, a conductor of the Philadelphia Philharmonic, dislocated his right shoulder because he conducted with such enthusiasm. We know so little of this kind of service. We don’t separate our shoulders. We barely wrinkle our ties. That’s why we don’t ascend to the level God would have us enjoy in so many arenas. David was a man who went above and beyond the call of duty, bounding over walls expending great energy (Psa_18:29). The men around him developed that same mentality. Hiding out in the cave at Adullam one day, David said, “I would give anything for a drink of water from the well at Bethlehem.” Hours later, as the sun began to set, three of his menAdino, Eleazar, and Shammahapproached him. Their clothes were tattered, their flesh bruised and bleeding. “Where did you guys go?” David must have asked. And in my mind’s eye, I can see a tear running down his dusty cheek as they handed him a skin of water, drawn from the well of Bethlehem (2 Samuel 23). The most precious gift David ever received was from three of his “employees” who had risked their lives to please him. No wonder it was Adino, Eleazar, and Shammah who remained chiefs of his mighty men once he became king. Who becomes a mighty man on the job, in the church, for the kingdom? The one who hears the heart of his employer. The world says, “Skate by. Leave early. Cover up.” God, however, says, “I’m looking for men and women who, with good cheer, enthusiasm, and singleness of heart, respect those in positions over them.”

Ephesians 6:8

The enthusiastic work you do for your boss is not primarily for himit’s for the Lord. And what will be your reward? First, you’ll receive rewards in eternity (Mat_25:23). Even if your boss, coach, or supervisor never notices what you’re doing, God does. If you haven’t “despised the days of small things” but have been faithful in your present situationyou will be given responsibility, blessing, and reward eternally (Zec_4:10). A missionary was sailing home after spending forty years in Africa. On the ship with him was President Teddy Roosevelt, returning from a safari. As the ocean liner pulled into the docks of New York City, thousands of people were on the wharf cheering. Bands were playing. Reporters were waiting. And everyone was saying, “Wow! Teddy Roosevelt killed a rhinoceros and an elephant!” The missionary turned to his wife and said, “You know, I’m a little bit bitter. After two weeks of big game hunting, Teddy Roosevelt receives a hero’s welcome because he killed a rhino and an elephant. Yet we spent forty years in the jungle, laying down our lives to help people, and no one’s here to welcome us home.” That night, the Lord spoke to the missionary’s heart and simply said, “You’re not home yet.” Even if you arrive early, stay late, and work hard at your job as unto the Lordyou still might not climb very high on the corporate ladder because you’re not home yet. That day is yet to come. Second, if you work enthusiastically and wholeheartedly, you will receive benefits presently. If you’re thinking about serving the Lord in full-time ministry, it would be wise to remember that throughout Scripture, it was those who were already hard at work whom God called to serve Him. Moses was shepherding his father-in-law’s sheep when God called him (Exo_3:1). When the mantle was passed from Elijah to Elisha, Elisha was plowing a field (1Ki_19:19). Peter was fishing when Jesus called him (Mat_4:18). Even Paul was wholeheartedly persecuting Christians when God called him! (Act_9:1-2). If you’re thinking about the ministry eventually, work hard as unto the Lord in whatever He has set before you presently. Too many young men and women who want to enter the ministry or missionary service sit and wait for something to happen. Certainly that could not be said of Paul… While in Ephesus, Paul taught during the afternoon break from two o’clock to four-thirty every afternoon. The remainder of the time, he worked by the sweat of his brow, making tents. He didn’t have to do this. He could have said, “If you guys can’t support me, I’m gone.” But he didn’t. And what happened? His sweatbandsthe tangible evidence of Paul’s commitment to and love for the people of Ephesuswere used as agents of healing (Act_19:12). Whether you’re a banker or carpenter, an electrician or a businessman, when you’re working hard, giving your all, going above and beyond the call of duty, your boss will say, “What makes you work so well for me? I pay you minimum wage, yet you’re putting forth maximum effort.” The name of Jesus will be exalted by even the most hard-hearted employer if you demonstrate the love in your heart through the sweat of your brow. Not only is there power, but there is also protection in perspiration… It was after the Fall that Adam was told to work by the sweat of his browperhaps as a way to keep from further trouble (Gen_3:19). “You don’t understand how boring my job is,” you say. “How can I possibly wash dishes at Denny’s wholeheartedly?” One of the greatest men who ever lived washed pots and pans for a living and went on to write the classic, Practicing the Presence of God. As Brother Lawrence washed pots and pans day after day, he worshiped, prayed, and shared truth. Over time, people began to hear about the dish washer who loved God and who glowed with God’s gloryand they traveled to see him for themselves. It is possible that at your job or in your school there is one person who will be impacted by watching youone co-worker or colleague who will see in you something special, something different. Such was the case with Philip. Called away from a city-wide revival in Samaria, God told him to go to the desert. There, he found one mana leader in the Ethiopian governmentreading the scroll of Isaiah. “Do you understand what you’re reading?” asked Philip. “Let me explain it to you” (Act_8:30). The Ethiopian was saved and baptized. He returned to Africa and ushered in a revival, the effects of which can be seen to this day. So, too, there might be only one guy who works with you, only one person you will influence. But great will be your reward in heaven if you do it faithfully, enthusiastically, and with single-hearted energy.

