The Whole Armor of God · Part 7 of 7
How ToPray in the Spirit
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”Ephesians 6:18
Prayer is the open line to your Commander that makes every other piece of the armor work.
This is the last of seven articles in our Whole Armor of God series. In Ephesians 6:10–18, Paul tells believers how to stand firm in a spiritual battle. Each article looks at one piece of that armor: how a soldier used it, how Satan attacks in that area of your life, and how you can put it on each day. The first six articles covered the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:10–18 (NIV)
10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And 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 Lord’s people.
Why Every Soldier Needs a Radio
Paul spends four verses describing a Roman soldier’s armor. Then, in verse 18, he stops naming equipment: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18). A Roman legionary never strapped on prayer, so Paul’s picture changes here. As the Pulpit Commentary puts it, “The metaphor of armor is now dropped, but not the idea of the conflict.”4 Prayer isn’t one more piece of gear. It’s what makes the rest of the armor work. Matthew Henry wrote, “Prayer must fasten all the other parts of our Christian armour.”4
A modern soldier helps us see why. Soldiers today train to “shoot, move and communicate at a moment’s notice.”3 The Army calls tactical radios “the primary means for Soldiers to communicate during operations,” and they provide “a rapid two-way flow of information.”1 With a radio, a soldier can report his position, call for help, and hear new orders. One Army officer said radio operators help the “commander to command” and “allow you to talk in real time.”2
The best armor in the world can’t save a soldier who is cut off from his commander. Prayer is our radio. We tell God where we are and what we need, and He answers with direction, warning, and strength. David Jeremiah describes praying as always being “in a constant state of fellowship and communication with God.”5
Prayer on the Battlefield
Scripture has many examples of prayer used to win battles. When a vast army marched against Judah, King Jehoshaphat didn’t start by counting swords. He called the nation to fast and pray, and he admitted, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12). God answered through a prophet. Jehoshaphat sent singers out ahead of the army, and when they began to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the invaders. By the time Judah reached the battlefield, the fight was over (2 Chronicles 20:14–24).
Nehemiah faced a different kind of battle. When he heard that Jerusalem’s walls lay in ruins, he wrote, “For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:4). Months later, the king asked him, “What is it you want?” Before Nehemiah answered, he sent up a quick prayer: “Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king” (Nehemiah 2:4–5). The king granted his request, and the wall was completed “in fifty-two days” (Nehemiah 6:15). David Jeremiah says it simply: “Prayer is a battle strategy.”5
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
Colossians 4:2
How Satan Attempts To Jam Our Communication With God
Satan strives to disrupt our prayer life, knowing it weakens our connection with God and our preparedness for spiritual attacks. He uses events and delays. Daniel prayed for three weeks before an angel told him, “Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard.” The angel had been held back: “the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days” (Daniel 10:12–13). Satan wants us to mistake a delay for a no. He uses weariness and sorrow. In Gethsemane, Jesus told His disciples, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation,” but He found them “asleep, exhausted from sorrow” (Luke 22:40, 45). He uses sin in our relationships. Jesus said, “if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them” (Mark 11:25), and Peter told husbands to respect their wives “so that nothing will hinder your prayers” (1 Peter 3:7). And he uses our own strength against us. Samson leaned on his gifts for most of his life, and only when he was blind and in chains did he cry out, “Sovereign LORD, remember me” (Judges 16:28).
Prayer helps us seek God’s guidance and counsel for both the short term and the long term. The psalmist wrote, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105). The lamp is God’s guidance for the next step in front of us. The light is His guidance for our future. The enemy wants us walking in the dark. Prayer keeps the line open and the lights on.
My story
The breakthrough came when God gifted me with a praying wife.
Satan has used his full arsenal over the years to thwart my prayers. I experienced more than ten years of delay in my prayers for a godly wife. Several times, he stirred up friction between a brother in Christ and me, and I held a grudge that hindered my prayer connection with the Father. And for far too many years, I tried to battle the evil in this world in my own power.
The breakthrough came when God gifted me with a praying wife. Together, we learned to pray big prayers, and we see them answered, sometimes in real time.
