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7

Paul’s Prayer Life

Eph. 1:15‑17

 

Wherefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

 

We often think of Paul as the great church planter, the great theologian, and the greatest of all the Apostles. While all those are true, we often fail to see him as a great man of prayer.

 

The beloved J. Vernon McGee illustrates this by recounting an incident when he was teaching in the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. He would ask his students during their study of the epistles of Paul to make a list of all the prayers of the Apostle Paul. He told them to write down every time he said he was praying for someone. Lo and behold, student after student would come to him and say, “I had no idea that Paul had such a prayer list. I didn't know he prayed for so many people!” Paul was, indeed, a great man of prayer.

 

As we recall, in verses 3‑14 Paul wrote of what believers possess in Christ. In verses 15‑23 he now writes of how he prays that believers will understand what they possess and comprehend the significance of it. Head knowledge without heart understanding is worthless.

 

This section is not parenthetical, as some main­tain. Rather, this passage is an application of the previous passage. To repeat, Paul says it is not enough to know these truths; we must understand them, that is, understand the significance they have on daily living.

 

Later in the passage we will study the specifics of Paul’s prayer, but in this study we should notice Paul’s prayer life in general (we’ll see this again in 3:14‑21). A careful study of verses 15‑17 reveals five vitally important principles of prayer.

 

I. Prayer Involves Concern For Others (v.15, 16b)

Wherefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints . . . give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

 

To examine this, let us notice two emphases: The Occasion and the Main Objective of Paul’s’ prayer.

 

The Occasion Of Paul’s Prayer.

 

The word wherefore literally means “on this account” or “for this cause.” This word links what Paul has already said in verses 3‑14 with what he is about to say in verses 15‑23. This word is why the passage is not parenthetical; rather, it’s an application. Based upon all they have in Christ, Paul prays that they will assimilate those truths. He writes to encourage his readers to experiential knowledge. He had heard of the faithfulness of these believers, and it’s possible that he even had specific people in mind, though he did not mention them by name.

 

To go even deeper, we see here that Paul had heard of two specific things. As we look at these, we notice that they are the two ultimate tests of Christian profession. Writing some 450 years ago, John Calvin put it this way, “Observe here, that under faith and love Paul sums up the whole perfection of Christians.”1 What a wonderful statement! Paul here condenses true Christian profession into two words: faith and love.

 

First, Paul had heard of their faith.2 Many have mistakenly thought that since Paul was here writing to believers, he was, therefore, referring to their faithfulness. But we must see deeper. The first test of Christian profession is faith in Christ. This is evident from the context. With verses 3‑14 still in his mind, Paul rejoices that these people had truly received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This is the real “acid‑test” of Christian profession. Many today claim to be “Christian,” but at the same time they deny such truths as the Deity of Christ, His sinless perfection, His blood atonement for our redemption, and His literal, bodily resurrection. The acid‑test of Chris­tian profession is whether or not there has been faith in Jesus Christ, that is, faith in what He was and in what He did. Without that faith, there is no salvation.

 

It is for this reason that Paul says I heard of your faith. With all the truth of verses 3‑14 in view, Paul is saying, “I know these truths are a reality in you.” But more than that, Paul wanted them to understand these truths as well as just know them. The same is true today. Every believer possesses these truths, but the question is, “Do each of us un­derstand the power and depth of it all?” This reminds us again of the foundational nature of this Epistle; it is, indeed, a theology in miniature.

 

But lest we hurry over the next clause, may we take careful note of the object of faith that Paul emphasizes. He specifically mentions their faith in the Lord Jesus.

 

As we mentioned back in our study of Ephesians 1:1-2, any definition of faith is incomplete without a consideration of its object. As mentioned there, faith is a verb, so without an object, the entire concept is incomplete. In contrast to today’s meaningless “faith in faith” concept, saving faith has as its object “the Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

But Paul now goes one better. He simply uses the title Lord Jesus. As one studies verses 1-14, he finds that this is the first time Paul uses this title. Yes, he uses “Jesus Christ,” “Christ Jesus,” “Lord Jesus Christ,” and just “Christ,” but never does he use Lord Jesus until now. He specifically says faith in the Lord Jesus, not faith in “Jesus Christ” or any other of the previous terms. Why? Because the title Lord Jesus is the bare essentials, the absolute bare minimum concerning the object of saving faith. In short, by using this title, Paul emphasizes not only the person of JESUS, but also His position as LORD, and these are the essentials. Without the person of Jesus and His position as Lord, a person cannot be saved. This is a vitally important and tremendously profound principle. Yes, there are countless people today who talk much about the person of Jesus but reject His position as Lord. In contrast, Paul is quite specific, recognizing that the Ephesians embraced both truths.

