Our Secret Resource

Scripture

In our sermon series on “The Whole Armor of God” in Ephesians 6:10-24 we have examined our spiritual warfare, our terrible enemy, our only strength, our shining armor, and our mighty weapon. Today, I want to examine our secret resource in this spiritual warfare.

So, let’s read about our secret resource in Ephesians 6:18-20, although for the sake of context, I shall read verses 10-20:

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:18-20)

Introduction

In 1984 I attended the Urbana Student Missions Conference in Urbana, IL where Dr. Eric Alexander was the Bible teacher. During his four plenary sessions, he preached on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Even though that conference was more than 34 years ago, I still remember one unforgettable statement. Dr. Alexander said, “Prayer is fundamental, not supplemental.” So often we add prayer as a last resort or as an afterthought. However, prayer is fundamental and not supplemental in our spiritual warfare against our terrible enemy.

On Tuesday, March 30, 1858, Rev. Dudley Tyng, age twenty-nine, addressed a gathering of 5,000 men in Philadelphia, exhorting them to serve the Lord with all their hearts. “I would rather that this right arm were amputated at the trunk,” he said, “than that I should come short of my duty to you in delivering God’s message.” At the conclusion of his message, 1,000 men committed themselves to Christ. A week later in a freak accident, Tyng’s arm was caught in the cogs of a corn thresher and he was fatally injured. His dying words were, “Let us all stand up for Jesus.” The following Sunday, Tyng’s friend and fellow clergyman, George Duffield, preached from Ephesians 6 on the whole armor of God, ending his sermon by reciting this poem he’d written. The third stanza reads as follows:

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in his strength alone;

The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.

Put on the gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer;

Where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.

After Paul described the six pieces of gospel armor, he then exhorted believers to pray. Prayer is our secret resource in our spiritual warfare against the schemes of the devil.

Lesson

Ephesians 6:18-20 teaches us that our secret resource is prayer.

In Ephesians 6:18-20, we learn four truths about prayer:

1. Prayer Must Be Continual (6:18a)

2. Prayer Must Be Varied (6:18b)

3. Prayer Must Be Persistent (6:18c)

4. Prayer Must Be Intercessory (6:18d-20)

I. Prayer Must Be Continual (6:18a)

First, prayer must be continual.

Paul wrote in verse 18a, “…praying at all times in the Spirit.” In answer to Question 178, “What is prayer?” the Westminster Larger Catechism answers as follows, “Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, in the name of Christ, by the help of his Spirit; with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.” This definition of prayer covers the essential basics of prayer.

To be praying at all times does not mean that believers stop all activities in order to pray every waking moment of every day. Paul did not do that, nor did the apostles, nor did the believers, and, nor did Jesus. John MacArthur writes, “To [be praying] at all times is to live in continual God consciousness, where everything we see and experience becomes a kind of prayer, lived in deep awareness of and surrender to our heavenly Father.” It means that we are very conscious of the presence of our heavenly Father in our daily lives. And we are having an ongoing conversation with him. So, for example, if we are tempted in some way, we ask our Father for his help to overcome the temptation. If we see something beautiful, we give thanks to our Father for his beautiful creation. If we see some evil, we ask our Father to make it right and even use us to that end. When we meet someone who is not a believer, we ask God to draw that person to himself and to use us as a witness in that person’s life. And when we encounter trouble or difficulty, we ask God to give us the strength to overcome it.