Bible Study - Connected (6) - Connected in Prayer - Ephesians 6:18-22 - October 12, 2014

Bible Study – Connected (6) – Connected in Prayer – October 12, 2014

This is lesson six (6) and our final lesson in our series entitled “Connected: My Life in the Church.”

Our focus scripture is Ephesians 6:18-22.

Support your church with prayer. Prayer is vital to the life of the church and in the lives of Christians. Intercessory prayer is a gift. I am happy to say that our Sunday school class members are committed to prayer.

The Apostle Paul wrote about Spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:10-17, which leads into our focus scripture:

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. 12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. 13 This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, 15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. 16 In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word.

Christians are on the Spiritual battlefield 24/7. That is one of the reasons Christians must be filled by the Holy Spirit and stay connected to the living Spiritual body. All Christians need prayers: our brothers and sisters around the world need our prayers, as well as in America. If you are prompted by the Holy Spirit to pray for someone or some group of people – missionaries, Christians around the world, friends, or family - do it! The Holy Spirit knows the needs and the possibilities are endless.

The Apostle Paul related our journey with CHRIST to preparing to face the enemy. Suiting up with the right equipment is something each Christian must do, each day and is vital along with prayer. Christians can pray as they put on the proper equipment. We may not be able to go serve in a particular area or do a certain thing but we can all pray.

Prayer, which includes listening, are the communication links between Christians and the command center (CHRIST The Head), the living body, the supply line, reinforcements, support and the list goes on. Christians are not in the battle alone but under the command, power and direction of GOD and connected to the living Spiritual body.

Such times as these, Christians must be in prayer for their brothers and sisters around the world, as well as, at home and in the home. There are fellow Christians and those who are yet to receive CHRIST as their Savior in harm’s way physically – those fighting to eradicate Christianity and the many diseases which threaten all people - and Spiritually. Prayer is vital to protect from that which is seen and unseen. Christians must pray for each other, especially for those in leadership in our brick and mortar churches and the living church.

Let’s read Ephesians 6:18:

18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the • saints.

The Apostle Paul aptly followed Spiritual warfare with the need for prayer. Prayer is a powerful weapon against Satan and his demons. Christians are to be people dedicated to prayer and they are to stay ready to pray as prompted by the Holy Spirit by being filled by the Holy Spirit. It is vital for Christians to pray, if they encounter the spirit world. They must ask fellow Christians to join them in this battle by praying for them. Never walk into a situation where you think there is demon activity without having a number of faithful prayer warriors praying for you. If possible, always have a fellow Christian go with you and pray as you go into the suspected demon situation.

As we have been studying, Christians are in unity with the Trinity and fellow Christian’s. The Holy Spirit prompts Christians to pray when there is a need. Christians may not know or see the need but GOD does. That is why Paul stated to pray “in the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit knows the needs and can come to our aid when we pray as Paul wrote in Romans 8:26-27:

26 In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. 27 And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the • saints according to the will of God.   

Christians stay alert! Why? The Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:8-9:

8 Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.

That is why Christians must stay filled by the Holy Spirit to stay in touch with the needs of the living Spiritual body. Christians need to pray for one another because the days are evil as the Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:8. Christians are in the Spiritual battle field 24/7.

To pray at “all times” does not refer to seconds, minutes and hours but it refers to being alert and on stand-by to respond with active prayer as the opportunity is made known to you. “Every prayer” refers to prayer in general – public, private, silent, aloud, special occasion. “Every request” refers to specific prayer.” “In the Spirit” refers to a state of readiness to respond in prayer when prompted by the Holy Spirit because we are filled by the Holy Spirit. Perseverance means to stay the course, steadfast and constantly ready. Intercessory prayer is to make specific requests to GOD on behalf of others. The word “saints” means “Holy Ones.” Christians are made Holy the instant they accept CHRIST as their Savior by the shed blood of CHRIST. Paul admonishes Christians to pray for each other.