Ephesians 6:9

Employers, just as your employees are to serve you, you are to serve them, for God is not a respecter of persons. He’s not impressed by titles or positions.

Ephesians 6:10

Paul begins this last section with a wonderful exhortation: Be strong in the Lord. This is a particularly good word for us today, for I believe we live in the generation of the “sissification” of the saintsdue at least in part, I believe, to the idea that we should be vulnerable, sensitive, transparent, and all of those other ’80s and ’90s buzz words. A lot of Christians are moaning and groaning about their situation because their lives are centered onhow they are doing, how they are feeling, how they are treated. Moses had died. The people were now ready to move into the Land of Promise where there was great fruit, into the land that flowed with milk and honey. At that time, however, there were giants in the land. Consequently, there were very real battles ahead of them. So three times in the first chapter of the book which bears his name, Joshua heard God say, “Be strong and of good courage. You’re up to bat, Joshua. You cannot afford to become introspective or self-centered because there are three million people looking to you” (see Jos_1:6-7, Jos_1:9). Not only did God exhort Joshua to be strongbut the people did as well. “We will follow you in the way you lead us,” they said, “only be strong” (see Jos_1:18). So, too, I encourage you to be strong in the Lord because we are being inundated with Christian radio programs and books telling us to be introspective and to seek counseling. I believe this kind of thinking flies directly in the face of Scripture, for the exhortation of the Word is to be strong. God will never ask me to do what He does not enable me to do if I choose to believe Him for it and obey Him in it. How are we to be strong? Read on.

Ephesians 6:11

The first step to being strong is to realize that life is not an encounter group. Life is not a bonding meeting. Life is not a playground. Life is a battleground. The reason so many in the church are weak is because they’re not armed for battle. If the men who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day did so dressed in their jammies, something would have been terribly wrong. Yet I believe we live in a day of “jammy Christianity.” “Let’s put on our jammies and talk about how we feel,” we say. “Let’s have a slumber party, and we’ll all bond.” No. Paul tells us to put on our armor, to take advantage of the equipment God has given us to navigate life and negotiate the war that surrounds us. Dear saint, you can stand against the wiles of the devilthe cunning, clever attacks of Satanonly to the degree that you’re protected with the whole armor of God.