 

The issue of “Lordship Salvation” (an unfortunate term that has been used to criticize some teachers) has been a subject of much debate, but I find it to be one of the most distressing debates I’ve witnessed in my 30 years of ministry. It is a sad state of affairs when many today actually teach that there is a difference between “accepting Jesus” as Savior and then at some later day accepting Him as Lord, when there is absolutely no such dichotomy or distinction in Scripture. While their motive is pure—namely to avoid any appearance of salvation by works—their conclusion is faulty.

 

In the final analysis, in fact, such a teaching results in a new form of Universalism, which teaches that ultimately everyone will be saved. The teaching is that all one must do is “believe in Jesus” to be saved. No repentance is necessary, no change of life is expected, and no responsibility is demanded. What is this but a form of Universalism? How many people do you know whom you could in some way persuade to say, “Oh, yes, I believe in Jesus.” That’s easy. Why? Because He was a historical figure, just as real and easy to believe in as Abraham Lincoln. He lived, He taught, and He had a “religion.” You might even get a Buddhist to say, “Sure, I believe in Jesus,” and it’s certainly easy to get a Roman Catholic or a Mormon to say it. But does that mean they are saved? Further, one could even believe in His teachings and accept His resurrection as authentic, but does that mean he or she is a true Believer?

 

All “Lordship Salvation” means is that true salvation results in an automatic change in the person who believes. How silly it is to talk about a “conversion” that doesn’t change anything. The word “convert” is from the Latin convertere, “to turn around, transform,” True salvation is, indeed, a conversion, as II Corinthians 5:17 makes clear: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” This verse (and its context) says the believer (obviously from the moment of salvation on) is a new creature, not will be a new creature.

 

The story is told of a missionary who asked a Chinese merchant, “Have you ever heard the Gospel?” The merchant replied, “No, but I have seen it. I know a man who was a terror in this region. He was as fierce as an animal. He was an opium addict. But when he accepted the Jesus religion, he changed completely. Now his wickedness is gone. He is quiet and gentle.” 3 Countless illustrations such as this one demonstrate the automatic change that comes in the true believer.

 

It is a total contradiction to say that a person can believe in Jesus as Savior but reject Him as Lord simply because a change of life automatically results in a change of lordship. Before salvation, we were lord, but after salvation, Christ is Lord, not because we make Him Lord by some subsequent “decision,” but because He is Lord. At the risk of being dogmatic, that is what the Scripture says. If there hasn’t been a change of lordship, there has been no change at all.

 

The point that rejecters of the so-called Lordship Salvation principle are overlooking is that justification and sanctification are inseparably linked together, for they occur at the same time. We are not justified at conversion and then sanctified at a later date by some other “decision” or “experience.” While sanctification is in a sense progressive as we grow in grace and knowledge of Christ (II Pet. 3:18), sanctification is first and foremost positional. When we come to Christ and are, therefore, justified in Him, we are at the same moment made holy, “set apart,” as we receive the righteousness of Christ (Rom 3:22; 4:11; 5:18; II Cor. 5:21). There is then an outworking of this holiness in everyday living: “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Rom. 6:22).

 

So, contrary to the “easy believism” that is prominent today, there is no such thing as being justified without being sanctified. There is no such thing as spiritual life without spiritual living. Some immediately object by saying, “But you are adding to the Gospel; all one must do is believe.” On the contrary, we are not adding to the Gospel, that is the Gospel. Yes, all one must do is “believe,” but such belief always results in obedience (Rom. 1:5; 16:26; I Pet. 1:2). Faith and obedience are, in fact, so inseparable, we often find them used synonymously. Hebrews 5:9, for example, declares: “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (cf. 11:8). What’s more, as one leading Greek scholar points out, to have faith means to “entrust or commit oneself” and “entails obedience.” 4 Good works never save (Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5), but good works are always a result, an evidence of salvation (Eph. 2:10; Jas. 2:14-26).

