Ephesians 6:10-24

Be Still: Holy Spirit, lead me into prayer today as I open myself to you. Amen

Read:  Ephesians 6:10-24

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.. (v18)

Encounter: We finish off this powerful chapter with an instruction to pray. This is in light of all that Paul has talked about in the previous few chapters. For us to maintain unity, to walk in the light with wisdom, and to fight our spiritual battles, we need to pray, pray and pray again.

The passage takes us through the armour of God: 

Our salvation (helmet) protects our will, mind and spirit; the truth of God (belt) holds everything together; his righteousness (breastplate) covers us; his peace (protective footwear) leads us and guides us wherever we go; our faith (shield) helps us withstand enemy lies; and (like Jesus in the desert), scripture (sword) is our weapon against the devil.

Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross is what makes us right with God. Dressed in God's spiritual armour, we are, in verse 18, instructed to pray - which is one of the greatest spiritual weapons. Not only does prayer change things in the spiritual realm, it also changes us. Romans 8: 26 says ‘We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.’ When we invite the Holy Spirit into our prayers, he begins to lead and guide, so we pray in alignment with God’s will. It is crucial in the spiritual battle, that we are people rooted and guided in prayer.

Apply: What does your prayer life look like at the moment? We can ask the Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness. Try to set aside intentional time for Spirit-guided prayer today. 

Devote: Holy Spirit, I invite you into my prayer time and my prayer life. Please help me to pray in alignment with God’s will. Help me to put on the armour of God every day because I want to walk in the light of God.