Ephesians 6:12

Any time I am wrestling against flesh and blood, anytime I’m striving against people, I’m fighting the wrong battle. If you’re fighting with your boss or your employees, if you’re fighting your parents or your teenagers, you are fighting the wrong battle. In the way with Israel and Judah, the king of Syria called his captains together and said, “Do not fight against any man great or small, but only against the king” (see 1Ki_22:31). In other words, “Don’t get sidetracked with any of the little guys. Stay focused on your main target and victory will follow.” The same is true with us. We are not to get sidetracked fighting against mere flesh and blood. We’re to battle the spiritual entities that cause tension in our marriages, problems with our children, struggles with our parents. These entities are organized into principalities. For twenty-one days, Daniel fasted and prayed as he set his face to seek God. At the end of that time, an angel appeared to him, saying, “Your prayers have been heard. I’m here to help you and to give you understanding. I would have been here sooner, but I got hung up between here and heaven. The demonic entity overseeing the region of Persia intercepted me, and a battle followed that was so intense that Michael the archangel had to come to set me free (Dan_10:13). According to this vignette, we understand that there are principalitiesdemonic entities over given regions of the world. Certain civilizations and cultures both historically and presently seem to be more oppressive and darker than others because, evidently, the demonic forces overseeing them are particularly potent. Whereas “principalities” speak of territories or regions, “powers” speak of the demonic forces that keep people in bondage. For eighteen years, she was unable to lift herself up. But when Jesus called her to Him and said, “Woman, thou art loosed of this infirmity,” He laid His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up (see Luk_13:11). If we fail to see that there are powers that cause people to be doubled over or bowed down in bondage, we’re going to fight the wrong battle. We can take people through hundreds of hours of counselingbut if we don’t deal with the real issue of principalities and powers, they’ll never be truly set free. This speaks of the demonic forces that oversee the leaders in any given societyand provides the only explanation for the darkness that seems to increasingly permeate the world. Newer translations render this verse correctly as “against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places"which speaks of the arena of mysticism. People can seem so heavenly as they look into a candle and proclaim they are light. But the New Age rap is nothing other than the age-old lie from the Garden of Eden. “Eat this fruit, Eve,” Satan said. “Your eyes will be opened. (You’ll experience enlightenment). You’ll be like God. (You’ll assume divinity). You’ll never die.” (You’ll be reincarnated). Sound familiar? (see Gen_3:4-5)

Ephesians 6:13

While we need to be sober, we need not be scared because look what we’ve been given to combat Satan’s attacks. Regardless of where you live, what school you attend, or who occupies the White House, you can stand. You can be strong because you’ve been given the perfect defense. Rather than feeling sorry for himself, Paul must have looked carefully at the guard to whom he was chained, using his armor as a vivid analogy.

Ephesians 6:14

Loins speak of the personal area of one’s life. The private life of a spiritual man is surrounded by truth. He will do well who determines to put away lying. In the day he should have been in battle, David took off his armor, got involved with Bathsheba, killed her husband, and tried to cover it up. “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,” he wrote a year later, “whose sin is covered. For when I kept silent, my bones waxed old. Day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me. My moisture was turned to the drought of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin unto Thee. Mine iniquity I hid not” (see Psalms 32). In the Christian walk, the safest place to be is on the front lines of the battle. At age fifty, David thought he deserved some rest and relaxation. Big mistake. He left the front lines, got tangled up in sin, and lived a lie. The only way to stand is to have your loinsthe secret part of yousupported by and bound up in truth. Righteousness means doing what’s right. A lot of people have sad hearts, hard hearts, broken hearts because they have failed to put on the breastplate of righteousness. There’s such a wonderful freedom and liberty that comes from knowing you’re not intentionally doing things that aren’t right, and that your heart is protected by righteousness. Does this mean your heart will never feel convicted? No. But it does mean your heart will never feel condemned. Our own hearts can condemn us (1Jn_3:20). Satan can condemn us (Rev_12:10). We can, however, recognize the difference between conviction and condemnation because condemnation causes us to run away from God, while conviction draws us toward God. Condemnation says, “What’s the use?” and causes us to stop praying, to stop going to church, to stop reading the Word. Conviction, on the other hand, says “You can be forgiven,” and draws us back to the Word, back into fellowship, back to the Lord.

Ephesians 6:15

Having my feet shod with the gospel of peace means I don’t walk on people, but I get to share with people. The word “gospel” means “good news.” Therefore, as I walk through my day, it is my privilege say to those in my path, “Good news! The Lord loves you. He knows what you’re going through. He can set you free.”

