The Command

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil…Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore…” Ephesians 6:13

The Command of the prayer warrior is, “Stand firm!” Well-equipped, impeccably uniformed, and fully informed saints will always panic in the face of a relentless enemy. The Warrior stands firm, and offers resistance. The deserter panics in fear.

Note to self: Wisely expect an attack from your enemy. Don’t seek applause from your friends. Pray for courage to resist the enemy attack. Chasing after the approval of your friends, or running from the enemy will leave you breathless and prayerless. Obey orders. Stand firm! Take a deep breath. Pray.

The Stand: Prayer Warriors find peace and grace when they stand firm. They stand by kneeling and praying.  The enemy fears, The Champion, Lord Jesus, The Risen Christ

Paul’s final words to the Ephesians contain their only hope for peace in the face of spiritual warfare. Peace comes to the heart of a warrior when they receive “love with faith.” There is no substitute for the unmerited, undeserved favor of God that He provides through His Spirit to those who love His Son, “with incorruptible love.” Prayer is the purest form of this love.

“Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.” Ephesians 6:23-24

The Strategy:  When Prayer Warriors identify the enemy through the fog of war, they cut off the head of the snake’s body. They never try to pull the teeth, milk the venom, or drink the poison of the snake to build up an aversion or an immunity to sin. They resist the schemes of the devil, by attacking the source of evil, not by dissecting the symptoms or discerning the signs of evil.

“Stand firm against the schemes of the devil…” v. 13

The Warrior:  Prayer warriors are Spirit-filled believers, fully informed about the enemy, properly uniformed with God’s armor, and standing firm in battle formation with The Champion.

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:18

The Armor:  Fully equipped warriors with all of the weapons of warfare are not ready for battle until they are full of The Spirit.

“Put on the full armor of God…therefore, take up the full armor of God.” Ephesians 6:11, 13

The Sword: The essential weapons of warfare are all defensive in nature, except one. The double-edged sword, able to remove the cancer of sin from the body of the warrior, and cut off the head of the enemy.  When Satan attacked Jesus, he distorted Scripture. When Jesus resisted the devil, He quoted Scripture. Prayer warriors are adept and attack with The Sword.

“…The Sword of The Spirit, which is The Word of God.” Ephesians 6:17

The Duty: PRAY! It is not for just for Special Forces. Charge!

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” Ephesians 5:18

The Courage: Without boldness, well-informed, well-armed, and impeccably uniformed saints are empty suits that strike no fear in the enemy, and have no peace in their hearts.

Paul humbly asked people to pray for him. He was not focused on finer clothes, a bigger home, a larger salary, better health, but greater boldness to share the greatest secret, “the mystery of the gospel.”

“Pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 5: 21

Prayerless people are prideful people. They are never fearless warriors. Running around in panic at the sight of the enemy or in the face of an attack encourages the enemy to keep up the fight. Prayer calls for The Champion to take the field.  Out of breath and tired of running? Take a knee. Stand firm! TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Finale

“10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” Ephesians 6:10-13

Famous last words are remembered because they reveal the heart of a person. When final words fall from the lips they can provide a glimpse into the last thought that came to the mind of someone who knew they were taking their last breath. They can be inspiring or depressing depending on the content of the character of the person making the statement.

“I regret I have but one life to give for my country.”                Nathan Hale, American Rev. War patriot & hero

Some people live a long time, and die short of the goal. Others die young, but live well. Final words often reveal the content of a person’s character.

The Finale can be a crescendo of orchestration that brings a powerful conclusion to a stirring piece of music.  In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, his preceding remarks had prepared the hearts of the early believers to receive the powerful words unleashed at the end of this masterpiece of exhortation.

In the 21st Century, Paul’s words are often lost in the honorable pursuit to describe the armor utilized by the Roman Legions of the 1st Century. When the focus of believers is placed on researching the armor, rather than obeying the marching orders, they lose the battle, EVERY TIME.

“He is just an empty suit.” This withering description is one of the worst things a man can have said about his leadership and gravitas. No matter how expensive the suit, if a man has no influence, he is undressed. That is the naked truth.

The Finale reveals the secret weapon of the prayer warrior. The source of the warrior’s strength comes from a close relationship to and dependence upon The Champion. The strength is never found in the armor, or in the knowledge of the enemy. It comes from the Lord.

