Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Eph. 6:18
Paul told us to "pray without ceasing". And that would seem to be the meaning of "praying always" and yet there is more to this little phrase than meets the eye. The "praying" is talking about worshipping through prayer. The always is talking about something much richer than just doing it constantly.
There are three Greek words that make up the thought behind "always" – en kairos pas. It is saying that we need to do it speedily, now, to give oneself wholly to the task, quickly. That is the "en" part. The word "kairos" has to do with time. Not just as we measure the passing of events but as the specific arrangement of events. God has ordered things in such a way that this is the time we must be praying diligently, quickly, urgently. The time is now. The kairos is now. The "pas" part is yet another prompting to do it. It means to do the thing daily and ever from this point forward, thoroughly and without stopping.
In essence, Paul is telling us to pray like our life depends upon it, and in truth it does.
Why all this urgency and focus to worship God, to stand before Him in adoration? Because the days are evil, because these are the days we have to seek God and to know Him and to make Him known. The opportunity is now. We do not know what tomorrow will hold. We must pray and seek His face while we have this kairos, while He may be found.
"… with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit". This second use of the word translated prayer is our normal verbal and expressed will before God. It is requesting and asking. We are told to ask and it will be given to us. We have not because we do not ask. Here is the catch "in the Spirit". There really is no other way to ask than in the Spirit. If you are asking and not "in the Spirit" then you ask amiss as James says and your prayers go unanswered.
Asking in the Spirit is asking in Jesus’ name. You are not in the Spirit if you are concentrated on your own will and needs, and desires. It is only when He has given you the desires of your heart (i.e. His desires have become your desires) that you can ask in the Spirit. Any other asking is asking amiss. God is saying forget your agenda, forget your will, forget your needs, forget your desires. Focus your heart, soul, mind and strength on Him, Join your will, agenda, heart and desires to His will, agenda, heart and desires. Now that is praying in the Spirit.
That is how we need to be praying and making requests. That is what we do while we stand against the enemy. That is our Faith active. That is our Truth protecting. That is our Feet going. That is our Helmet reckoning. That is our Sword dividing. That is a picture of a Victorious Christian, not only a conqueror but more than a conqueror. Make Daddy proud that He is your Father.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Tim. 6:12
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Tim 2:3,4
Paul told us to "pray without ceasing". And that would seem to be the meaning of "praying always" and yet there is more to this little phrase than meets the eye. The "praying" is talking about worshipping through prayer. The always is talking about something much richer than just doing it constantly.
There are three Greek words that make up the thought behind "always" – en kairos pas. It is saying that we need to do it speedily, now, to give oneself wholly to the task, quickly. That is the "en" part. The word "kairos" has to do with time. Not just as we measure the passing of events but as the specific arrangement of events. God has ordered things in such a way that this is the time we must be praying diligently, quickly, urgently. The time is now. The kairos is now. The "pas" part is yet another prompting to do it. It means to do the thing daily and ever from this point forward, thoroughly and without stopping.
In essence, Paul is telling us to pray like our life depends upon it, and in truth it does.
Why all this urgency and focus to worship God, to stand before Him in adoration? Because the days are evil, because these are the days we have to seek God and to know Him and to make Him known. The opportunity is now. We do not know what tomorrow will hold. We must pray and seek His face while we have this kairos, while He may be found.
"… with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit". This second use of the word translated prayer is our normal verbal and expressed will before God. It is requesting and asking. We are told to ask and it will be given to us. We have not because we do not ask. Here is the catch "in the Spirit". There really is no other way to ask than in the Spirit. If you are asking and not "in the Spirit" then you ask amiss as James says and your prayers go unanswered.
Asking in the Spirit is asking in Jesus’ name. You are not in the Spirit if you are concentrated on your own will and needs, and desires. It is only when He has given you the desires of your heart (i.e. His desires have become your desires) that you can ask in the Spirit. Any other asking is asking amiss. God is saying forget your agenda, forget your will, forget your needs, forget your desires. Focus your heart, soul, mind and strength on Him, Join your will, agenda, heart and desires to His will, agenda, heart and desires. Now that is praying in the Spirit.
That is how we need to be praying and making requests. That is what we do while we stand against the enemy. That is our Faith active. That is our Truth protecting. That is our Feet going. That is our Helmet reckoning. That is our Sword dividing. That is a picture of a Victorious Christian, not only a conqueror but more than a conqueror. Make Daddy proud that He is your Father.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 1 Tim. 6:12
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 2 Tim 2:3,4
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God ... 