Class Outline:

Sunday August 21,2022

Prayer is continuing a conversation that God has started through His word and His grace, which eventually becomes a full encounter with Him.

 

EPH 6:18-20

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, 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.

 

Strong and confident as the apostle Paul was, he felt himself to be in need of the prayers of the saints.

 

If we linger on this point long enough we will eventually wonder what would have become of Paul if they hadn’t prayed for him. Would not have God decreed it so in any case? This type of question always comes up in the doctrines of prayer, and it is not the best practice to ignore them but to face them head on. If we ignore them, we can be sure that Satan will use them at his most advantageous time when we are very weak and struggling in prayer, pushing us to abandon prayer all together as meaningless.

 

God has included the prayers of the saints in His decree for human history.

 

In his letter’s Paul never doubts that what God called for him to accomplish would be fulfilled. He does not once suggest that if the rest failed to pray for him that his ministry might fail, for his ministry was magnifying Christ and that can never fail. This is true for us all. Every ministry magnifies Christ and when others pray for us, glorifying God must be the reason.

 

Whether in life or death, freedom or chains; Paul wrote that Christ would be magnified (Php 1:12-26). He wrote that though they bound him, they could not bind the gospel (2TI 1:7-12; 2:3-10).

 

In Rome, under house arrest, having not yet faced the tribunal of Caesar, Paul’s known history ends and the last lines of Luke’s history reads as Paul’s epithet.

 

ACT 28:30-31

And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters, and was welcoming all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.

 

“openness” same Greek word used in EPH 6:19 translated “boldness.”

 

Though Paul had no doubts about the fulfillment of his ministry, he also reveals that prayer is very effectual in life. I doubt that any of us will discover the true effect of prayer until we develop a consistent and meaningful conversation with God that grows in intimacy with our Father in heaven, holy be His name.

 

There are few answers to the crashing together of the sovereign will of God and the free-will of man, especially the will of fallen mankind, outside of what God has chosen to reveal in His Scripture. And the Scripture states clearly that the prayers of the godly saints in the Spirit are very effective for themselves and for others.

 

Paul prays for utterance. Ex: Nehemiah (NEH 2:1-8).

 

Speaking clearly and boldly are essential aspects of Paul’s given ministry. We should discover the essential aspects of our own individual ministries and pray about them and ask others to pray about them.

 

NEH 2:1-8

And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence [the king could be angry with a server who didn’t look happy to serve him]. 2 So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." Then I was very much afraid. 3 And I said to the king, "Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?" 4 Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, "If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it." 6 Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, "How long will your journey be, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time. 7 And I said to the king, "If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, 8 and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city, and for the house to which I will go. "And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.

 

The Scripture also implies that prayer is an essential part of the way of life of the believer, and that if we do not enter into it with proficiency, we will suffer spiritually in a great way. By suffering spiritually, I don’t so much mean the intense pain of divine discipline as much as I mean the lack of love, joy, and peace in life. A life that lacks living with spiritual abundance is not the life of Christ.

 

JOH 10:10

I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.

 

Paul expected the support of all who love him in Christ, 1TH 5:25; 2TH 3:1; ROM 15:30-32; COL 4:3, etc.

 

Notice how much of our latest studies are surmised in this passage.

 

2TH 3:1-5

Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; 2 and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command. 5 And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

 

Here we see both the opposition from “perverse and evil men” and from “the evil one.” Our strength and protection come from the Lord.

 

He asked for prayer for his deliverance and his ministry (which in his case are the same).

 

ROM 15:30-33

Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; 32 so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. 33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

 

We see here the contrast between types of people. As in 2Th 3, we see here that Paul’s opposition is people who are disobedient. In Thessalonians they were perverse and evil. Jesus told the disciples, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves.” In contrast, those who are obedient are refreshing rest.

 

COL 4:2-4

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 in order that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.

 

Paul’s great concern is not to be freed, but that he would speak and act in honor in a way that would glorify God.