Note to self: Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight. Prayer is the power behind a well-informed and completely uniformed warrior. Without it you are an empty suit.

“Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.” v. 10

Paul makes it very clear that the fight of the well-armed prayer warrior is not against flesh and blood. People can be irritating and intimidating, but it is one of the grand schemes of the devil to disguise them as the real enemy. They are not. They are hand puppets from hell. Before you punch a critic in the mouth, cut off the arm of the enemy. Pray!

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

The warfare of prayer takes place in a spiritual arena, and wise prayer warriors know they are up against powerful forces of evil. The strength of the prayer warrior is not found in an intimate knowledge of the enemy, but in an intimate relationship with The Champion, Jesus Christ, The Risen Lord.

Prayer warriors who focus their attention on the intimidating array of forces aligned against them are not strengthened but terrified. The enemy is not the least bit intimidated by a well-informed or completely uniformed prayer warrior. They are only empty suits.

The enemy has no fear in being known or seen by the prayer warrior. They fear The Champion. When prayer warriors align themselves with Him, and obey orders assigned by Him, the enemy panics. Don’t’ take my word for it.

 “The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from praying. He fears nothing from fearless studies, prayerless work, or prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.” Samuel Chadwick

The Finale is an emphasis upon The Stand that is taken, not on The Armor that is taken up. Well-armed and immaculately uniformed prayer warriors that fail to take their stand will run around in panic at the first sounds and sights of the enemy. In spite of all their armor and knowledge, they are empty suits, indeed.

“…take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

Prayer warriors stand best by closing their eyes, and taking their place in the battle line, kneeling right beside The Champion. When the enemy sees them in the battle line with The Risen Christ, it strikes fear in their ranks, and silences their terrifying shouts.

When prayer warriors close their eyes, they no longer see the enemy, but they are able to hear the voice of The Champion. Prayer resists the urge to flee in the face of the enemy, and turns to the face of the warrior towards Jesus. Taking The Stand with Jesus begins by calling out to Him in prayer, and staying there. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Model

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church [q]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, 30 because we are members of His body. 31 For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:25-33

The Prayer Life of Jesus is The Model for any husband interested in loving his wife as Christ loved the church. Jesus ministered to His disciples by interceding for them. He modeled before them a life of intimate communication with The Father.

Perhaps The Gospel of Luke gives the most vivid depiction of the life of prayer that flowed out of the heart of The Son inseparably connected to the love of The Father. Since Luke recorded the impressions of those who knew Jesus intimately, he relates what left the greatest impression on those who knew Him best. They knew Jesus as a man of prayer. Husbands should take notice.

Note to self: You will never be a better husband until you are more like Jesus. When you are praying with, over, and for your wife, you rise above your self. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!  

After Jesus ascended into Heaven, He took His place at the right hand of The Father. This is where He continues to intercede for His followers. What He once did on earth, He now does in Heaven.

“Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Romans 8:34

A prayerless husband reveals a serious careless streak that weakens his marriage. Refusing to love the way Jesus loves the church, creates a calloused heart and a loveless marriage for both husband and wife. A woman will never respect a man who says he loves her, but never looks out for her best interests.

Human nature being what it is, more marriages are made in heat than in Heaven. Deteriorating contemporary concepts of marriage being what they are, this sad state of affairs is not likely to end very soon. Don’t panic. Take a knee. Pray!

Those who enter into marriage soon find out that the heat of passion burns out. If it is fueled by human emotion, love simply cannot be sustained by passion. It must be driven by a higher grade of fuel that can only be ignited by The Spirit of God and persistent prayer. Praying husbands strike the match.

Over the last 40 years, I have performed hundreds of weddings, and funerals. To be honest, I have a better track record with funerals than weddings. Those I buried are still buried. All of those I married are not still married. Go figure. The reason for this inconsistency is simple.

The buried are lowered into the grave and stop looking out for their rights. The married enter into the arrangement as a trap they must escape, or a contest they must win. When marriage becomes a wrestling match for the dominance of personal rights, it stops being a marriage that honors Christ.

