Prayer
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
All kinds of incorrect notions abound as to what prayer is and what can be expected of it. The apostle gives the Ephesians important instruction on both points.
He opens by telling them to “pray in the Spirit.” What he is advocating is not some dramatic or showy charismatic praying. Rather, he is indicating that only through Christ can anyone properly approach the triune God. An essential feature of prayer is that it comes from a heart filled with faith (James 1:6,7; Hebrews 11:6). And faith, of course, is something that only the Holy Spirit can work. Spirit-worked faith takes God at his word, trusts his promises, and confidently approaches him as a dear heavenly Father. All this meshes perfectly with what Paul wrote earlier: “Through him [Christ] we both [Jew and Gentile] have access to the Father by one Spirit” (2:18).
What may a Christian pray for? People generally feel it is fitting to come to God with “important” things and in times of emergency. But other than that, they don’t want to bother him. They reason: Surely, he can’t be interested in the little problems I have. Besides, I should be able to take care of those myself. Note, however, what Paul says: “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”
Few directives are given more often or more pointedly in Scripture than the invitation and encouragement to pray. The Lord promises: “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me” (Psalm 50:15). Our Savior solemnly assured his disciples and us, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9). Peter encourages his readers, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).
Elsewhere Paul says, “Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:17,18).
In the area of spiritual matters, such as forgiveness of sins, the gift of a good conscience, conversion of unbelievers, or unity in the church, we know that it is God’s gracious will to give us those things. In temporal matters, however, we will always add the condition “if it is your will.” Such prayers are answered—in God’s good time and in his way.
Because the Ephesians have the precious privilege of prayer, as do all Christians, Paul exhorts them, “With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” The “saints” are fellow believers with the Ephesians, ones who, like them, have been made holy by faith in Christ’s merits. Paul asks the Ephesians to pray for all of them and requests a special prayer for one particular saint—himself: “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
Recall that the apostle Paul is writing this letter from Rome, where he is under house arrest and awaiting trial for preaching the gospel. Much rests on the outcome of his case—not only for himself personally (see Philippians 1:21-24) but especially for the Christian church. Paul is, in a real sense, “an ambassador in chains.” He is representing Christ and his gospel. With this in mind he urges the Ephesians, “Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."