1. Ephesians
1:15-­‐23
“Praying
Like
Paul”
1. Introduction.
Prayer
is
at
the
very
heart
of
the
Christian
life.
It
is
one
of
the
means
of
grace,
one
of
the
ways
that
God
strengthens
our
faith
and
enables
us
to
live
faithfully
in
the
world.
If
we
are
not
praying
then
we
are
not
growing—if
we’re
not
praying,
we
are
cutting
ourselves
off
from
God.
a. The
Westminster
Larger
Catechism
(Q/A
54)
says:
“Q.
What
are
the
outward
and
ordinary
means
whereby
Christ
communicates
to
his
church
the
benefits
of
his
mediation
[between
God
and
us]?”
“A.
The
outward
and
ordinary
means
whereby
Christ
communicates
to
his
church
the
benefits
of
his
mediation,
are
all
his
ordinances;
especially
the
word,
sacraments,
and
prayer;
all
which
are
made
effectual
to
the
elect
for
their
salvation.”
In
other
words,
through
the
ordinances
(such
as
prayer),
God
preserves
us
in
our
salvation
and
holds
onto
us,
growing
us
into
the
likeness
of
Jesus
Christ.
b. Charles
Spurgeon
highlighted
the
importance
of
prayer
in
the
life
of
the
believers
when
he
wrote,
“All
hell
is
vanquished
when
the
believer
bows
his
knee
in
[earnest]
supplication.
Beloved
brethren,
let
us
pray.
We
cannot
all
argue,
but
we
can
all
pray;
we
cannot
all
be
leaders,
but
we
can
all
be
pleaders;
we
cannot
all
be
mighty
in
rhetoric,
but
we
can
all
be
prevalent
in
prayer.
I
would
sooner
see
you
eloquent
with
God
than
with
men.
Prayer
links
us
with
the
Eternal,
the
Omnipotent,
the
Infinite,
and
hence
it
is
our
chief
resort….Be
sure
that
you
are
with
God,
and
then
you
may
be
sure
that
God
is
with
you.”
c. In
this
section
of
Scripture,
Paul
erupts
into
a
prayer
for
the
recipients
of
his
letter.
In
so
doing,
he
writes
a
summary
of
the
way
in
which
he
prays
for
the
believers
in
Ephesus.
d. We
can
draw
some
conclusions
about
our
own
prayer
lives
from
this
account.
And
we
can
allow
Paul’s
example
to
positively
influence
our
own
life
of
prayer
so
that
we
can
grow
to
become
mature
followers
of
Christ
whose
lives
are
marked
by
deep
intimacy
with
God
in
prayer.
2. Summary.
Let’s
try
to
form
a
mental
picture
of
Paul’s
prayer
life
on
the
basis
of
this
portion
of
his
letter
to
the
Ephesians
and
some
of
his
other
letters.
You
could
sum
up
Paul’s
prayer
life
with
three
phrases
that
occur
in
this
passage:
a. “I
do
not
cease…”
–
Paul
prayed
regularly
or
continually—he
was
committed
to
an
on-­‐going
life
of
prayer
during
the
course
of
every
day.

2.
b. “…to
give
thanks…”
–
Paul
expressed
thanks
and
gratitude
in
his
prayers—
thankfulness
was
a
critical
characteristic
of
his
recorded
prayers.
c. “…and
to
remember
you
in
my
prayers”
–
Paul
prayed
for
others.
Paul
had
a
ministry
of
intercession:
he
lifted
up
the
needs,
the
lives,
the
ministries
of
the
churches
and
individuals
he
served.
3. Paul
prayed
regularly
or
continually.
His
life
was
devoted
to
prayer
and
not,
perhaps,
in
the
way
we
typically
think—Paul
was
not
a
monk,
he
was
an
apostle.
An
apostle
has
a
very
active
life,
one
marked
by
travel,
teaching,
counseling.