Husband who never stop looking out for their rights, rarely protect the rights of the wife they declared they love. In time, passion fades, eyes wander, dreams die, and marriages end. It is a sad story, repeated over and over again, IN THE CHURCH.

In the midst of the chaotic and corrupt culture of the Roman Empire, Paul urged husbands to love their wives, “as Christ loved the church.” CHRISTian marriages are designed to look like CHRIST.

The Model should come as no surprise, but even those marriages performed in churches seem bent on ignoring it, and going rogue. The result? Even Christian marriages struggle to produce the image of Christ. He prayed to prepare Himself to give up His rights.

Husbands are charged with climate change in their own marriages. They are not thermometers that are to register the heat. They are thermostats that are to set the temperature. Big difference.

Being married in a church building doesn’t produce a Christian marriage. Sleeping in a garage will not transform two people into His and Hers Cadillacs. Two people may dream all they want, but their reality will be a nightmare of disappointment, unless they pray their way to a new level of love and respect.

Real men pray for, with and over their wives. They resist the drive to survive that leads to looking out for their own rights. They pray for, with, and over, their wives. They protect the rights of their wives with every breath they take.

The prayer life of Jesus was The Model. Prayer was the initial and fundamental expression of love Jesus expressed for the church. Long before He went to the cross, He prayed. He still does. Husbands should too.

A husband, who looks at the cost of the cross without praying, will balk at paying the price. Prayer involves humbling oneself before God. Husbands will never have the courage to love their wives as Christ loved the church, without prayer. Praying prepares them for paying.

Prayer is the Gold Card of the wise husband. Don’t lead your home without it.

Prayer preceded The Passion of The Christ. A wise husband looks to Jesus, and doesn’t get ahead of himself. He empties himself, and prays to be filled with The Spirit, and love his with the character of Christ. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Grateful

“Be filled with the Spirit…always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;” Ephesians 5:20

I have always been intrigued by band names. One of my favorite names is “Creedence Clearwater Revival.” There is a lot going on there with that name. John Fogerty, at 69 years of age, is still performing, and we are all still waiting for “The Revival.” Another name that has caught my attention is, “The Grateful Dead.” It’s fan base, The Dead Heads, expressed such devotion to Jerry Garcia, the leader of the band, that he was elevated to near cult status before his death at 53 years of age.

Words mean things long after a band and the fans have forgotten why the names were chosen. This morning I find myself praying “The Revival” and thinking about “The Grateful Dead.”

Paul encouraged the early church to die to self, daily and to be grateful to God, always. He reminded them that thanksgiving was one of the vital signs of the fullness of the Spirit. He warned them that those who were unable to express gratitude to God, in the name of Jesus, were not full of The Spirit. To be more accurate, their mouths would reveal they were full of themselves, not imitators of God.

Paul encouraged the early disciples to “Be imitators of God.” (Ephesians 5:1) The finest picture of the character of God is provided by the prayer life of the Lord Jesus Christ. His prayer life was the essential expression of His personal and preferred form of communication with The Father. Persistent, personal prayer, performed privately and publicly, proved to be the primary source of His power for ministry.

Note to self: If you want to imitate God, and be like Jesus, stop whining and start praying. God knows the difference. You should too.

Paul describes prayer as the elementary expression of a person who is filled with The Spirit and intimately connected to The Father, in the name of The Son. Paul describes thanksgiving in prayer as a basic vital sign of the Spirit’s fullness, not the height of spiritual devotion reserved for only the elite few.  

The facts of physical life are clear. Where there is no breath, there is no life. In similar fashion, the Spirit-filled life does not exist where there is no prayer. Without The Spirit’s fullness, there is no breath of life. Where there is prayer, those who have died to self immediately express their gratitude to God for their new life in Christ. The born again are truly, “The Grateful Dead.” The way they come on is also the they way they go on, with gratitude and in prayer.  

Paul said that the first positive sign of being an imitator of God would be the “giving of thanks.” (Ephesians 5:4) It is hard to imagine this being done without the expression of personal, private, public, and persistent prayer.

Gratitude is the practical display of grace. It is not an emotion, as much as it is devotion. It is the over-riding expression of believers in the face of over-whelming crises and in the face of irritating people. Early believers weren’t given time to warm up the idea, or to mature or grow into the attitude of gratitude. On the contrary, they had to die to take their first breath. Like newborn babies they were desperate for air, and needed no training to do it. Breathing came naturally. So did screaming.

