¹⁹ And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. ²⁰ I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

²¹ To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. ²² I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.

²³ Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. ²⁴ May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.

Personal Note

Paul wraps up his letter to the Ephesians by sharing a few personal thoughts. I love that he asks the Ephesian church to pray for him. Don’t miss that. This incredible spiritual hero was not above asking others for prayer.

You see, some people never ask others for prayer. They figure their needs are not important. Their request isn’t as pressing as the person struggling with a sickness. They don’t want people to think they are weak. They are too private to share a need.

Whatever the reason, they remain silent. And I believe we miss out on what God can do when we choose not to share our needs with those who are part of our community. Those who are on the spiritual journey with us. We need one another.

I guess if Paul can ask for prayer, then any of us should be able to ask. So, let me encourage you. If you have a need, ask others to pray for you. If you don’t have someone specific, then leave a comment on this blog. Share your requests so that others who read this can pray for you.

My prayer: Lord, help me to never be too prideful to ask others for prayer. Help me to not think of my needs as too insignificant. You want to bless. You want me to learn how to walk in relationship with others. You want me to not only be someone who prays for others, but someone who can lean on others with my own needs. Thank you for that. Amen.

Until tomorrow.

¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Always Praying

Wow, I’ll bet you can’t remember the last time I used only one verse in a devotional! I just felt that this verse was so deep that I didn’t want to go any further than it.

What does it mean to “pray in the Spirit at all times”? You might find this funny, but over the years, I have had people come to me in a panic. They share how discouraged they are because they tried to be always praying, and yet they fail. They get distracted and suddenly find themselves thinking of something else and not praying.

Most of the time they are so relieved when I explain to them that this passage isn’t telling us to be on our knees in prayer 24/7. (Yes, it amazes me that people get caught up with certain beliefs. I mean, really … if that’s what Paul meant, then he’s a hypocrite, since he wasn’t praying 24/7)

What Paul means here is to recognize that God is always with us. He’s right there beside you. And at any moment, depending on what’s going on around you, God is there for you to turn to with your prayer. You don’t have to wait until prayer time at church or until you do your devotions in the morning. At any moment, you can call out to him.

Remember, prayer is simply the act of communicating within a relationship. When Heather and I are in the car driving somewhere, there are times when we engage in deep conversation. There are also times when we are completely silent. Yet, even in our silence, we are aware of the other person’s presence. At times we might even reach over and take their hand. In a sense, we are communicating without words.

That’s how we should be with God. He is there … whether we acknowledge him or not. He’s there. And so, as we go about our day, there are time when we will engage in deep conversation with God. There are times when we will be in complete silence. And yet, even then, we should be aware of his presence. Heck, there are even times when we will feel him touch us and tell us that he loves us.

My prayer: Lord, as I go through my day, help me to never forget that you are with me. On this day, no matter where I am or what I do, you are there. I invite you to speak deep into my heart. I invite you to move silently with me. I welcome your presence. Amen.

Until tomorrow.

¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. ¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. ¹⁶ In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. ¹⁷ Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Armour Of God

Can I be honest with you? Sometimes I wonder if we miss the whole point of something God is trying to say to us because we are too quick to analyze every word and figure out a formula from every passage of Scripture.

How’s that for a mouthful!

Take the armour of God mentioned in this passage. If you’ve been around the church for any length of time, you’ve probably seen picture like the one to the right, or heard sermons preached from this passage where the speaker will dissect every part of what Paul mentions and how it all fits together.

I’ve heard preachers provide prayer formulas in which you systematically place each part of the armour of God on (spiritually) before you start your day. (“Lord, I place your helmet of salvation on my head and ask you to transform my thoughts by the renewing of my mind. I take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God and I use it to break through the lies of the enemy …”)

Now, if that works for you, great. But don’t miss the point of this passage.

Ultimately, what Paul is really saying here is we are dependent on God. We need him. Every moment of the day, we need to trust in God’s ability. As a follower of Christ, the only way – and I mean only way that we can succeed on this spiritual journey is by leaning completely on God. When we move ahead without him, we will fail.

Leaning completely on God means changing your lifestyle. Whether it’s how you think (helmet of salvation), what you use as your foundation for truth (sword of the Spirit & belt of truth), or the way you approach a situation (Gospel of peace), we must depend fully on God. Without him we fail. With him, we can do all things.

So, be careful of formulas. I don’t believe they truly get to the heart of what needs to change in order for us to depend on God.

My prayer: Lord, I need all of you. Yes, I need to put on the armour of God, but I do that by changing how I live. It starts and ends with complete submission to you. All through the day I must rely on you. You are my source of strength. You are my source of peace. You are the one I trust in. Completely. Amen.

Until tomorrow.