Ephesians 6:16

“Above all” does not mean “most importantly.” It literally means “covering all.” “Where in the world did that terrible, ugly thought come from?” we sometimes ask ourselves. It didn’t come from the world. It’s a fiery dart launched from hell. You might be in church, in prayer, or doing something very noble, whenbooma fiery dart aflame with lust or gossip, cynicism or anger enters your mind. The only protection for this kind of assault is the shield of faith… When Roman soldiers went into battle, their enemies would not only shoot fiery arrows directly at them, but would launch them into the air above them. So what did the Romans do? The front row would hold their four-foot-by-two-foot shields in front of them side by side to form a protective wall. The remaining soldiers held their shields over their heads"above all"forming a roof of protection. What are you to do when you’re being barraged with the fiery darts of lust, cynicism, envy, anger, or gossip? Do what Paul told his young protigie Timothy to do: “Run from them, and follow after faith, righteousness, charity, and peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (see 2Ti_2:22). In other words, run from sin and take cover under the shield of faith with your brothers. Come into the congregation. Come to prayer meeting. Come to Bible study. Corporate worship, study, and prayer form a covering that is not found individually. Many a person has fled a particular lust only to encounter a worse one because he didn’t run to the congregation of them who follow after faith and righteousness, love, peace, and purity. When you’re hit with fiery darts, gang, get to church. Run as fast as you can to those who will provide a shield of covering for you.

Ephesians 6:17

Paul defines the helmet of salvation as the hope of the coming of the Lord (1Th_5:8). I’ll become greatly distressed as I see the world and culture collapsing around me unless the blessed hope of the coming of Jesus Christ is constantly on my mind. I am thoroughly convinced His coming is very close. So was C. H. Spurgeon. So was Martin Luther. So was Augustine. So was Paul. So was Peter. All were great men who lived their lives anticipating and looking for the coming of Jesus Christ. Put me in their company any day! The great saints of history all lived in the anticipation that Jesus would come shortly. I will live until the day I die looking for and believing in the hope, the blessed hope of Jesus appearing and calling me home. That’s the helmet of my salvation. Machaira, the Greek word translated “sword,” refers not to a big battle sword, but to a small dagger for use in hand-to-hand combat. Rhema, the Greek word translated “word,” refers not to the Bible, but to an exact spoken word. Therefore, the idea here is that you’ll have just the right word for the right person at the right time. As you study and meditate upon the full counsel of the written Word of Godthe rhema wordthe precise wordwill come to you the moment you need to do exacting “surgery” regarding any specific situation.