Let’s read Ephesians 6:19-20:

19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the • mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should.

Often, we do not think that those in ministry need prayer but they do and so do we. The Apostle Paul asked for and saw the need for prayer for himself. He was a prisoner bound to a Roman guard but even so, he considered himself an ambassador representing the King of Kings, The LORD JESUS. He asked for boldness to not let his circumstances result in him slacking off from responding to each opportunity the LORD opened for him to make known the mystery of the gospel.

A mystery is that which has been hidden and will remain hidden until it is revealed. Salvation is hidden to the person seeking salvation until he or she takes a step of faith. Then it is revealed to that person. There are times that GOD keeps some things hidden until HIS plan is put into place. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:6-14:

6 However, we do speak a wisdom among the mature, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a • mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: What eye did not see and ear did not hear, and what never entered the human mind— God prepared this for those who love Him. 10 Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the • world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. 13 We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. 14 But the unbeliever does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually. 15 The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone. 16 For who has known the Lord’s mind, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Christians are connected to the living body through their connectedness with CHRIST, the true vine. HE is the vine and we are the branches is another way of visualizing the living Spiritual body each functioning as directed by CHRIST through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

When Christians are functioning, as led by the Holy Spirit, ponder verse 9, they see that there is much yet to be revealed as they obediently serve GOD. Christians have not seen, heard or thought about what GOD has prepared for those who love HIM and obediently serve HIM. This journey begins at the instant of salvation and is fully realized the instant we see JESUS face to face.

Christians are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. When we receive CHRIST as our Savior, we have moved from the mystery of searching and seeking to the reality of knowing. We are the salt and the light. We are the children of the true light.

The hope we have found in CHRIST, by placing our faith in HIM, is the hope for all people lost in sin and eternal death. The hidden mystery of the salvation through faith in CHRIST is made known to us individually. Christians, do not hide this Good News from those you encounter as the LORD reveals the opportunity. We all need to speak with boldness and seize the moment. As Christians, we are all ambassadors for CHRIST and represent the one true GOD.   

Let’s read Ephesians 6:21-22: Paul’s Farewell

21 Tychicus, our dearly loved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me so that you may be informed. 22 I am sending him to you for this very reason, to let you know how we are and to encourage your hearts.

The Apostle Paul concluded his letter by commissioning Tychicus not only to deliver his letter to the Christians in Ephesus but to give them an update on his well being (Spiritual and physical health) and personal needs. They could expect Tychicus to speak truth to them regarding Paul’s circumstances, physical and Spiritual condition.

Paul was chained to a Roman guard but he was still an ambassador for CHRIST. They were not to look at his house arrest as a defeat for the spread of the Gospel but as an opportunity for being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit. They needed to pray for him that when opportunities were presented he would speak boldly.

Tychicus would inform them so they would, in turn, know how to pray for him.

Prayer is vital as Christians obediently serve. Prayer has no, limitations, boundaries, borders or barriers with the exception of Christians not praying or being willing to pray when they are prompted to pray. When you hear the local, national or world news, pray as prompted. When you hear a siren, pray for those already at the scene and those responding to an issue or have responded and en-route to the emergency room. Pray for those who will minister to the victims. When the Holy Spirit brings to your mind someone’s name, circumstances or any number of situations or things, pray. I know at times, I am led to pray for those in bondage or caged and for that which is hidden to be revealed. There are no limits to what GOD will prompt HIS children to pray for. We can all pray for revival starting with each of us and spreading throughout the world.

In our series, we have examined the importance of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians. Christians are connected to GOD, CHRIST and the Holy Spirit in unity and harmony. Christians, in turn, are connected with each other through the same faith in CHRIST and are in unity with each other. CHRIST is the vine and Christians are the branches. The Holy Spirit is the communication link between the vine and the branches. The Spiritual power and nutrients flow through the Vine to the branches. Are we, as Christians, a healthy branch? Blessings!!!