Dying to self precedes being filled with The Spirit. People who are full of self are incapable of being filled with The Spirit. Self has to die before The Spirit will fill. The Spirit goes where He is welcomed, not stiff-armed, grieved or resisted.

“The Grateful Dead” is not a well-worn term of expression for The Spirit Filled Life, but I maintain that is a pretty accurate one. Paul describes gratitude as the earliest sign of imitating God, and the result of being filled with The Spirit. Those who are void of thanksgiving to God, may be alive, but they don’t have life. Don’t take my word for it.

“I am The Way, The Truth and The Life. No one comes to the Father, but by Me.” Jesus – John 14:6

True believers are those who have been crucified with Christ. They didn’t just come to the cross. They died there. Dying daily maintains a perspective on life that can only be obtained by a view from the cross. Those who die to self and refuse to take a self-centered, self-absorbed, self-glorifying breath put themselves in the position to receive the fullness of The Spirit.

The Spirit brings the fullness of the character of Jesus into the life of the believer. The Spirit maintains, and sustains the attitude of gratitude in the life of “The Grateful Dead.”

Prayers of thanksgiving indicate death to self, invite the fullness of The Spirit, and release the Christ life in believers, for the honor and glory of God. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Glory

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3: 20-21

The Glory of Prayer begins with a prayer warrior having the humility to get off their high horse and pray.  Paul assumes the position by bowing down before God. (“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father…” Ephesians 3:14) He initiates the purpose of prayer by interceding for believers “not to lose heart.” (Ephesians 3:13)

There is no joy in prayer for the intercessor when their prayer goes unanswered.  Answered prayer brings joy for the prayer warrior and glory to God. Answered prayer is not based on asking the right question, but in taking the proper position, humility.

Effective prayer is answered prayer, but answered prayer rests upon God’s capacity to answer, not upon the eloquence or the education of the intercessor.  Paul reminded the early believers that God “is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us…” v. 20

The Spirit of God lives to interpret the deepest longings and slightest groaning of the heart, and deliver them as prayers to Jesus. Jesus takes all the prayers delivered to Him, and intercedes on behalf of His followers before The Father.  Anything less than this is simply not prayer. Anything more than this is mere presumption.

Giving God instructions may be the greatest hindrance to answered prayer. When prayer warriors stop talking and start listening, they discover the secret to answered prayer.  The Father doesn’t need the advice of His children. He desires their faith. Prayer rests in the knowledge that The Father knows the need of His child. He holds the answer, before prayer is released, by His child. Release it anyway.

R.E.S.T. = Release Every Single Thing

The answer to Paul’s prayer will not be found in the early believers merely receiving fresh courage or keen insight to stand firm in the face of the crises of life. Paul’s prayer seeks the glory that their spiritual stamina will reflect upon The Father.

The birthmark on God’s children is prayer, not panic. When His children race around in fear, rather than face a crisis in faith, their behavior reflects poorly on The Father. Children without faith in The Father, rarely turn to Him in prayer.

Believing prayer seeks the face of The Father, before, during and after the crisis. It is more concerned with seeking The Presence of The Father, than The Father’s answer to prayer. Peace is found in His Presence, not in the answer. Panic is by-product of a unanswered prayer. It comes from constantly seeking answers, and in blind panic, missing God.

Note to self: When facing any crisis, large or small, don’t panic. Humble yourself. Seek the face of God for His direction, protection and correction. Running around with panic on your face, when faced with a crisis, reflects poorly on the face of your Father. Stop it!

Prayer reflects glory to The Father, when His children deflect the crisis towards Him. Trying to handle anything that only God can do is an expression of childish pride.

Every parent has had the experience of trying to provide guidance or assistance to one of their children, only to be met with the words, “I DO IT MYSELF!”  No doubt, children need to learn to do things for themselves, but wise parents know they must unplug their children from a dependence on them, and plug them into a connection with God as quickly as possible.

Prayer connects the prayer warrior to the will of God, and prayer reflects glory on the face of God.