Ephesians 6:18

If you can’t engage in hand-to-hand combat, if you can’t give an exacting word because your kids have moved away or your neighbor is no longer speaking to you, you can still go to them in prayer. One of the neat things about prayer is that I can visit missionaries all over the world. I can pray blessing upon them in the Spirit. I can join with what they’re doing. I can stand by them by using the long-range artillery of prayer. So, too, even if you’re separated by physical or emotional distance, you can speak exacting words to the Lord through prayer on behalf of your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and fellow students. Praying in the Spirit A Topical Study of Eph_6:18 The fact that the disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray,” intrigues mefor there is no record of them ever saying, “Lord, teach us to preach,” or, “Teach us to cast out demons,” or, “Lord, teach us to work miracles,” or, “Teach us to heal people.” Why would they only ask Jesus to teach them to pray? I believe it’s because, after observing Him, following Him, and living with Him, they understood that the power behind His preaching, behind His ability to overcome demonic entities, behind the miracles He worked so beautifully, indeed behind everything that happened through Him lay singularly in His prayer life. They observed Him slip away to pray before the break of day. They knew that whether they were struggling on the Sea of Galilee or sleeping in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was praying with intensity and consistency. Therefore, I suggest His disciples figured out early on that the key to everything Jesus did could be traced to the way He prayed. That is why they came to Him that day, saying, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Most of us understand the principle of the primacy of prayerthat prayer is to be a priority in our lives, and that it is vital to our walk. Yet, for many of us, prayer is little more than an obligation and all too often a burden. We know we should pray. We agree that there’s power in prayer. But for many of us, prayer is a chore. That’s not the way prayer was meant to be. I suggest that the reason prayer has become no more than a duty is because we fail to comprehend three words in the text before us: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…” Following are three applications connected to these all-important words. A Theological Application How can we who are sinful approach a holy God? Only through the Son. You see, if, as an Old Testament believer, you wanted to approach Jehovah, you would bring a lamb to the tabernacle, where it would be thoroughly and carefully inspected. Only if the priest found the lamb to be spotless and without blemish could you go into the tabernacle and commune with God. So, too, we approach the Father not through a little lamb, but through the spotless Lamb of God. I come boldly before the Father, talk things over with the Father, receive help from the Father not because I am flawless, not because I am faultless, but because the Lamb is spotless, because Jesus is perfect. We come to the Father through the Son by the Spiritfor if the Spirit didn’t draw us, we’d never pray at all. “In me dwells no good thing,” Paul declares (see Rom_7:18). That includes even the inclination to pray in more than a self-serving, superficial way. To pray in the Spirit means I come to the Father through the Son as the Spirit draws me. A Pentecostal Application Secondly, to pray in the Spirit refers ultimately to the Day of Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the Upper Room, they began to pray in other tongues (Act_2:4). What does it mean to pray with other tongues? It means to pray with words, phrases, andas Romans 8 indicateswith groanings that we have never learned, and that we don’t understand intellectually. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.1Co_14:14 What is the benefit of “unfruitful” understanding? Simply this: We are commanded to pray without ceasing (1Th_5:17), yet I cannot pray continually with my understanding. When I’m talking on the phone, driving a car, or shooting hoops, my mind is engaged in what I’m doing. But I can always pray in the Spiriteven while I’m preaching this sermonbecause rather than using my mind to think about sentence structure and syntax, grammar and vocabulary, it’s my heart that’s praying. I’m not on a tongues-speaking kickbut I do understand the validity of praying in the Spirit. There are so many situations about which I simply don’t know how to pray intellectually. But I can pray in a prayer language and know I’m praying in perfect harmony with the Spirit. As I do, my own faith is strengthened (1Co_14:4; Jud_1:20). Who can pray in the Spirit? Anyone who desires to move in that dynamic, for Paul said, “I would that you all spake in tongues” (see 1Co_14:5). A Transcendental Application To pray in the Spirit carries with it a transcendental application. I’m not referring to the transcendental meditation of the ’60s, or to the transcendentalists who gathered at Walden Pond with Thoreau, Emerson, and the boys. The word “transcendent” simply means “above"a fitting description of praying in the Spirit, for when you engage in that kind of prayer, you transcend the limitations of the physical realm and move into the spiritual realm. Warring against the nation of Israel, the king of Syria had cleverly set an ambush on the road he knew the king of Israel would travel. Just as the king of Israel was about to unknowingly walk into it, a messenger approached him, saying, “Proceed no farther! A message has come from the prophet in Dothan. There’s an ambush ahead. Turn back.” Infuriated, the king of Syria set a second ambush. Again, as the king of Israel approached, a messenger came to him, saying, “Don’t go that way. There’s an ambush ahead.” The king of Israel changed directions once again, leaving the king of Syria no choice but to try a third ambushwhich also failed. “There’s a spy in our midst,” said the king of Syria. “Not so,” said one of his advisors. “There is a prophet in the city of Dothan who knows everything you say.” With that, the king of Syria deployed thousands of soldiers to surround the city of Dothan and capture Elisha. “We’re dead!” cried Elisha’s servant upon seeing the vast array of Syrian soldiers the next morning. But Elisha, knowing what it meant to pray in the Spirit, to be transcendent, simply said, “Lord, open his eyes.” And when Gehazi’s eyes were opened, he saw that surrounding the Syrians were tens of thousands of angels in fiery chariots (2Ki_6:17). That’s what it means to pray in the Spirit. You get above and beyond your present depressing, discouraging, physical limitationsand you begin to see what’s happening in the Spirit even as you pray. Jesus was in a seemingly impossible situation. His friend, Lazarus, had died. For four days, his body had been buried and was already beginning to decay. “Roll away the stone,” said Jesus. And then He lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me. Everyone else thinks the situation is impossible, but I thank Thee for what is about to happen” (see Joh_11:41-42). To pray in the Spirit means to transcend the stench and stink of death and despair. Let us quit our moaning, murmuring, and mourning and follow the example of Jesus, who said, “I see something about to happen, and I thank You, Father.” What would happen if we began to pray that way? Instead of going down a list during morning devotions, saying, “Bless Aunt Jane. Bless my dad. Bless my school teacher. Be with the president,” we’d say, “Lord, I now see Your hand of blessing upon my son, and I thank You. I see provision being made for my neighbor. Thank You, Lord. I see Your Spirit speaking to my stubborn husband, or my rebellious daughter, or my hard-hearted boss. Thank You, Father.” The one who prays in the Spirit quits making speeches to Godgoing down a list of items to get it out of the wayand starts fellowshiping with God. His prayers slow down. His understanding opens up. His heart rejoices. Perhaps the best example of what it means to pray in the Spirit is found in Luke 2. Bludgeoned into submission by Rome, Israel was in bad straits. Nonetheless, a man whom tradition says was one hundred thirteen years old, upon whom Scripture says was the Holy Ghost, waited for the Messiah promised in Scripture. Day after week after month after year after decade went by, and still Simeon waited, having received revelation that he wouldn’t die until his eyes had beheld Messiah. Then came the word for which he had waited so long: “Today’s the day.” No doubt Simeon shuffled as quickly as he could to the temple, expecting to hear the hoof beats of horses and the sound of soldiers marching as Messiah came with His army to set Israel free. But arriving at the temple, what did he see? Only a sixteen-year-old girl, her carpenter husband, and a baby. Did Simeon say, “Let me get this straight. I’ve been hanging around for one hundred thirteen years, waiting for Messiah, anticipating the emancipation of our nationand all I find is a baby? I’m out of here”? No. He said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (Luk_2:29-32) When you pray in the Spirit, believing God for a certain event or a specific situation, and the answer comes in an entirely different manner than you expected, you have a Simeon choice to make. You can either forget about praying in the Spirit and about believing Godor you can do what Simeon did. You can bless the Father. If you choose to pray in the Spirit, I guarantee that your prayer lives will never be the same. While others are mourning and moaning, you’ll be rejoicing. Where others are fearful, you’ll be faithful. As others are bewildered, you’ll be blessed. May we be those who see the beauty and potency of “always praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” In Jesus’ Name.