 

It is totally incongruous to say that we can believe in Christ but have absolutely no intention of following Him, obeying Him, or surrendering to Him. Certainly there is growth and an ever deeper understanding of what discipleship is, but to say that we can believe in Christ without becoming disciples is not only illogical, it’s heretical. While there are some disciples of Christ who are not true believers (Matt. 7:21-22; 8:21-22; Jn. 6:66), there is no true believer who is not a disciple, a follower, an imitator, an obedient servant of Jesus Christ. An acid-test of true salvation is a desire to obey Christ. If that desire is not present, something is seriously wrong.

 

Still there are those who want to divorce Christ’s Saviorhood from His Lordship, but the Apostles certainly didn’t do so. Paul echoes our Lord’s words when he writes of salvation in Romans 10:9-11:

 

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

 

Verse 9 clearly emphasizes that salvation involves two actions: confessing (homologeo, “declare the same thing”) Jesus as Lord, and believing in the resurrection of Christ. But is this principle unique to the New Testament? No. We find that it is rooted in Old Testament thought. To emphasize Lordship even more, Paul adds in verse 13, “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved,” which is actually a quotation of Joel 2:32. In the Old Testament, the phrase “call upon the name of the Lord” was specially identified with worship of the true God. It spoke of worship, adoration and praise and drew attention to God’s holiness, power, and majesty. Consider how it is used in the following verses:

 

How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire? Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. (Ps. 79:5-6).

O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. (Ps. 105:1)

Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. (Ps. 116:4-5)

 

All those verses emphasize that calling on the name of the Lord is to recognize Who God is and to submit to His power, authority, and holiness. To say, as many do today, “Just call on Jesus to be saved,” betrays an ignorance of what that phrase means. It means to call on Him as God, as Sovereign, as Lord.

 

Still there are those who say, “All you have to do is believe in Jesus,” but this again shows a total ignorance of the meaning of the words they’re using. “Believe” translates the Greek pisteuo, the same word also translated “faith.” Its basic meaning is “to have faith in, trust; particularly, to be firmly persuaded as to something.” 5 But as one Greek authority points out, pisteuo also carries the idea “to obey:”

 

Heb. 11 stresses that to believe is to obey, as in the OT. Paul in Rom. 1:8 [and] I Thes. 1:8 (cf. Rom. 15:18; 16:19 [II Thes. 1:7-8]) shows, too, that believing means obeying. He speaks about the obedience of faith in Rom. 1:5 [6:17; 16:26], and cf. 10:3; II Cor. 9:13. 6

 

Clearly, the word “believe” immediately and fundamentally demands lordship, because it has the underlying foundation of obedience, commitment, and submission.

 

It should be clear from such language that this issue should not be an issue at all. I just don’t know what is the matter with evangelicals who argue otherwise. While it grieves my heart, I cannot even imagine how it grieves our Lord. It is ludicrous, if not even blasphemous on the character of Christ, to teach a distinction between His Saviorhood and His Lordship. To “believe” fundamentally demands Lordship because it includes the desire to submit and obey.

 

To illustrate, when someone believes something, regardless of what it is, that belief somehow changes them and results in some action or behavior that is characteristic of the belief. In other words, true belief results in actions that reflect that belief. Every one of the characters in Hebrews 11, for example, had “faith,” but that faith always, without exception, resulted in an outward action. Noah did not say, “Well, if God said it’s going to rain, then I believe it’s going to rain, but that doesn’t really affect me or demand anything from me.” No, Noah built an ark as a result of believing what God said. Was Noah and his family saved because he built a boat? No, because God could have destroyed the boat like everything else. Noah was saved because He believed what God said, and that belief resulted in obedience. Works do not save us, but when we believe, our works prove it.

 

Columbus believed the earth was round and that he could sail to the New World, so he acted upon it and left Spain. To make it even more practical, all of us believe in gravity, and we act upon it by not jumping off tall buildings. So, may we put it this way: truly believing something, being fully persuaded of it, and trusting in it automatically demands behavior that conforms to the belief. To deny this, if I may be brutally frank, is just plain foolishness.