 

Paul makes clear that his imprisonment only furthered the gospel. The enemy was surely rejoicing when Paul was imprisoned, but as he came to find out, the word of God cannot be imprisoned. Paul and his company simply had to remain faithful to the Lord and to the truth and let God work out His purposes.

 

EPH 6:18-20

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, 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.

 

Paul’s request in our passage hinges upon the subjunctive, “may be given” - whatever is God’s will for him to speak before men.

 

We might jump to the conclusion that it is only the gospel that he needs to speak and leave it at that. But that is not the whole of Paul’s current situation. He is in prison and he has an entire ordeal in front of him. He has yet to appear before the tribunal of the emperor, and perhaps other human courts.Of course he will speak the gospel, but even in that, he needs guidance from the Father, for not every gospel message is given in the same exact way.

 

Paul knew that he was helped by prayer. It became his habit to expect support through the intercessions of all the churches he seeded.

 

Phm 6

And at the same time also prepare me a lodging; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be given to you.

 

Paul wrote this from prison, whether in Caesarea or Rome, we cannot know for sure.

 

He asks in this letter that “utterance” may be given to him when he speaks.

 

“May be given” is tied to something our Lord told the disciples:

 

MAT 10:16-20

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves. 17 But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the courts, and scourge you in their synagogues; 18 and you shall even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what you are to speak. 20 "For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”

 

The apostle Paul now stands before a Roman world. He has appealed to Caesar, and awaits his trial. If he has not yet appeared at the emperor’s tribunal, he will shortly. Christ’s ambassador is about to plead in chains before the highest human courts.

We get to see some of what he says in Act 24, 26. He gives a beautiful and thoughtful defense of the truth and presentation of the gospel. We would never get the impression that he spoke of things he didn’t know very well. In other words, the Holy Spirit didn’t take over his brain and use him like puppet as some want to interpret this passage. The Holy Spirit supernaturally gives us the ability to speak well when we submit to His (God’s) will.

 

It is not his own life or freedom that he is concerned about; the ambassador has only to consider how he shall represent God’s sovereign interests.

 

We discover in his last epistle that indeed this did turn out to be the case.

 

2TI 4:17

But the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the lion's mouth.

 

The combination of the faithful and maturing believer and the faithful who intercede for him is a mighty force multiplier.

 

Of course, we are not asking for God to shut off our brains and make us speak from His possession like a loud speaker. We are asking for inspiration, wisdom, and courage. In the moment, when tensions are high within us, we need to be able to think clearly, calmly, and hear God’s voice from within. We also must have faith that God is going to get us through, in His way. It doesn’t mean that we’re always going to sound brilliant and win the day. God may want us to say nothing. He may humble us in testing. But we must know that His will be done.

 

2TI 2:9

I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.

 

We know that Paul was delivered over for execution. But what Paul really wanted was granted to him because it was what God also wanted - “the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear.”

 

Inspired words demand godly influence. Rash and vain words do more harm than good.

 

Satan would love to convince us all that prayer is frivolous and that God will do it all whether we pray or not. While it is true that we cannot answer the questions concerning God’s sovereignty, we can know that prayer is effective. Through the intercession of the saints all these injuries of Satan are turning to the strengthening of God’s people and the furtherance of the gospel and the word. As Paul said, Christ will be magnified, whether in life or in death.

 

EPH 6:10-20

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may 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, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 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, 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.

 

We can sufficiently close this section of Ephesians, although there is more we could say and learn. We could study Paul’s life (essentially the Book of Acts). We could study suffering for the sake of the gospel as Paul was an ambassador in chains. We could study bold speech. But I think what we have done suffices and we will return to all the doctrines in this great book as they permeate through all of the Scripture.

 

The plan, as it now stands, is to complete the final exegesis of the book and then study the doctrine of prayer and then the doctrine of the ministry of the Holy Spirit to believers.