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. “ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The graduation season reveals one simple truth. When parents observe their children accomplishing a task that will set them on the right course, the joy in their hearts cannot be hidden. It beams out, and streams down their faces, in smiles and tears.  Wise parents glory in the sight of their children graduating from childishness to child-likeness, and praying children are a parent’s greatest accomplishment. The Father glories in praying children. Parents honor Him by leading their children to do it. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Root

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:18-19

"All You Need Is Love" was written by John Lennon and this song was first performed by The Beatles on a black and white, live global television link, watched by over 150 million in 26 countries, on June 25, 1967. Lennon was known for creating art out of propaganda with songs like "Give Peace a Chance” and “Power to the People.” When asked in 1971 if he wrote songs as propaganda, he responded, 'Sure. So was ‘All You Need Is Love.’ I'm a revolutionary artist. My art is dedicated to change.'’” When  “All You Need is Love” was released in the UK July 7, 1967, it went straight to number one and remained there for three weeks. In comparison, in the U.S.A. when it was released July 17th, it reached number one for only one week.

Note to self: For love to be revolutionary, and to effect change, it is going to have to last longer than a week.

The Root of Prayer belief begins with love. This should come as no surprise. The Bible is clear, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever shall believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

The Root of Prayer produces the fruit of The Spirit.  “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control…” Galatians 5:22-23

Paul prayed for the early believers to be marked by the The Root of Prayer that produces the fruit of love. Love must first be embraced in the form of a relationship with Jesus. Then, love must be expressed by the followers of Jesus. A loveless religion is a poor substitute for the love filled relationship that Jesus offers to those who receive Him as their Savior and Lord. True believers won’t settle for anything less.

Embracing and expressing the love of God, begins by receiving God’s Son, Jesus. The indwelling Christ increases the believer’s comprehension of the character of God. Paul prayed for believers to have the capacity to expand their grasp on God’s love. Love is, simultaneously, the most basic truth about God, and the highest expression of the character of God. Love is the essential key, not an optional adornment, to any valid expression of Christianity.  Don’t leave home without it.

The Root of Prayer is deepened by believing and receiving Christ’s love, and leads to the producing and reproducing The Fruit of The Spirit. The Father’s love is the mark of a Christian. The Root produces The Fruit of The Spirit. It is hopeless to try to produce The Fruit without The Root. No root. No fruit.

Christ’s love is expressed as undefeatable good will to friends, and unconquerable benevolence to enemies. It is not ethereal or emotional. It is practical and available. Christ’s love reveals “the breadth and length and height and depth” of the character of God. The Spirit releases this love in the lives of Christ’s followers. Christ’s love is the evidence of His Presence, and it is the Fruit of The Spirit.

Believers will not stop at what they know about love. They will hunger for more. They pray to receive and then they pray to express the love that God has in His heart for those who need His love. The Root of Prayer drives them “To Know God and To Make Him Known.” Believers are life-long learners who pray earnestly for their lives to be an expression of God love. They pray in order to “know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.”

Believers are not merely to receive Christ’s love in a one stop does all kind of experience. Their lives are to be overflowing with prayer to God for the love of God.  They are not selfish children focused on the thrill of the fill. The Spirit of God brings into their lives the character of Christ, so that they may “ be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Believers are self-less servants, not selfish children. Self-less people are full of The Spirit, not full of self.

The song “All You Need is Love” had a clear message, but it clearly failed to change the world. That doesn’t mean the title did not express the truth, or that Lennon had it all wrong. There is just no power in a title, and there is no wisdom in the right vocabulary defined by the wrong dictionary. Words mean things, but to change lives, love must mean the right thing.

The power is in the love of Christ, and The Root of Prayer releases His power.  Singing about love and expressing love are two different things. Hearing a song does not transform one’s character. Yielding to The Spirit is the only way to be transformed by Christ’s character and to produce His conduct.

To have the right fruit, don’t forget The Root. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Focus

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man.” Ephesians 3:14-16

It is possible to slice Scripture so thin, that it becomes gossamer platitudes fit for a Hobby Lobby throw pillow, but it no longer resembles the meat of The Word. On the other hand, swallowing whole passages without gaining an appreciation for the contents of God’s Word may lead to consuming and assuming without absorbing and applying the truth of Scripture.

There is so much man-made insight published on the subject of prayer, that it always pays to return to the Word of God to rediscover the basis for it, and the focus of it.