 

Applying this to salvation, to “believe in Jesus” means three things. First, it means to believe in Who He is, that He is God incarnate, Savior, and Sovereign Lord. Second, it means to believe in what He did, that He died for your sins and rose again from the grave. Third, it means to believe in what He says, to trust Him and His Word implicitly and desire to obey Him in all respects. To obey Him means we acknowledge His lordship and submit to His authority.

 

Before going on, let me make something clear. Lordship teachers are not saying “belief plus works equals salvation,” as the no-lordship teachers accuse us of saying. We are not saying that to be saved you must not only believe, but you must also obey. Such a view is unscriptural because it says that salvation is not all of grace. This was, in fact, the issue in Galatia, as the Judaizers were teaching that not only did one have to believe to be saved but also had to obey the Law. Rather, what the Lordship view is saying is that believing results in obedience. If you are truly born again, if you truly believe, then there will be evidence of this in your life. The evidences did not cause your salvation, rather they prove your salvation.

 

How clear the Apostle John was when he wrote:

 

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. (I Jn. 2:3).

And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. (I Jn. 3:24)

 

There is one sure way to know if someone is a true believer, a true disciple of Jesus Christ: whether or not he (or she) obeys the Word of God. There are countless people walking around today who claim to be “Christian,” but they no more obey the Word of God than a thief obeys laws about burglary. Certainly, there are many who don’t know the Word of God (usually because preachers aren’t telling them), but the numbers are increasing of those who when they hear the Word do not obey. Such willful and continuous disobedience, a lack of any intention or desire to obey God’s Word, indicates a lost condition.

 

Turning to our Lord Himself, He constantly emphasized that before someone believes, they must “count the cost” and then follow Him unconditionally (Lk. 14:26-33; see also Matt. 7, in which the whole context is a progression concerning salvation; 10:34-39; Lk. 6:46-49; etc.). People are being told today to, “Just believe in Jesus,” but Jesus said, “Stop and count the cost before you believe; following Me will cost you something.”

 

Our Lord also made it clear that just saying you are a Christian doesn’t make it so. In Matthew 7:21-23 He makes this sobering and frightening statement:

 

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

What a terrifying passage! This is why Paul writes elsewhere that we need to “examine [ourselves], whether [we] be in the faith; prove [our] own selves” (II Cor. 13:5), and why Peter wrote that we should “give diligence to make [our] calling and election sure” (II Pet. 1:10). It’s not enough to call yourself a Christian or even say Jesus is Lord. What proves you are a Christian? Doing “the will of My Father in heaven.” As the old expression goes, “Words are cheap,” and they seem to get cheaper every day as the Gospel is redefined in increasingly broad terms. But our Lord is in no way ambiguous—the proof of salvation is obedience.

 

Earlier in the same chapter (7:14) our Lord says that few go through the narrow gate that leads to life. He also adds that there are many wolves that look like sheep (v. 15) but are not, and that we can identify them by their fruits (vs. 16-20).

 

Indeed, the two greatest evidences of true conversion are obedience to God’s Word (Jn. 14:15, 23; I Jn. 2:1-5) and holiness of life (Eph. 4:24; I Thess. 4:17; etc.). Those who do neither one are simply not true Christian Believers. If one chooses to call this “Lordship Salvation,” so be it, but that doesn’t change the Truth.

 

Coming back to the specific words of our text, the Lord Jesus, Martyn Lloyd-Jones ended his discussion of this issue with these striking words:

 

We must emphasize that you cannot separate the Lord and Jesus. The person is one and indivisible. He is always the Lord. There is no such thing as “coming to Jesus.” In one sense, a man cannot even come to Christ. He can only come to the Lord Jesus . . . A man cannot accept Him as Saviour only, and then perhaps later decide to accept His as Lord, for He is always the Lord . . . We do not “come to Jesus,” and we do not believe in Jesus: we come to the Lord Jesus, we believe in Him as He is.7

 

The New Testament does not separate Jesus as Savior from Jesus as Lord. He is either both, or He is neither. Or, if we may put it another way, If He is not Lord OF all, He is not Lord AT all.

 

Second, Paul had heard of their love. Put simply: Genuine FAITH in Christ produces genuine LOVE for other believers.

