Pray For Me - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

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Pray for Me

Ephesians 6:18-20

Intro: This message is to the church of Ephesus.

A. The Instructions that Paul Explained – vs. 18

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

This is more than just an admonition to pray; it is an admonition to pray:

1. Spirit-filled Prayer “…in the Spirit…”

·        Jude 1:20 “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,”    

2. Steadfast Prayer – “…praying always… with all perseverance…”

·        Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

Jesus teaches persistence — prayer should continue without giving up.

·        Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”

Paul calls for a steadfast spirit in prayer, even through trials.

3. Sober Prayer – “…watching thereunto…”

B. The Implication that Paul Exposed – vs. 19

19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Paul is opening up his heart in these verses.

As a preacher of the Gospel, I see a very vulnerable side of the Apostle Paul in these verses.

C. The Identification that Paul Embraced – vs. 20

20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Paul was an ambassador of Christ

He was also an ambassador of the Gospel.

Paul considered himself an exhibit of the Grace of God.

1 Timothy 1

·        15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

·        16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Now for the message:

Paul is asking for prayer here. Plain and simple.

His first prayer request was for them to pray for one another. (vs. 18 “…for all saints…)

But it’s his second set of prayer requests that I want to focus on.

He didn’t ask for prayer for his finances.

He didn’t ask for prayer for his family.

He didn’t ask for prayer for his friends.

It was a request for prayer that pertained strictly to his call to preach.

The magnitude and the layers buried in this prayer request is powerful to me.

He asked prayer for:

I. The Right Words to Preach – “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me…”

UTTERANCE: of speech

1a) a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea

1b) what someone has said

1b1) a word

1b2) the sayings of God

1b3) decree, mandate or order

1b4) of the moral precepts given by God

Preaching is one thing: knowing what to preach is entirely different

Paul was asking prayer for the words to say; the message from God for the people.

II. The Right Will to Preach – “…that I may open my mouth boldly…”

Preaching truth has never been easy.

But today, it’s more and more rare to find a preacher that will preach with boldness.

Courage is a choice.

Courage is a decision.

III. The Right Why to Preach – “…to make known the mystery of the gospel…”

Not promotion of self.

Not promoting this church.

But to open the eyes of the unbelievers.

To unveil the mysteries of the scriptures.

Paul realized that he was a “steward” of the mysteries.

·        1 Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Ephesians 3

·        2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

·        3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

·        4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

·        5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

·        6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

·        7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

·        8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

·        9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

·        10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

·        11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

IV. The Right Way to Preach – “…that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

“…As I ought to speak.”

I want to say what I ought to say.

I want to say it for the reasons that I ought to say.

And I want to say in the way I ought to say it.