Eph 6:19-24

Pray for God to show you something to use from the passage Read the Passage at least twice Who is in the passage? What action verbs do you see? What other words stick out in your mind

Prayer- It is interesting that Paul doesn't put prayer as part of the soldier's equipment. He does define it by being alert. Your senses are very necessary in battle. You can have best armor in the world but you need to be able to identify what is happening. Prayer does that.

Look at How Paul defines Prayer-

• In the Spirit- Involves Right relationship with God. Your heart has to be right (not just going through the motions, asking based on self and not on God; see Isa 1:15) The Holy Spirit has tremendous power in prayer see Rom 8:26-27. It works even when we don't know exactly what to pray for!

• Pray in all situations and circumstances- Too often we just use God like Superman. We seek Him only when we get to a point that we cannot help ourselves. But God wants to more than that. Pray to Him when things are going well, when things go poorly. All the time.

• All kinds of Prayers- Prayer is simply having an honest conversation with God. Expressing what you feel, what you see, what excites you, what troubles you, what hurts you. Sometimes you will praise God and sometimes you will ask, "Where are You? Have You left Me?" see Ps 10, 13. God wants you to be honest with Him. He will work from there! Sometimes you should pray the Lord's Prayer, sometimes you will just call out for help.

• Be Alert! - Look for opportunities to pray. Remember Luke 11:9-10. There is power in prayer that cannot be underestimated.

• For all the saints- Don't just be self focused. Pray for Christians you know. Paul did in this letter (1:18, 3:16-17) Pray for all Christians, not just the ones you know, Have you ever prayed for a christian undergoing persecution in Iraq or Pakistan? Have you pray for a christian who has publicly failed in their faith?

• Paul in vs 19-20 put what he just said in practice. Pray for me and states what he wants the Ephesians to pray for. How about you? Do you ask for people to pray for where you are in your life?

vs 21-24 Paul sends his letters through people he knows and trusts. This way people will know they are authentic (really do come from Paul) .

Paul ends expressing four very important words- Peace, Love Faith, Grace. Remember what Paul said in 1 Cor 13:13 would remain when all the "fancy" gifts were gone? Faith Hope and Love. The hope part one can see expressed by the Grace given to us that gives us peace eternally with God. Remember and do the basics of the faith Paul says as a last exhortation to the people he loves.

A better translation of vs 24 is incorruptible love. Point is it is a love that places Christ first always.