He
didn’t
live
cloistered
like
a
monk.
a. Some
examples
from
his
letters
in
the
New
Testament
illustrate
the
constancy
of
Paul’s
prayers:
i. “Pray
without
ceasing…”
–
1
Thessalonians
5:17
ii. “[Pray]
at
all
times
in
the
Spirit…”
–
Ephesians
6:18
iii. “Be
constant
in
prayer…”
–
Romans
6:18
iv. “Continue
steadfastly
in
prayer,
being
watchful
in
it
with
thanksgiving…”
–
Colossians
4:2
b. As
Christian
disciples,
we
have
to
ask
the
question:
what
does
it
means
to
pray
continually
or
to
pray
without
ceasing?
It
could
easily
conjure
up
images
of
a
monk
living
in
a
cloister
and
never
leaving
his
cell—simply
praying
all
day
long.
As
I
mentioned,
Paul
was
an
apostle
and
not
a
monk.
His
life
was
full
to
the
brim
with
travel
and
the
adventures
of
being
a
church
leader
in
an
age
of
persecution.
Whatever
it
means,
pray
without
ceasing
cannot
mean
doing
nothing
other
than
praying.
i. To
enter
into
prayer
throughout
the
day
and
to
cultivate
an
awareness
of
living
life
in
the
presence
of
God
and
periodically
acknowledging
God’s
presence
by
voicing
a
prayer—of
thanks,
of
supplication,
of
confession,
of
adoration.
ii. It
is
said
that
Charles
Spurgeon
never
prayed
for
more
than
five
minutes
and
never
went
longer
than
five
minutes
without
praying.
He
sheds
some
light
on
the
subject
when
he
writes,
“If
I
am
to
pray
without
ceasing,
then
every
second
must
be
suitable
for
prayer,
and
there
is
not
one
unholy
moment
in
the
hour,
nor
one
unaccepted
hour
in
the
day,
nor
one
unhallowed
day
in
the
year.
The
Lord
has
not
appointed
a
certain
week
for
prayer,
but
all
weeks
should
be
weeks
of
prayer:
neither
has
he
said
that
one
hour
of
the
day
is
more
acceptable
than
another.
All
time
is
equally
legitimate
for
supplication,
equally
holy,
equally
accepted
with
God,
or
else
we

3. should
not
have
be
told
to
pray
without
ceasing.
It
is
good
to
have
your
times
of
prayer;
it
is
good
to
set
apart
seasons
for
special
supplication—we
have
no
doubt
of
that;
but
we
must
never
all
this
to
gender
the
superstition
that
there
is
a
certain
holy
hour
for
prayer
in
the
morning,
a
specially
acceptable
hour
for
prayer
in
the
evening,
and
a
sacred
time
for
prayer
at
certain
seasons
of
the
year.
Wherever
we
seek
the
Lord
with
true
hearts
he
is
found
of
us;
whenever
we
cry
unto
him
he
heareth
us.
Every
play
is
hallowed
ground
to
a
hallowed
heart,
and
every
day
is
a
holy
day
to
a
holy
man.”
(Source:
Pray
without
Ceasing).
iii. Perhaps
it
won’t
be
news
to
you
for
me
to
say:
we
are
limited
people—our
energy
is
limited,
our
attention
span
is
limited,
as
is
our
time,
and
certainly
our
faith.
Even
if
we
tried,
few
of
us
could
pray
for
24
hours
or
even
24
minutes.
1. God
knows
this
and
so
He
invites
us
to
pray
regularly,
to
pray
frequently,
to
make
a
habit
of
prayer
so
that
we
encounter
His
regularly
in
ways
that
renew
us.
2. We
will
find
that
as
we
devote
ourselves
to
prayer
our
faith
will
grow
as
will
our
ability
and
desire
to
be
in
prayer
through
the
day.
3. You
might
consider
praying
at
the
major
transitions
of
your
day:
as
you
rise,
as
you
arrive
at
your
place
of
work,
as
you
sit
to
eat
lunch,
as
you
arrive
home,
as
you
sit
for
dinner,
as
you
retire
to
bed.