 

How often have we caught ourselves saying, “Well I love so‑in‑so in the Lord.” Often what we really mean is, “I love him in the Lord (but I can’t stand him in person).” But true Chris­tian love can be defined as: Treating others as God has treated you. How has God treated you? He has treated you according to grace, mercy, and love. So, we are to treat others in exactly the same way. What we need to do today is get away from our “cop­out” clichés and our false emotionalism, and get back to true Christian love. This is the real idea in the Greek agape (love). As we mentioned back in study of verses 4 and 5, perhaps the best definition of agape is “self‑emptying self‑sacrifice.” If we really love someone, we will disregard self and think of others. That is indeed a test of Christian profession. The Apostle John tells us: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death” (I Jn. 3:14). There is something drastically wrong with a professing Christian who does not want Christian fellowship or who “snubs” other Christians.

 

Before leaving these two “acid-tests” of Christian profession, it is noteworthy the order in which Paul presents them: first is faith and then is love. Love comes after faith, not before. This is the opposite of what we see today. Paul always deals with doctrine first and then duty, while false Christianity prattles on about love, ignoring and even denying the Theology behind true love. Paul, however, doesn’t speak of some syrupy sentimentality, rather He first nails down true faith and then says that true love flows out of that.

 

A wonderful story is told of Philip Henry, the father of the great Puritan preacher and commentator Matthew Henry. Philip had met a young lady and they were very much in love. There was a problem, however; she belonged to a higher social strata then he. While she had become a Christian and such things no longer mattered to her, they mattered nonetheless to her parents. With contempt they asked her, “This man, Philip Henry, where has he come from?” The future Mrs. Henry’s immortal reply was, “I don’t know where he has come from, but I know where he is going.” 8

 

Indeed, that is what matters.

 

The Main Objective Of Paul’s Prayer

 

The more one studies Paul’s prayer life the more humbled one becomes. We note this because Paul’s main objective was intercession; he not only said he was concerned, but he showed he was concerned. Colossians 1:9-14 is another example of Paul’s intercessory prayer. He begins in verse 9 with, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” Likewise to the Romans he wrote, “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.”

 

How often is our prayer life centered only in ourselves, our needs and wants? As that great exposi­tor Alexander MaClaren challenged:

 

A man’s prayers for others are a very fair thermometer of his own religious condition . . . There is nothing colder than the intercession of a cold Christian; and, on the other hand, in no part of the fervid Apostle Paul’s writings do his words come more winged and fast, or his spirit glow with greater fervour of affection and holy desire than in his petitions for his friends.

 

Indeed, Paul was ever concerned with what other believers needed. As Paul challenged Timothy, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men [without distinction]” (I Tim. 2:1). Scripture is filled with examples of God’s people praying for one another:

 

·        Job Prayed For His Friends (Job 42:10).

·        Moses Prayed For Aaron (Deut. 9:20) And Miriam (Num. 12:13).

·        Samuel Prayed For Israel (1 Sam. 7:5, 9).

·        David Prayed For Israel (2 Sam. 24:17) And Solomon (1 Chron. 29:18-19 )

·        Hezekiah Prayed For Judah (2 Kings 19:14-19).

·        Isaiah Prayed For The People Of God (Isa. 63:15–64:12).

·        Daniel Prayed For Israel (Dan. 9:3-19).

·        Ezekiel Prayed For Israel (Ezek. 9:8).

·        Nehemiah Prayed For Judah (Neh. 1:4-11).

·        Jesus Prayed For His Disciples (John 17:9-24).

·        The Jerusalem Church Prayed For Peter’s Release From prison (Acts 12:5ff).

·        Epaphras Prayed For The Colossians (Col. 4:12).

 

This should challenge us to be praying for one another. As Matthew Henry encourages:

 

Observe, even the best of Christians need to be prayed for: and, while we hear well of our Christian friends, we should think ourselves obliged to intercede with God for them, that they may abound and increase yet more and more.

 

The next time we are tempted to have an ill thought of a brother or sister in Christ, or say something that shouldn’t be said, may we stop dead in our tracks and say, “Why don’t I just pray for them and hope they are praying for me?”

This leads right into the second prin­ciple of prayer.

