- Lesson 1 in the Connect360 unit “Prayer That Moves Heaven: Power With Purpose” focuses on Ephesians 6:17-20.
It is essential for a soldier to keep in communication with headquarters. While the soldier is focused on his part of the battlefield, headquarters is looking at the overall picture of the battlefield. The command has to be able to get orders to the soldier quickly and accurately. That’s what prayer does for us as we pray in the Spirit.
Praying in the Spirit is giving ourselves over to God, to let the Spirit work in us and through us. In writing to the Corinthians, Paul wrote about the importance of living in the Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, the apostle lets us know that, because we have the Holy Spirit, we can know God’s will and what God has blessed us with. He concludes his idea with, “‘For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). That’s why it is so important to pray in the Spirit.
And our prayers should be in all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and petitions. Prayer is not limited to mealtimes or to worship services. It is not limited to the beginning or the ending of the day. We can pray at any time. And we are not limited in how we can pray. Sometimes, our prayers may be intense and long, while other times our prayers may be joyful and light. We can seek God’s direction, his intervention, his assurance. We can ask and expect to receive. Prayer is simply talking with God and listening to him.
As we pray in the Spirit, we remain alert and pray for others. Going back to the beginning of Ephesians 6, Paul wants us to remember (“With this in mind,” 6:18) that each believer is in battle against Satan. Just as a soldier must always be on the alert for the enemy’s approach, so we must also be alert to temptation. And we need to be aware we are not alone in the struggle. Though the circumstances of our spiritual warfare may differ, we all face the same enemy. We need each other, and we need to remember each other. Intercession is a vital part of our prayer life.
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