A
ten-­‐
minute
pray
during
these
six
transitions
of
the
day
would
be
sixty
minutes
of
prayer.
4. Paul
gave
thanks
in
his
prayer.
Throughout
the
New
Testament,
Paul’s
prayers
have
the
quality
of
gratitude
to
them.
Let’s
take
a
look
at
this
theme
of
gratitude
in
Paul’s
prayers.
a. I’d
like
you
to
notice
first
that
Paul
was
thankful.
i. Thanksgiving
was
a
critical
part
of
Paul’s
prayer
life.
Whenever
he
prayed,
whenever
he
petitioned
God,
he
did
so
in
conjunction
with
thanksgiving.
1. Ephesians
5:19-­‐21
2. Philippians
4:6
3. Colossians
3:15-­‐17
4. 1
Thessalonians
5:17-­‐18
ii. It’s
important
that
in
our
prayer
we
practice
the
discipline
of
giving
thanks,
even
when
we
don’t
want
to.
Why?
1. It
reminds
us
of
God’s
blessings
to
us.

4.
2. It
helps
us
to
avoid
being
morbid
or
depressed
in
our
prayers.
3. It
sets
the
context
for
our
prayer
about
pain
and
suffering,
which
are
real,
and
reminds
them
that
while
they
are
real
they
are
not
all
that
is
real.
It’s
a
mark
of
our
culture
that
we
tend
to
emphasize
what
we
do
not
have,
what
rights
have
been
denied
to
us,
rather
than
celebrating
what
we
do
have.
If
we
carry
this
cultural
blind
spot
into
our
life
of
faith,
we
will
find
ourselves
quickly
becoming
bitter
disciples,
angry
Christians
whose
prayers
too
easily
become
a
list
of
gripes
and
complaints
against
God.
Of
course
God
will
hear
this
prayer,
but
God
will
not
desire
that
you
remain
the
pray-­‐er
of
such
prayer—He
will
work
to
move
you
in
a
deeper
sense
of
joy
in
Him.
b. Notice
why
was
Paul
grateful
or
thankful.
i. He
outlines
his
reasons
for
us
in
a
number
of
his
prayers—he
is
thankful
for
the
good
reports
he
has
heard
regarding
the
churches
in
and
around
Ephesus.
1. “…Because
of
their
faith
in
the
Lord
Jesus”
(v.
15a)
2. “…because
of
their
love
toward
all
the
saints”
(v.
15b)
ii. On
a
number
of
occasions,
when
Paul
talks
about
his
own
prayer
life,
he
says
that
he
prays
specifically
for
believers
to
grow
in
faith
and
love.
1. Colossians
1:4
–
“…since
we
heard
of
your
faith
in
Christ
Jesus
and
of
the
love
that
you
have
for
all
the
saints…”
2. Philemon
5
–
“…because
I
hear
of
our
love
and
of
the
faith
that
you
have
toward
the
Lord
Jesus
and
all
the
saints…”
iii. Why
is
this
Paul’s
prayer?
Because
faith
and
love
are
qualities
of
a
Christ-­‐like
life.
1. Charles
Hodge
called
faith
and
love,
“…the
two
leading
grace
of
Christian
character.”
(Source:
Hodge,
Ephesians,
p.
50)
iv. Paul
had
“heard”
about
the
progress
of
the
Ephesian
Christians
(v.
15).
1. Paul
kept
in
touch
with
the
churches
he
had
started—he
received
regular
reports
about
what
was
going
on
in
those
places
and
with
the
people
he
had
served.

5. a. To
the
Colossians
he
wrote,
“We
always
thank
God,
the
Father
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
when
we
pray
for
you,
since
we
have
heard
of
your
faith
in
Christ
Jesus
and
the
love
you
have
for
all
the
saints…”
(1:4)
b. To
Philemon:
“…because
I
hear
of
your
love
and
of
the
faith
which
you
have
toward
all
the
saints”
(5)
c. To
the
Romans:
“…I
thank
my
God
through
Jesus
Christ
for
all
of
you,
because
your
faith
is
proclaimed
in
all
the
world”
(1:8).
