Sermon Info
Summary
The disciples once asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. He began with instructions of how NOT to pray…as the hypocrites do it to gain attention. This image, in and of itself, spoke a lot. After that, Jesus gave them the recipe. When you consider what we call the Lord’s Prayer from Matthew 6, Jesus gave the description of what it looks like to get alone with God and submit yourself fully to God. Nothing connects us to Him like prayer and if we are to go to battle wearing His armor, standing strong in His might, we need that connection more than ever. How’s your prayer life? Where do you pray? For what and whom do you pray? How do you feel God’s power and presence there?
Content
Our Secret Weapon
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God (Philippians 4:6).
God knows we will face battles in this life, and He wants us to be prepared. In Philippians, as in Ephesians, Paul tells us how to approach these battles – in prayer.
Do you want to know God’s will for your life? 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 states, Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Prayer is an essential part of every Christian’s walk with the Lord. And, in Ephesians, this is a piece of armor that connects us to our Heavenly Father.
Every day we have the opportunity to approach the God of the universe in prayer. Isn’t that amazing? Who are we, Lord, that you would take note of us? We can take to Him our worries, concerns, praises, and joys. Nothing is too big or too small for our God, the Creator and sustainer of the universe.
The description of the armor of God begins with a recognition that believers are to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Ephesians 6:10). It is in the Lord’s mighty power that we are able to stand, and we are to rely on Him. One of the avenues through which this is most effective is in prayer. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people (Ephesians 6:18). We can be too quick to rely on our own power and our own selves. We need God going in before us, being strong in the Lord and in His mighty power; the Lord’s might, not our own. We need to access God, and the way this is done is through prayer.
Here at Rolling Hills we consider prayer to be an essential element to the Christian walk and in the life of the Church. We indicate that prayer ungirds everything else, providing support and a firm basis. We are a praying church.
What is prayer? Prayer is an act of submission and admittance of our need. Prayer reminds of how much you need God. Prayer is an act of worship, and it gives God worship and praise. We serve a big God. He is our Abba Father (Romans 8:15). This is an invitation to relationship, intimacy, and obedience with the Lord. Calling God “Father” denotes Him as both King and relational Dad. We can pray in every way for anything. Prayer is a way to connect with God.
We also pray in the Spirit. Romans 8:26 states, In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with what we need. Prayer is literally our best weapon against evil.
The armor of God ends in prayer, but it should also start there. Prayer is an essential component of ministry and life, and prayer activates the other pieces of armor. Our connection to our Heavenly Father is real and essential to effectively engaging in spiritual battles. He has given us the armor, and now we need to use it.
