Giants and Grasshoppers - Part Fourteen

Eph 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

Today we will begin to look at the connection between prayer and the spiritual warfare.

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Transcript

Sunday August 1st 2021
Giants and Grasshoppers
Part Fourteen


1). Eph 6:10 ¶ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

We had seen last time the work of the sword of the Spirit in putting to death the man of the flesh within the context of the spiritual warfare. It would not be correct for us to think that the spiritual warfare is one thing and our battle with the man of the flesh is another. They are one and the same. Nor would it be correct to think that we engage Satan on an individual level in the spiritual warfare. As a created being he is not omnipresent, but through his control of the spiritual darkness of this age, his influence is seen everywhere and as our old man has an intimate connection with the world in spiritual darkness, because of our first birth, the battle that we have with our flesh becomes as if we are engaged with Satan directly. Overcoming the world, the flesh and the devil will be accomplished by our use of the sword of the Spirit in conjunction with the rest of the armor God has provided for us – 
Ro 8:13 For, assuming that you are living habitually under the dominion of the sinful nature, you are on the way to dying. But, assuming that by the Spirit you are habitually putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are being constantly led by God's Spirit, these are sons of God. [Wuest – expanded translation]

These are familiar verses for us, and Wuest’s translation helps us to see the constant process we are in. It must be our habitual practice to put to death the deeds of the body if we are to have life in the age to come. And we have seen that it is only the Spirit who can give and sustain life – 
Jn 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Heb 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds [ages]

And we have seen that the Spirit is the ‘Theopneustos’ and the ‘Theopneustos’ is the Word of God – 2 Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God [God breathed – ‘Theopneustos’]

It is then the Word of God, the Word of the Kingdom, that we are to take as our God given sword, along with the other parts of the armor, in order to stand against the wiles of the devil, by putting to death the old man through whom the devil seeks to work – Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit…….

It is then the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God only, that can make the division between our soul and spirit; between that which has a direct connection with our enemy, our soul and that which has a direct connection with God, our spirit – Col 3:9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him……

The division between our soul and our spirit is described in Colossians as putting off the old man and putting on the new man. And just as we have seen through the ‘Theopneustos’, it is only by being continually filled with the Spirit that the new man can be renewed and sustained – 
2 Co 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

And so, on the one hand the sword of the Spirit is the instrument of death to our old man and on the other hand it is the sustainer of life for the new man – Col 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

And in Ephesians Chapter 6, following the command to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, we see this in verse 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

We are then, to pray always and this is to be done with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Although this is not necessarily a part of the armor God has provided, we should understand that the faithful Christian, properly equipped with the armor is then to pray with all perseverance not only for themself but also for all the saints while being watchful to this end. And this prayer and supplication are to be made in the Spirit.
a). So then, to pray and make supplication in the Spirit can only come from our spirit man and must, of necessity, be in line with the Scriptures, which are Spirit. We cannot pray in the Spirit apart from that which is Spirit.
b). This is not random prayer then, but that which is specific and focused. And as the prayer and supplication found in Ephesians Chapter 6 have an intimate association with the spiritual warfare, particularly with the use of the sword of the Spirit, let’s just remind ourselves of the context into which all of this must be placed.
c). And to do this we can go to – Acts 20:17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church……….. 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

Paul’s teaching on the spiritual warfare must be seen within the context of what he knew was going to happen to the Ephesians, that which he spent three years warning them about night and day, with tears. He knew that after his departure savage wolves would come in not sparing the flock, and that men would rise up within the Ephesian Church speaking perverse things to draw the disciples there away from the Kingdom.
d). The savage wolves and the men speaking perverse things are part and parcel of the same thing, the work of the tares, the leavening process that we have seen from the Matthew 13 parables. The systematic and determined scheme of our enemy to overthrow those Christians in pursuit of a position of rulership with Christ in the Kingdom Age.
d). And to be able to withstand in the evil day when this would happen, Paul had taught the Ephesians how to be properly equipped with the armor God had provided, so that they could resist this attempted overthrow.
e). The prayer and supplication then, to be made for themselves and all the saints, must also be seen within this same context with the same end in view.
f). And because the majority of those found in Ephesus left their first love, despite being spiritually mature and having instruction in the spiritual warfare, we will realize how important it is for us to hear and put into practice that which we are told to do, so that we don’t share the same end as the Ephesians.
g). The whole armor of God remains as vital for the Christian today seeking a place of rulership with Christ, as it was for those in Ephesus and the other churches, at the beginning of this dispensation. Perhaps even more so for us who find ourselves at the end of the leavening process, at a time immediately prior to the Lord’s return.

