Ephesians 6:18-20 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit… I. Let us, first, consider WHAT IS MEANT BY THIS EXPRESSION, "PRAYING ALWAYS." How can the Christian be always in prayer? 1. Well, first, the expression means, that there should be a holy regularity in our habits of prayer. 2. Again, by "praying always" is meant, that you should pray in every condition and circumstance of life; that is, in sickness you should pray for patience, and in health you should pray for a thankful heart; in prosperity you should pray that you should not forget God, and in adversity you should pray that God may not forget you. It is not enough to seek God in times of our tribulation only, we must seek Him in times of our wealth. 3. Further: by "praying always," no doubt, is meant, that we should make everything a matter of prayer. 4. Once more. By "praying always," the apostle means, that prayer should be the pervading habit of the Christian's life - that it should be as a leaven fermenting the whole substance of our moral being; a sentinel continually keeping watch over our unguarded moments; a sanctified enclosure fencing us round by the protection and presence of God. Prayer, like Him to whom it is addressed, knows nothing of our finite magnitude and relations. They are all lost sight of in their relation to the Infinite and the Eternal - to their bearing on our preparation for a state of everlasting existence. II. But let us consider, secondly, THE COMPREHENSIVE FORM OF THE PRECEPT WHICH IS HERE GIVEN - "With all prayer and supplication." The two words here chosen by the apostle are, without doubt, sometimes used interchangeably in Scripture. But there is an etymological difference between them, suggesting that we consider prayer as having reference to petitions for some good to be desired, whilst supplication be referred to petitions for evils to be avoided. Acting upon this definition, we are first taught to "pray with all prayer" - that is, with prayer for all good things. And this rule should be extended even to those blessings which at first sight we might think it lawful to ask of God without limitation and without reserve - I mean those which relate to our spiritual happiness. "With all prayer and supplication" - that is, as we have supposed, with all deprecation of evil - with prayer, that things really hurtful to us may be kept away. But here, as in the other case, God alone must be the judge of what the evil is. III. But note, in the last place, THE INTERNAL ASSISTANCE WE ARE TAUGHT TO LOOK FOR IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS DUTY - "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit." The expression is obviously the same as that which we have in the Epistle of Jude - "Praying in the Holy Ghost"; and it refers to the promised assistance of that Divine Agent when "we know not what to pray for as we ought." Praying in the Spirit, therefore, is to pray in that spirit of grace and supplication which the Holy Ghost alone can bestow - to pray in that "spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father!" And further, by praying in the Spirit is meant, that we should pray in a right mind - that we should pray fervently - that we should pray with a consciousness that there is an assisting Power to help us. For the Spirit of God not only originates holy desires, but it actuates, it maintains, it cherishes, it keeps alive all praying influences in the heart. Such, brethren, is the great duty with which the apostle shuts up his description of our spiritual warfare. He does not, indeed, make prayer a part of the spiritual equipment, because it is the life, and strength, and safeguard of the whole. You must gird on your sword, and pray; you must bind on your sandals, and pray; you must buckle on your breastplate, and pray. In all things there must be a simultaneous outgoing of that which is to give effect to all the weapons you employ in your spiritual encounter. No prayer, no victory. (D. Moore, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; |
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