A Note from Michael Gossett
Battle Ready: Committed to Prayer
Paul has spent the better part of Ephesians reminding believers who they are in Christ: chosen before the foundation of the world, redeemed by the blood of the Son, sealed with the Spirit, raised and seated with Christ in the heavenly places. By the time he reaches chapter 6, the imagery shifts. Believers are not only a body and a family—they are soldiers in a war that rages unseen. He fastens truth like a belt, righteousness like a breastplate, peace like sandals, faith like a shield, salvation like a helmet, and the Word like a sword. But the climax comes in verse 18: “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.”
The armor is not meant to be polished and admired. It is meant to be used. And it is in prayer that the armor is tested, the battle engaged, and the enemy resisted. Paul does not list prayer as another piece of armor. It is the atmosphere of the fight, the field where the clash happens. To put it simply, prayer is not the garnish on the Christian life; it is the battlefield itself.
And Paul leaves no loopholes: pray at all times, in the Spirit, with all kinds of prayer, with all perseverance, for all the saints. He piles up the “alls” so that the church understands the total scope of prayer. Nothing in the Christian life is to be left outside the reach of prayer.
The Spirit’s Strength for Weary Saints
To pray “at all times in the Spirit” is not about technique or mood. It is about dependence. It means prayer that is shaped and animated by the Spirit of God. Romans 8 tells us that the Spirit Himself intercedes with groanings too deep for words when we do not know how to pray. Prayer in the Spirit is not about achieving a special feeling but about drawing near as children to the Father, carried by the Spirit of adoption.
And Paul insists this requires watchfulness: “stay alert with all perseverance.” The word he uses is the same Jesus spoke in Gethsemane. The disciples slept while the Son of God agonized in prayer. It was not their intentions that failed, but their weakness. “The spirit is willing,” Jesus said, “but the flesh is weak.” Watchful prayer is the opposite of spiritual drowsiness. It is refusing to let the world’s distractions or our own lethargy numb us while the enemy prowls.
Perseverance is the partner of watchfulness. Anyone who has prayed for more than a day knows how easily we grow weary. We wonder if God hears. We are tempted to give up. But Paul calls for prayer that clings, even in silence, even in delay, even in suffering. The Spirit Himself keeps the flame alive.
History is lined with examples. The Moravians sustained a prayer meeting for one hundred years, and from that stream, missionaries went across the world. The Reformation was born not only from pulpits but from prayer closets. Spurgeon famously said the engine room of his ministry was the prayer meeting. And Paul, writing from chains, says the same: strength comes not from ourselves but from the Spirit who helps us pray and from the saints who pray alongside us.
Praying for One Another and for the Gospel
Paul does not allow prayer to become self-focused. He directs believers to pray “for all the saints.” Christianity is never private. Soldiers stand shoulder to shoulder. Shields interlock. Your prayer may cover a brother you have never met, and another person’s prayer may hold you in the hour of temptation. When we pray for one another, we join in the same battle line.
And Paul dares to ask for himself. The apostle to the Gentiles, the man who had seen the risen Christ, who had endured shipwrecks and stonings, pleads with ordinary believers: “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… Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.” He does not ask for release from prison. He does not ask for comfort. He asks for clarity and courage to speak Christ.
That is instructive for us. If Paul needed the prayers of the church, so do we. Preachers need prayer for faithfulness. Missionaries need prayer for boldness. Ordinary believers need prayer for endurance. The Word runs swiftly not because of human strength but because of the prayers of the saints. Every Wednesday when we gather, we join in that same work—praying for our pastors, missionaries, children, students, and one another, that the gospel might be declared as it ought to be.
The Supplies of Grace for the Long Campaign
Paul closes his letter not with a sigh of relief but with a benediction of provisions: “Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who have an undying love for our Lord Jesus Christ.”
These are the supplies the church carries into battle. Peace—the reconciliation with God that cannot be undone. Love with faith—the covenant loyalty that binds us to Christ and to one another. Grace—the undeserved favor that has carried us from eternity past and will carry us into eternity future. And finally, incorruptible love—the enduring devotion that does not rot, because it is sustained by the Spirit Himself.
Prayer draws these supplies into daily experience. Peace steadies trembling hearts. Love and faith hold us together when division threatens. Grace strengthens weary souls. And incorruptible love reminds us that Christ is worthy, even when the night is long.
This is why our gathering for prayer matters so deeply. Every Wednesday night at 6:00, we come not to add another program to our calendar but to enter the battlefield together. We lift up the lost, we plead for our missionaries, we intercede for the hurting, we pray for boldness, we lock shields as one body. Some will come weary and be carried by the prayers of others. Some will come strong and lend their strength. But together we take up the call Paul gave the Ephesians: to pray at all times in the Spirit, with perseverance, for all the saints.
Ephesians begins with the eternal plan of God and ends with the church on its knees. That is not accidental. Prayer is how we stand firm in the evil day. It is how we resist the devil’s schemes, how we bear one another’s burdens, how we advance the gospel, and how we endure to the end.
The night is dark, the enemy is real, but Christ has triumphed. The Spirit helps us. The Father hears us. The church gathers. And we will stand—not because of our own strength, but because we fight on our knees.
So come. Join us on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM in the Worship Center. Let us put on the armor, step onto the field, and pray. For in prayer, the battle is fought, and in Christ, the victory is sure.
This Sunday at Green Acres
This Sunday at Green Acres, we’re opening God’s Word to one of the most remarkable moments in the life of Jesus—a moment when He Himself was amazed. Luke 7 tells us about a man whose faith was so great that it stopped Jesus in His tracks. Imagine that: faith that astonishes the Savior.
You don’t want to miss this. We’ll see together what “great faith” looks like, how it grows, and how it pleases Christ. If you’ve ever wondered whether your faith is enough, or if you’re longing for God to move in your life, this message is for you.
Come ready to worship, to be encouraged, and to be challenged. Bring your family, invite a friend, and join us as we gather around the Word of God. This is not a Sunday to skip—I truly believe the Lord has something life-changing for you in His Word.
Join us as we discover what “Great Faith” is all about at 9:30 or 11:00 at the Tyler Campus or Flint Campus, and 11:00 in Español.
We also offer Connect Groups, which are essential for your spiritual growth, meeting at 8:00 am, 9:30 am, and 11:00 am. Come and join us!
You are loved and prayed for!
Michael Gossett