2). Before we deal with the verses to do with prayer and supplication in detail, let’s look at the word translated ‘supplication’ first. It is a word that is often translated ‘prayer’ in other places in the NT, but it is not the same word that is translated ‘prayer’ that we find in Ephesians Chapter 6.
a). Let’s look at the use of supplication in Philippians Chapter 4 – Php 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 It is a word then that has to do with asking, seeking, entreating and we can find a useful commentary on this which can be found immediately after the Lord’s response to His Disciples request, ‘Lord teach us to pray’ in – Lk 11:5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? 8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. 9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” 

That which we have come to call ‘the Lord’s Prayer’ has as its focus the coming of Christ’s Kingdom and the daily provision of ‘bread’ for those in pursuit of it.
b). Give us this day our daily bread and asking the Father for the Holy Spirit are the same thing. It is the bread of life, the Scriptures, which are the ‘Theopneustos’ that we are to ask the Father for. And Jesus makes the remarkable statement, If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

What we are to ask for, to seek for and to knock to have opened to us is the ‘Theopneustos’ Word, in relation to the coming Kingdom and our participation in it. And this asking is exemplified for us again by Ruth on Boaz’s threshing floor – Ru 3:11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.

3). And perhaps it is not surprising that in the Book which teaches about the whole armor of God, we find prayers given to us in Chapters 1 and 3 that deal with this very thing.
a). The first Chapter of the Book of Ephesians gives us an overview of the plans and purposes of God, dealing with the overall scope of God’s purpose with regards to the coming 7th Day, by and for His Son, with respect to rulership over the earth along with the inheritance to be attained by the Gentiles grafted in to be a part of the one new man in Christ. All of whom are predestined to rule instead of Satan. This is the substance of that which Paul had taught them during his three years of ministry in Ephesus - Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

And the prayer that concludes Ephesians Chapter 1 is a request, an asking, seeking, knocking, for a continual and ever-increasing revelation to be brought forth from above of that which God has set in place for the 7th Day with a view to the safety and protection it will bring to those who receive it – Eph 1:15 ¶ Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

This prayer then has to do with the saints, those who would be faithful in Christ Jesus, continuing to receive the revelation brought forth from above, so that they may clearly see and understand all that the Scriptures contain, to continue to build on the ‘epignosis’ knowledge that they already had. This is a prayer asking for the Holy Spirit, asking for our daily bread. And within the context of the prayer and supplication that is to be made for all the saints, found in Ephesians 6:18, this is one of the prayers that we should continually pray for ourselves, and for all the saints, all those in pursuit of the Kingdom with us.
b). In Ephesians 1:17 we see the need to ask for ‘the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him’. And we will remember that according to the Scriptures, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, all that is contained in the Word of the Kingdom, is to be found in Christ – Col 2:1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

And again, in these verses from Colossians, we can see the protection to be found by attaining all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The protection against being deceived with persuasive words by those who would rise up to speak perverse things, and no doubt we will see the connection with the armor in this.
c). Let’s also remember what the Scriptures say about wisdom –
Pr 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she will promote you;
She will bring you honor, when you embrace her. 9 She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.” 10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And the years of your life will be many. 11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. 12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble. 13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; Keep her, for she is your life.

The prayer in Ephesians Chapter 1 continues with, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Here is the request for our spiritual eyes to be continually opened, that we might properly see – 2 Co 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

And if the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is ours, then we will know what the hope is that we have through our heavenly calling. And in the security of the reality of our living hope, the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom we are to look, we will once again find our protection – Heb 6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Tit 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

Ephesians 1:18 then concludes with, [that you may know] what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

And once again, it is only through the ‘Theopneustos’ that the riches of His inheritance are made known to us in fulfillment of the type of Abraham’s oldest servant showing his master’s goods to Rebekah in Genesis Chapter 24 – 1 Cor 2:9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

The prayer in Ephesians Chapter 1 then continues, 19 and [that you may know] what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

And this is the very thing that Paul asked for himself, recorded in – 
Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the [out] resurrection from the dead.

We need to ask for the Holy Spirit, the ‘Theopneustos’, that we may know the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe. The very same resurrection power by which Christ was raised from the dead – 
Col 2:11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

The end view throughout the prayer at the conclusion of Ephesians Chapter 1 is the coming Kingdom of Christ. The Day when His position far above all principality and power and might and dominion; the day when all things put under His feet, will be realized.
d). And with this end view as the goal, the prayer in Ephesians Chapter 1, asks for the ‘Theopneustos’, the revelation of the God breathed Word, that through that revelation we might find protection and safety, exemplified in the armor from the previous verses which are dependent upon the ‘Theopneustos’; by which we might stand fast against our enemy, so that we would not be overthrown, so that we will be able to join Christ in that Day, seated with Him on His throne having fulfilled the goal of our calling.
e). Not only then are we to put on the whole amor of God, but we must also continually pray for ourselves and all the saints in line with the prayer in Ephesians Chapter 1, and doing so, we will take the sword of the Spirit and use it, so that we do not let the armor that God has provided for us slip away – Ps 17:4 Concerning the works of men, By the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer. 5 Uphold my steps in Your paths, That my footsteps may not slip.

More next time – if we remain and the Lord is willing