 

II. Prayer Involves Constant Communion (v. 16a)

Cease not

 

One writer offers this homey illustration:

 

When a pump is frequently used, the water pours out at the first stroke, because it is high; but, if the pump has not been used for a long time, the water gets low, and when you want it you must pump a long while; and the water comes only after great efforts. It is so with prayer. If we are instant in prayer, every little circumstance awakens the disposition to pray, and desire and words are always ready: but, if we neglect prayer, it is difficult for us to pray; for the water in the well gets low.9

 

What a challenge! How often do we, when we sit down to pray, feel like we have to prime the pump?

 

There are some who criticize this principle of prayer be­ing “constant communion.” Some have called this idea some sort of vague, perpetual God‑consciousness. But this is not at all the case. On the contrary, prayer is far more than just “talk­ing to God;” it is more than just “telling God our troubles;” it is infinitely more than just “asking and receiving.” First and foremost, PRAYER IS CONSTANT COMMUNION. What does this term mean? Simply this: constant communion with God means a continuous consciousness of God’s presence in which we view everything in life in relation to Him. For example, if we meet someone, we immediately consider where they stand with the Lord. If we hear of something bad happening, we react by praying for God to act in the situation for His glory and people’s good. If we hear of something good that has happened, we respond with immediate praise to God for it because we know He is glorified. In short, we view everything that comes along from a spiritual perspective. When Paul looked around his world, everything he saw prompted him to prayer in some way. When he thought of or heard about one of his beloved churches, it moved him toward communion with God.

 

Nehemiah provides a wonderful example of such praying without ceasing. King Artaxerxes noticed that Nehemiah was sad and asked him why, at which time Nehemiah told him of the destruction of Jerusalem. The king then asked Nehemiah to make a request of him that he might grant it. Before replying that the King send him to Judah, Nehemiah prayed a quick, brief prayer (Neh. 2:4). In the midst of a stressful situation, Nehemiah was conscious of God’s purpose. What a contrast that is to today’s popular emphasis on the The Prayer of Jabez, where we are encouraged to pray, “Bless me, God!” That’s not what Nehemiah prayed, or, for that matter, what Paul or our Lord ever prayed. No, Nehemiah was concerned with what God wanted.

 

May we submit, if we do not view prayer in this way, we will soon view God only as one we call on in time of need; without this attitude, we will lose touch with God. This is what is referred to in I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing,” and Luke 18:1, “That men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”

 

Having said that, prayer also demands conscious effort, however. We must have times of specific prayer, times when we consciously and thoughtfully bring things to God. There is a beautiful balance between this and constant communion, for our times of “speci­fic prayer” are actually an outworking of our “constant commu­nion.”

 

Here is a blessed truth! As we are continuously conscious of God’s presence, He will bring people and needs to our minds so that we may bring them before His throne. If we are not in constant communion with God, He cannot bring things to our minds. When was the last time a certain person came to your mind and you could not dismiss him or her from your thoughts? Perhaps you called them on the telephone and told them that you were just thinking about them, just wondering how they were getting along. What did God just do? As you were weighing your life and other’s lives before the Lord, looking at everything in relation to God, He brought that person to mind.

 

All this is in view in Paul’s words. No, Paul is not simply going about every moment of every day with certain peo­ple on his mind. Rather, as he went about his daily tasks, ever conscious of God, God brought certain ones to his conscious mind—one in Ephe­sus, another in Philippi, two more in Colosse, and countless others in churches he had planted. Later in Ephesians, Paul writes, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (6:18). Oh, may this be true of every pastor and every other Believer.

 

III. Prayer Is To Be Directed To God The Father (v. 17a)

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory . . .

 

Please notice that Paul does not pray to the Lord Jesus or to the Holy Spirit. Many today believe and teach that it is more spiritual to pray to Jesus or praying to Jesus is more personal. Others think that praying to the Holy Spirit will bring special endowment of His filling. But neither of these is the Biblical precedent, and they show two prevalent tendencies.

 

First, there is the tendency to glorify the Holy Spirit over Christ. Many today emphasize the Holy Spirit and the spir­itual gifts over Christ. Perhaps they do this unintentionally, but they nonetheless overshadow the Lord Jesus, and that is strictly forbidden:

 

But when the Comforter is come . . . he shall testify of me (Jn. 15:26).

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you  (16:13‑14).