For Jesus, The Son of God, and for Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ, The Focus of Prayer was always on The Father. When Jesus led His disciples in The Model Prayer, He began with, “Our Father.”  When Paul interceded for the Church in Ephesus to prayer, he focused on The Father.

Prayer takes the eyes of the prayer warrior off of the battle of the moment or the crisis of the day, and focuses them on The Father.  Though Paul does not mention the word prayer, it is obvious that prayer is the meaning of his words when he says, “I bow my knees.”

Bowed heads and bended knees are ancient symbols of humility, and always appropriate positions for the serious prayer warrior. The arena of prayer is where pride comes to die. Prayer is the expression of the heart. The position of the exterior position of the body should reflect what is going on in the inner recesses of the heart.

No doubt this symbolic position of prayer is not always a sign of genuine prayer. It is possible for the position to be hijacked by a poser, but if implemented by believers it is a great source of blessing. Believers who come to the end of their own resources discover,  “the riches of His glory.”

Paul discovered this truth time and time again. Facing his own spiritual poverty led this prayer warrior to a face-to- face encounter with The Father. For believers who are willing to follow his lead, they discover this only happens…EVERY TIME.

Too many times people come to The Father in prayer, and race right past Him to get to His riches, His strength, His Spirit, or His power. They miss Him. The cry of their inner man is so great that they don’t hear the gentle words of The Father saying, “Welcome home.”

It is not enough to know a need exists in the inner man that only The Father can meet. The Focus of Prayer is on meeting with The Father, not the meeting of the need.  Big difference.

The Quiet Time and The Prayer Meeting have always been great great tools for meeting with The Father. They serve well, as long as meeting with The Father is The Focus.  Quickly completing a Quiet Time or fidgeting one’s way through a Prayer Meeting does not always lead prayer warriors to a face-to-face encounter with their own spiritual poverty.

Note to self: Putting a check mark by your Quiet Time on your Day Timer doesn’t always lead to “the riches of His glory.” When your Quiet Time becomes His time, it will.

Taking pride, in having a Quiet Time or in attending a Prayer Meeting,  is still an expression of PRIDE. The Father hates it. Jesus turned from it. Paul took no pleasure in it. Prayer is meant to put it to death. Prayer warriors willing to die to their pride will be “strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man.”

Paul confessed, “I die daily.” Follow his lead, and humbly bend your knees in the presence of The Father. He condescends to spend time with you. Don’t be in a hurry to run away and get on with your day. As country folks used to say, “Take a load off. Rest* a spell.” City folks would be wise to take their advice.

*R.E.S.T. – Release Every Single Thing

The Heart

“I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are for your glory. For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father.” Ephesians 3:14

Paul’s words remind me of an old show tune made famous by the brassy songstress Ethel Merman, “Yah Gotta Have Heart.”

When it comes to physical life, there is just no substitute for heart.  It doesn’t matter how strong the skeletal structure may be, or how toned the muscles are, without a beating heart there is no life.

In similar fashion, spiritual life requires a person to have heart. This is more than a beating, blood-pumping organ of the body. It is the source of courage in the lives of believers that keeps the tribulations or crises of life from robbing them of the joy of life’s journey. A physical body has a life beating heart.  A spiritual faith has a courageous, life-giving heart.

There is a purpose for everything. Nothing happens in life without meaning and purpose. There are no random, meaningless events or purposeless days. The enemy seeks to rob believers of the significance of the slightest second, and the taking of each of breath.  Paul had faced his share of crises.

The fog of war blinds the sight of believers. The battle fatigue of life grinds the life out of believers. Over time they lose their capacity to see through the confusion or their courage to march through the conflict. Believers need both to be revived.

Confusion and conflict create a cancerous erosion of courage in the heart of even the strongest believer. Once they lose heart, they begin the struggle for survival with little hope of revival. They stop walking with God, and begin marching in place.

This loss of heart signifies the first step towards slow agonizing retreat. The enemy cannot rob a believer of eternal life, but the enemy is more than capable of making life a living hell.

Paul revealed the source of his life-giving, purpose filled courage in the face of tribulation. He embraced prayer as the means by which he had obtained it, and he now revealed how he interceded for others to receive it.  He knew they needed it.