How To Put It On
- Set a daily time and place to meet with God, and guard it like an important appointment.
- Pray throughout the day in short, honest conversations with Him.
- Pray for others by name, especially fellow believers facing their own battles.
- Put on the armor each morning, one piece at a time. The prayer below can get you started.
- When an answer seems delayed, keep praying. Jesus taught that we “should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1).
- Before you pray, let go of any grudge you’re holding (Mark 11:25).
- Pray with your spouse or a trusted friend (Matthew 18:19–20).
Benefits of Putting On This Armor
- Peace that stands guard
- When you bring your requests to God, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
- Help when you have no words
- “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness” (Romans 8:26). You never pray alone.
- Confidence to ask
- “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
- Strength in numbers
- “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20). Praying together multiplies your courage.
- Kingdom impact
- “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). Your prayers reach people and places you may never see.
Write Your Own Prayer
David poured out his heart to God in the psalms, and you can too. Many of his prayers follow a simple pattern. Set aside 15 minutes, ask God to bring a need to mind, and write a prayer of your own.
- Cry out.Tell God honestly what you’re facing. David did: “How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1).
- Remember.Write down a time God came through for you before.
- Trust.Write what you choose to believe about God, even before anything changes: “But I trust in your unfailing love” (Psalm 13:5).
- Ask.Make one specific request. “You do not have because you do not ask God” (James 4:2).
- Praise.Thank God for who He is before the answer comes. Date your prayer, and come back later to write down how He answered.
Memorize
pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.1 Thessalonians 5:17–18
Pray On the Whole Armor
Use this prayer each morning to put on every piece of the armor.
Father, I put on the belt of truth. Help me recognize Satan’s lies and hold on to Your Word.
I put on the breastplate of righteousness. Thank You that Jesus’ righteousness covers my heart, not my own.
I fit my feet with the gospel of peace. Give me one opportunity today to share what You have done.
I take up the shield of faith. When the fiery darts come, help me trust Your promises over my circumstances.
I put on the helmet of salvation. Guard my mind, and help me think like Christ.
I take up the sword of the Spirit. Bring the right verse to mind when I am tempted.
And I come to You in prayer, ready to listen and to obey. Keep me alert, and keep me praying for the people You have placed in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
A Scripture Prayer for Every Battle
Many of the Bible’s prayers fit the battles we face today. Find what you’re facing, then pray God’s Word back to Him.
| When You Face… | Pray God’s Word |
|---|---|
| Fear | “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” (Psalm 56:3) |
| Anxious thoughts that won’t let go | “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23–24) |
| Feeling overwhelmed | “From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” (Psalm 61:2) |
| A battle you can’t win | “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (2 Chronicles 20:12) |
| A big decision | “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” (Psalm 143:8) |
| Needing direction | “Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:4–5) |
| Temptation | “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:13) |
| Guilt after you sin | “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.” (Psalm 51:1) |
| Wanting a clean heart | “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10) |
| A divided heart | “Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Psalm 86:11) |
| Distractions and worthless things | “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.” (Psalm 119:37) |
| Doubt | “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) |
| A long wait for an answer | “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.” (Psalm 13:5) |
| Weariness | “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.” (Psalm 119:28) |
| Grief | “Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.” (Psalm 31:9) |
| Sickness | “Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” (Jeremiah 17:14) |
| Feeling far from God | “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1) |
| Attack or criticism | “But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.” (Psalm 3:3) |
| Someone who hurt you | “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) |
| A grudge you’re holding | “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) |
| Daily needs | “Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11) |
| Money worries or greed | “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” (Proverbs 30:8) |
| A hard assignment at work | “May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.” (Psalm 90:17) |
| Guarding your words | “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14) |
| Sharing your faith | “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” (Acts 4:29) |
| When God’s will is different from yours | “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) |
| Wanting God’s purposes in your life | “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) |
| Starting the day | “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3) |
| A sleepless night | “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.” (Psalm 4:8) |
| Reading the Bible | “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” (Psalm 119:18) |
| Blessing your family | “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24–26) |
| An answered prayer | “I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.” (Psalm 116:1–2) |
| No matches. Try another word. | |
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