 

Second, there is the tendency to emphasize Christ over God the Father. We refer here not only to the cult of “Jesus Only” but also to those evangelicals who view Jesus as the fo­cal point. But Jesus never took a position over the Father. Often we are told that Jesus came to glorify the Father (Jn. 12:28; 13:31; 14:13; 15: 8; and especially 17:1‑4). So, the total picture is: the Spirit glorifies the Son who in turn glorifies the Father. That is the Biblical precedent.

 

The Word of God is clear on the fact that we are to pray to the Father. This is the guideline in “The Model Prayer:” “Father, Who art in heaven. Hallowed be Thy” (Matt. 6:9‑13). Jesus then is the Mediator. We could not pray in the way we do if it were not for Him. It is by His merits and through His work that we can pray to the Father. John 14:13 declares: “And whatever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

The Holy Spirit then is the Interpreter. Romans 8:26‑27 ex­plains:

 

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

 

It is the Holy Spirit Who gives us the power to pray. He takes our prayers to the Father; He interprets them because we do not know all there is to know about prayer. How could we possibly approach God without the Holy Spirit to interpret?

 

May we also add here the importance of praying in the will of God, which is perhaps the most ignored principle of prayer. “The Model Prayer” tells us that we should pray, “Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” What is the plan of prayer? Simply stated, the plan of prayer is that our will conforms to God’s will. There is the serious error today about prayer that says we can ask anything regardless of God’s will. There are even those who say we can “demand things from God” and that there are things God “must” do. Today’s “healing movement,” for example, says we can demand good health when we are Spirit filled. The “prosperity movement” says we can demand financial prosperity when we are good stewards of our money. Others just say that God will give us anything we want and even define pray­er as “asking and receiving.” What shameless arrogance! Who do we think we are by saying we do not have to live and pray in accordance with God’s will?

 

The Scripture clearly teaches that we are to pray accord­ing to God’s will. The literal idea in “The Model Prayer” is, “Let Your will come about, as in heaven, so on earth,” or, as Robert Young’s Literal Translation puts it, “Thy reign come: Thy will come to pass, as in heaven also on the earth.” In other words, the bottom line is, “God, do what you want.” David pray­ed this way, “I delight to do Thy will” (Ps. 40:8); Jesus pray­ed this way in Gethsemane, “Not My will but Thine be done” (Matt. 26:39). Are we to be any different?

 

There are also many who are confused about harmonizing prayer with the sovereignty of God; they question the validity of prayer since God is in control of all things. On the one hand, since God is sovereign and has His plans, then why pray? Are we asking God to change His mind? On the other hand, if prayer is effective, then how can God be sovereign? The answer to all this is found in remembering two principles. First, God is sovereign; He has His own plans and purposes, which can­not be thwarted by anything or anyone. Second, we then pray in accordance with that will; that is, our will comes into line with His; His desires become our desires. This still means that we can pray for what we want, but it also means that that desire must come into line with God’s desire. God knows what is best for us and others. We must, therefore, allow Him to work that which is best. Someone has wisely said:

 

Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man’s will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done on earth.

 

We are told by some teachers that if we just “pray fervently,” just “pray through,” or, in essence, just twist God’s arm long enough, we’ll get what we want. But prayer is not for getting our will done but God’s.

 

Is not I John 5:14 clear enough? “If we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, He heareth us.” And, if we might add, what is God ultimately doing? God works things according to His will for His ultimate glory and our utmost good. Oh, may we forever abandon arrogant prayer!

 

IV. Prayer Involves Praise And Thanksgiving (also vs. 16‑17a)

Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory . . .

 

Again, our tendency in prayer is to just ask for things. But the most important thing about prayer is that it is to praise God. This is precisely why Paul uses the words the Father of glory. We recall that Paul said “to the praise of His glo­ry” three times in his “song of praise.” Dear Christian, it is vital that we realize that all of what God does manifests His glory. As we’ve seen, Paul ends the description of our salvation with those wonderful words “to the praise of His glory” (v. 14). And, at the risk of being repetitive, why did God save us? What is His ultimate purpose? TO RESTORE THE UNITY BETWEEN GOD AND MAN SO THAT MAN CAN GLORIFY HIM.

 

So, what is the first thing we should do in prayer? Should we rush into His presence and hurriedly ask for what we want or even need? God forbid! We should first praise Him for who He is and what He has done. Who are we to do any less when even “the heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps. 19:1)?

