The Armor Of God: Prayer

Alba 8-20-2023

THE ARMOR OF GOD: PRAYER

Ephesians 6:18

You probably have heard the poem about prayer written by Sam Walter Foss. But here it is again just in case you missed it.

"The proper way for a man to pray," Said Deacon Lemuel Keyes, "And the only proper attitude is down upon his knees." "No, I should say the way to pray," Said Rev. Doctor Wise, "Is standing straight with outstretched arms and rapt and upturned eyes."

"Oh, no; no, no," said Elder Slow, "Such posture is too proud:

A man should pray with eyes fast closed and head contritely bowed." "It seems to me his hands should be austerely clasped in front. With both thumbs pointing toward the ground," Said Rev. Doctor Blunt.

"Las' year I fell in Hodgkin's well Head first," said Cyrus Brown, "With both my heels a-stickin' up, my head a-pinting down; An' I made a prayer right then an' there - Best prayer I ever said. The prayingest prayer I ever prayed, a-standing on my head."

What is the best prayer you've ever prayed? Most likely it was a time when you had a real need that was beyond your power to meet. And so you cried out to God. You prayed!

George Barna at one time took a poll and found that 78% of people who confess to being Christians pray during two distinct times. The first: before meals.

The other time that 78% of Christians say they pray is during difficult circumstances. “God get me out of this.” “God help me.” “God make things better.”

There are many times that we need to pray. But it should not only be when we face some trouble or difficulty. And it should not be limited to meal time. Both are appropriate times to pray. It is just that prayer can be so much more.

In Ephesians 6:10-17, we are exhorted to stand firm against the evil one by putting on the armor of God. And there it describes six pieces of the armor that every believer has available in order to be able to stand firm.

We’ve looked at each of those pieces of the armor in quite some detail in order to understand how to use them effectively against the schemes of the devil. But then verse 18 says we should be, “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, although in many Bibles, verse 18 is separated from the previous section by starting a new paragraph, there is no doubt that this verse is connected with the section on the armor of God.

Scripture is not indicating here that in addition to the six pieces of armor (all of which matched the armor of the Roman soldier) we are to add prayer, as if it is the seventh piece of armor. Actually, the point being made is that prayer is woven all throughout the armor.

When we arm ourselves with the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness and sandal our feet with the gospel of peace. When we take up the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, we must at the same time also engage in prayer if we are going to be successful in battle.

We cannot begin to be strong in the Lord and His mighty power, or stand firm in our faith, or resist Satan’s schemes unless we are people of prayer.

This verse says we are to be “praying always”. You ask, “How can I do that? Do I have to keep my head bowed in prayer all day long?” That wouldn't work very well would it? But you can set aside a time of prayer.

And you can take your everyday, ordinary life: your sleeping, eating, working, and walking-around life, and place it before God as you go through the day. You can even pray on the fly as you meet some temptation in your day that you realize you need help to overcome. God is always listening!

Prayer can happen anytime, anywhere. Have you ever had a cell phone conversation cut off because you lost your signal? That will never happen with prayer, because God’s Spirit is everywhere and even lives inside of you!

Prayer is so essential that we need to employ every kind of prayer imaginable – group prayer, individual prayer, silent prayer, shouting prayer, walking prayer, kneeling prayer, angry prayer, thankful prayer, confessing prayer, exalting prayer, rehearsed prayer, spontaneous prayer, groaning prayer.

You can find examples of every one of those kinds of prayers and a whole lot more in the Bible. In fact, a good way to learn how to pray is to study the many prayers that are in the Bible. Learning to pray was a question that the apostles had for Jesus in Luke chapter 11. “Teach us to pray” they said. So He did.