Ephesians 6:19

If I were Paul, I’m afraid I would have said, “As for me, pray that the doors of this prison might open so that I could get out of here. I’m tired of the dungeon. I’m tired of being chained to the soldier. I’m tired of my pain.” But Paul didn’t say that. He simply said, “Pray that I might be bold in sharing the gospel.”

Ephesians 6:20

“I’m right where I should be, here in the dungeon,” said Paul. “I’m thrilled to be here. After all, I’ve got a captive audience!” That’s what it means to be strong in the Lord.

Ephesians 6:21

“Don’t feel sorry for me,” said Paul. “My friend Tychicus will tell you I’m doing well.”

Ephesians 6:23

The way to be strong is to wear the armor. I know some who almost physically put on the armor of God every morning. “I’m going to be conscious of truth in my inner life today,” they say. “And I’m going to make sure my heart is right. I’m going to tell everyone I meet today something of the Good News of the gospel. And should I be barraged with fiery darts, I’ll run to the protection of the congregation. I’ll be consciously looking for the Lord’s return today. And I’ll carry my Bible with me in order that I might meditate upon it in order to have an exacting word for someone in need.” While all of that is wonderful for some, I have found that the majority of us are more like my son Benjamin… When Benjamin was in first grade, he was in such a hurry to get out the door and off to school in the morning, he thought he couldn’t be bothered with getting dressed. His solutionuntil we told him otherwisewas to go to bed wearing the clothes he would wear the next day. Maybe, like me, you find it overwhelming to go through the practice of putting on your armor a piece at a time. I suggest you do something a whole lot simpler: Just put on Jesus. He is the Truth (Joh_14:6). He is our Breastplate of Righteousness (Rom_13:14). He guides our feet in peace (Luk_1:79). He is our Shield of Faith (Heb_12:2). He is the Captain of our Salvation (Heb_2:10). He is the Word Made Flesh (Joh_1:14). It’s all wrapped up in Him.