 

Coupled with this principle of praise is thanksgiving. Oh, how shameful to take all that God has given for granted. May we constantly thank Him and may we consciously praise Him.

 

We see two extremes in prayer today. First, there is the liturgy of the Liberals. Many of these have their “prayer books;” they have their rituals and eloquent prayers. But at the heart of this is dead orthodoxy. Second, there is the over‑familiarity of many evangelicals. In this view God is their “buddy and pal.” They can rush any time into His presence and ask, or even demand, His ear and compliance. Yes, Hebrews 4:16 declares that we may “come boldly unto the throne of grace,” but that does not mean arrogantly or presumptuously. The world “boldly” is the Greek parrhesia, which speaks of confidence, openness, and frankness, but it never implies presumptuousness. How arrogant and, if we may say, how heretical both these extremes are.

 

We are to come before God consciously, reverently, and meditatively, without presumption, demanding nothing, and without empty eloquence. We are to come humbly before Him, praise Him, thank Him, and place our burdens before Him to do as He wills.

 

V. Prayer Should Be Chiefly Spiritual (v. 17b)

may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.

 

This point of emphasis might seem odd to the reader. Isn’t prayer always spiritual? We submit, No! Most of our prayer is temporal and physical. Think a moment, for what do we usually pray? Do we not usually pray for the sick and injured and pray for temporal and financial needs? Now, there is nothing wrong in praying for these; God expects us to bring such needs to Him.

 

We shall look at Paul’s specific prayer requests in the next passage, but notice in general that Paul’s main concern was for spiritual needs. As expositor John Phillips observes:

 

Paul rarely prayed for the things that loom so large in our prayers—better health, more money, job conditions, family problems, world crises. Paul prayed that people might know God better, that they might become better acquainted with Jesus.

 

We find this attitude throughout Paul’s letters. To the Colossians he wrote (1:9): “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” As here in Ephesians, he prayed for spiritual realities in their lives. He also wrote to the Philippians (1:9), “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment.” He told the Corinthians that he was praying for their right conduct: “Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest” (II Cor. 13:7). He wrote these tremendously encouraging words to the Thessalonians:

 

We pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (II Thes. 1:11-12).

 

We should likewise be praying for spiritual realities for one another.

 

Paul also asked others to pray for him. He asked the Thessalonians to “pray,” not for his temporal needs, but “that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you” (II Thes. 3:1). It wasn’t “food and raiment” Paul needed prayer for, but rather liberty and power in ministry. Likewise, he asked the Hebrews to, “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly” (Heb. 13:18). Oh, may we ever keep in mind that our prayers should ultimately have a spiritual end.

 

We will examine this in more depth in the next study, but verse 17b and the rest of this passage shows Paul’s spiritual prayer. This fact is to me the most fascinating thing about Paul’s prayer life. Whenever we see him praying, either he is praying for some spiritual reality, or he is pray­ing for a temporal need that will ultimately have a spiritual result. How often do our prayers for temporal matters have a spiritual result in view?

 

Oh, Dear Christian, is our prayer life like Paul’s? There are some Bible teachers who lift the Apostle Paul so high that he is almost deified. Indeed, Paul was a great preacher, a great church planter, and a great Christian. But he was a man like any other, and the same Holy Spirit who indwelled and em­powered him is the same Holy Spirit that indwells and empowers us. Each one of us can and must have the same kind of dependant prayer life that Paul had. We will look deeper into this kind of prayer in our next study.

 

NOTES

 

1 Commentaries.

2 Concerning how this verse is used to “prove” that Ephesians was not specifically addressed to the Church at Ephesus, see the “Recipients” section of the “Introduction and Overview.”

3 Cited in Roy L. Laurin, Life Matures! Devotional Exposition of the Book of First Corinthians (Los Angeles: Stationers Corporation, 1941), p. 93.

4 Kittle, pp. 853, 855.

5  Zodhiates, p. 1160.

6 Kittel, pp. 849, 854. References in brackets added by the author.

7 God’s Ultimate Purpose, p. 321.

8 Adapted from Lloyd-Jones, God’s Ultimate Purpose, p. 324.

9 Felix Neff, cited in The Biblical Illustrator.

 

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