A Journey Through Ephesians…6:18-20

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can body explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 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. Ephesians 6:18-20

I have written and deleted three entire posts this morning …. maybe three different efforts of my own doing?? And they were totally fine. However, I sense God is wanting us to do something specific today.

You see. I like to write about prayer. I like to talk about prayer. Discuss different types of prayer. Create moods for prayer, space for prayer, encourage people towards prayer… but today I sense the Holy Spirit nudging…. “would you just pray, already?”

Reading over Paul’s words I can’t help but see his COMPLETE CONVICTION that prayer is THE ENGINE of spreading the Gospel. He doesn’t say…. pray in the spirit at all times, on all occasions for yourself and your needs (which is NOT wrong, necessarily!)

But here Paul pleads with the Ephesians to PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE SHARING THE GOSPEL – including Himself.

The reality then and the reality NOW is still the same: If Christians stop sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Gospel stops spreading.

This has always been a word-of-mouth-mission.

And we, as believers, have two roles to play in the advancement of the Gospel (and they are both of equal importance):

1. To share.

2. To pray for those sharing.

This morning, I want to make space for us to pray for those ambassadors who are on the front line of spiritual battle, sharing the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.

The Lord is bringing to mind my friends in Parachurch organizations, friends living oversees, those serving on mobilization teams through the local church, short term and long term missionaries, full time and part time employees through organizations for post-abortive moms, friends in prison ministry, people I know who work youth camps year round, my local pastors, etc….

The list goes on. And on.

Who comes to mind for you as you read this? What ministries need persistent prayer today? Who needs intercession to “speak boldly the mystery of the Gospel?”

And though I may not have boots on the ground in these ministries, my knees on the floor are equally as important.

And so are yours.

Let’s spend time praying today – With all prayer and petition [with specific requests] in the Spirit.. May we stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people. Let us pray for words to be given when they open their mouths, to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news [of salvation], for which they are ambassadors… let us  pray they would speak boldly and courageously, in Jesus Name. (amplified version)

Love to all of you … thank you for journeying Ephesians with me.