Pray in the Ruach [Spirit] on every occasion, with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, keep alert with perseverance and supplication for all the kedoshim [saints]. Ephesians 6:18 TLV
The Forgotten Armor. Ah, yes, the Ephesians 6 Armor of GOD pericope (section of verses). Most of us are familiar with the six components of the spiritual protective armor listed in verses 13-17:
1. Belt of Truth
2. Breastplate of Righteousness
3. Fully Shod with Readiness to Spread the Good News
4. Shield of Faith
5. Helmet of Salvation
6. Sword of the Spirit—the word of GOD
Did you know there’s another very important piece of equipment for spiritual battles? Our prayers.
In today’s verse, Paul includes praying in the Spirit as part of our armor. Without getting into controversial definitions, let’s just say these are not “ordinary” prayers. The key to defining praying in the Spirit is:
. . .[to] keep alert with perseverance and supplication for all the kedoshim [saints]. (vs.18b, TLV)
And there it is: keeping alert with perseverance. Maybe we could sum that up by paying attention.
Yeshua sacrificed His life for our atonement—to be able to stand before our Heavenly Father clothed in His Son’s robe of righteous—but Jesus also gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Helper, the Ruach ha-Kodesh [the Holy Spirit] whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything and remind you of everything that I said to you. (John 14:26, TLV)
The Holy Spirit is our direct link to the heart of our Heavenly Father. That link is one of the most strategic “tools” a redeemed warrior of GOD has. In the spiritual battles before us, He can provide intel that only He knows.
Have you ever had moments when talking with someone, you just knew certain “secrets” of that other person? Secrets you would otherwise have no way of knowing? That is the Holy Spirit working.
Just remember, our battles are not about politics, doctrine, or who jumped in front of us at the grocery store.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the worldly forces of this darkness, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (vs. 12, TLV)
When we make battles personal with those flesh and blood souls who persecute us or disagree with us or just plain annoy us, we’ve lost the battle. Especially among the family of GOD. The goals of the enemy of our soul are to divide, confuse, mislead, discourage, and fill our heads with self-righteousness. This creates a picture to the other person of a cruel Father who plays favorites—pitting us against one another.
Our Heavenly Father longs for every soul to be His redeemed child—from Timbuktu to Nome, Alaska. When we make a battle personal, we’ve just presented a Gospel of Animosity that ultimately clogs our link with the Holy Spirit to the Father.
A spiritual battle means we’re fighting against the enemy to protect ourselves and those we love. I would also add:
A spiritual battle means we’re coming against the enemy to free a troubled soul to be able to see that they are loved by the Creator of the Universe. That His Son sacrificed Himself so that we could be His child.
Praying in the Spirit with perseverance means we will be alert to the essential strategies and intel that could direct a person toward truth—to our Dad.
So, let’s not forget that important piece of armor. Let’s add the seventh piece of battle equipment: praying in the Spirit.