What was this great mystery Paul celebrated with joy. “To be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 3:6)The mystery was no longer the best-kept secret in the world. It was a source of great joy to the Gentiles, and it amazed the “rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 3:10)

Through the finished work of Jesus on the cross, His resurrection from the dead, His ascendance into Heaven, and His unceasing intercession for the saints at the right hand of the Father, intercessory prayer provided to Paul and to every believer “boldness and confident access through faith in Him.” (Ephesians 3:12)

Prayerless people lose heart in a crisis. Prayerful people find courage as they pray their way through it.  TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Cause

“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend will all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.  Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. AMEN.” Ephesians 3:14-21

The Cause of Prayer determines the intensity and the consistency of effective prayer. Believing prayer is always a prelude to answered prayer.  Paul believed in The Cause. Two signs reveal a great deal about a person’s walk with God. The first sign is what causes them to panic. The second sign is what causes them to pray.

Paul believed in The Cause, not panic. The Ephesian believers had come to Christ through him. If they became intimidated by Paul’s persecution and imprisonment, they would not share the message of hope in Christ, they had received from Paul.

Prayerless people fail to witness because they are scared out of their wits. Paul desired for the believers in Ephesus to keep their wits about them, and tell people about Jesus in spite of what had happened to him. Paul prayed for the Ephesians not to be overwhelmed or disheartened by his imprisonment. His intercession for them was done with intense passion.

“Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.” Ephesians 3:13

Two thousand years ago, one imprisoned man could sense that there was more at stake than his own personal crisis. He broke out of a focus on his own needs, and entered into intercession on behalf of others.  The stakes were too high for him to turn his crisis into an excuse for a pity party. He called a prayer meeting.

Rather than focus on the release from prison he wanted, Paul prayed for the increase of faith these early believers needed. Paul’s imprisonment caused him to double down on intercession, rather than spiral into introspection.

Paul’s call to ministry began by being knocked to the ground. This should have been a warning sign to him of things to come. Paul’s life took on a familiar pattern. He was hit by crisis after crisis. His response was to hit back with prayer.

Perhaps Paul teaches is his greatest lesson in prayer by his consistent response to being knocked to his knees by various life experiences. While he was down on his knees, and before he got up, Paul prayed.

Note to self: It is never too early or too late to pray. Before you stand up, stay down, and pray. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Perspective

“I (Paul)…do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe.” Ephesians 1:16—19

Paul’s prison experience provided a perspective only imprisonment could produce. When his horizontal mobility was reduced, he increased his accessibility to God in a vertical direction. Paul could no longer go out on mission for God, but he would reach up in intercession to God.

I recently received a letter from a man in prison. Though he is incarcerated, he has the capacity to see more clearly the path that put him behind bars. His letter was filled with shouts of warning to those on the outside to walk around the landmines in life. Prisoners may have been foolish enough to get caught in a trap, but it doesn’t mean they cannot be a source of wisdom to avoid the pitfalls.

In Paul’s case, he had been no fool. He had been a follower of Jesus Christ. His incarceration was a result of intimidation and persecution on the part of others, not a result of rebellion on his part. Big difference.

Paul wrote the brief Bible Books of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon from a Roman jail, in the form of letters to friends and followers. These Prison Epistles were written to be read to the church that gathered in then name of Jesus. Ephesians contains a strong call for unity in the church.

Paul was a praying preacher. When his audience with others was curtailed, he invested his passion for preaching into intercession for others. He began by thanking God for believers. Without believers there are no converts and no church.

Most preachers value their oration over their intercession, yet powerful preaching and believing prayer are partners.  When some preachers are asked to pray, they lead with a sermonette, as a preamble to their prayer. They place more value on their own words of wisdom than seeking wisdom from God. Oration never improves intercession. It only delays it.

Paul prayed for his followers to have wisdom and to be enlightened. He was convinced God was the source of both. The wise preacher will unplug his people from himself and connect them to God. A wise parent understands that their children must be plugged into God if they are going to become all that God intended for them to be. They pray without delay.

Praying preachers and praying parents are key components to building healthy churches and healthy homes. Believing prayer on behalf of preachers and parents open up the eyes of their congregations and children to “the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.” TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!