Ephesians 6:18; Pray at all times (at the right time).

Class Outline:

Tuesday July 19, 2022

 

Pray at all times -  “times” - kairos = appointed time, season.

 

EPH 6:18-20

With all prayer and petition pray at all times [appointed time or season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and 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, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

 

One idea that we can put to bed immediately is that “pray at all times” means to be constantly praying every waking moment.

 

EPH 6:18

through the instrumentality of every prayer and supplication for need, praying at every season by means of the Spirit [Wuest expanded translation]

 

chronos is the Greek word for time in general. Kairos refers to periods of time. How frequent these periods would be and for how long would depend on context. God doesn’t give us a schedule.

 

The adjective “all” is used twice and gives us a good sense that prayer can be too infrequent. What does all appointed times mean? That is for each of us to decide. When we finally come to see the power of prayer, and I hope (and pray) that this study will show us just that, we will humbly conclude the right amount of prayer, which I would imagine would not be the same every day. We would also come to love our prayer life rather than seeing it as a burden to get over with. Prayer is a major aspect of the Christian life.

 

The adjective “all” is also used - “all prayer, praying in all appointed times.”

 

Standing ready in combat is combined with prayer. The participles “praying” and “keeping alert” are likely connected with the main thought of vv.10-17, “standing firm.” We do not include prayer as the seventh piece of armor since it is not assigned a piece by Paul, and the way Paul uses his grammar separates it, but there is an obvious close link between the armor and our prayer lives.

 

So far, putting on, taking up, and standing firm all require an attitude of dependence upon God. Prayer is a means of strengthening that dependence when it is actually used by the believer at every appropriate time or appointed time. God doesn’t give us a schedule. As in all things of this nature, He calls us to a manner or way and bids us to discover its appropriate way in our own lives.

 

The expression for prayer is a double one: proseuxe and deesis (prayer and supplication/asking). Two words are used to intensify the idea.

 

The words are synonyms, and so it is more likely that Paul is writing it this way as we would italicize or underline something for emphasis. Paul does the same thing in Php 4:6.

 

It’s not out of bounds to separate the two into general prayer and petition or supplication, but to over emphasize the difference is to make something that isn’t there.

 

Of all the things believers can do, prayer is one of the most noble and most difficult, if not the most.

 

It’s impossible to rate, but since prayer is communicating with God Himself, and the only way that we do so, it has to be one of the greatest acts that mankind can perform. It is easier to serve others, give alms to others, and even to discipline ourselves for some goal than it is to talk to God. Communicating with people is far more natural to us than talking to God.

 

As we pursue the subject of prayer in the Scripture, we will always keep in mind the way that the Lord taught us to pray. While it is true that the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, Jesus included prayer in His teaching of the Sermon on the Mount. He gave His disciples three areas of excellence to live in - alms giving, self-discipline, and prayer - all under the means of “practicing righteousness.”

 

MAT 5:43-6:9

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.'  44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you 45 in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? 47 "And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

6:1 "Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

 

2 "When therefore you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 "But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing 4 that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.

 

5 "And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 "But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 7 "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 "Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him. 9 "Pray, then, in this way:

 

Instructions on fasting (self-control or self-discipline) is in vv. 16-18.

 

Praying always or unceasingly:

 

Php 1:3-4

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all

 

COL 1:3

We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you

 

COL 4:12

Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.