2. Paul
evidently
was
in
contact
with
the
elders
that
he
had
commissioned
in
Ephesus
and
Asia,
learning
from
them
concerning
the
health
and
vitality
of
the
congregations
under
their
care.
3. Application:
Paul
heard
good
reports
from
those
churches…
a. Do
our
lives
(individually
and
together
as
a
congregation)
commend
Christ
to
others?
b. Does
our
maturity
in
the
Christian
Faith
and
our
patient
suffering
in
the
world
cause
others
to
wonder
about
Christ?
c. Also
notice
how
Paul
is
thankful.
i. The
New
American
Standard
Bible
(NASB)
translates
verse
16:
“For
this
reason
I
too,
having
heard
of
the
faith
in
the
Lord
Jesus
which
exists
among
you
and
your
love
for
all
the
saints,
do
not
cease
making
mention
of
your
in
my
prayers…”
1. Paul’s
choice
of
“remembering”
or
“making
mention”
suggests
that
he
was
in
the
practice
of
mentioning
people
or
groups
of
people
in
his
prayer.
ii. So,
Paul’s
thanksgiving
is
specific
rather
than
general
or
generic.
1. There’s
nothing
particularly
sinful
about
praying,
“thank
you
for
my
many
blessings…”
2. There
is
something
better,
however,
about
naming
those
blessings
and
thanking
God
for
them.
3. Likewise
as
we
pray
for
needs,
it
is
better
to
pray
for
names
and
people
than
for
“those
in
need.”
a. It
can
soften
our
heart
to
those
who
suffer.

6.
b. It
can
prompt
us
to
love
or
serve
them
through
an
act
of
kindness.
c. It
can
remind
us
of
the
many
good
things
that
are
in
our
lives,
things
that
can
so
easily
and
so
quickly
leave
us.
iii. Application:
when
you
pray
do
you
pray
for
people,
do
you
feel
for
them
as
you
name
them
before
the
throne
of
God?
Does
your
prayer
prompt
you
to
be
moved
to
love
and
serve
them?
5. What
is
the
content
of
Paul’s
prayers?
What
is
it
that
he
prayed
for
on
the
behalf
of
the
Christians
in
Ephesus?
a. That
you
would
have
“a
spirit
of
wisdom
and
revelation,”
that
their
eyes
would
be
opened
in
the
knowledge
of
God
(1:17-­‐19).
i. What
does
this
mean?
1. The
New
English
Bible
translates
the
verse
a
little
clearer:
that
they
would
have
“…the
spiritual
power
of
wisdom
and
vision…”
ii. “Wisdom”
and
“Revelation”
come
from
the
Holy
Spirit.
It
is
the
role
of
the
Holy
Spirit
to
indwell
the
heart
of
the
believer
and
to
provide
a
living,
intimate
connection
between
the
believer
and
the
Godhead.
1. Paul
is
referring
to
the
work
of
the
Holy
Spirit
to
allow
us
to
understand
and
apply
the
Bible
to
our
lives,
but
more
than
that,
the
work
of
the
Spirit
to
bring
us
into
relationship
with
Christ—to
reveal
Jesus
to
us.
2. The
Spirit
draws
us
to
God;
he
brings
us
to
God.
John’s
Gospel
tells
us,
“But
the
Helper,
the
Holy
Spirit,
whom
the
Father
will
send
in
my
name,
he
will
teach
you
all
things
and
bring
to
you
remembrance
all
that
I
have
said
to
you.”
3. Paul
writes,
“Now
we
have
received
not
the
spirit
of
this
world,
but
the
Spirit
who
is
from
God,
that
we
might
understand
the
things
freely
given
us
by
God”
(1
Co
2:12-­‐13).
4. These
gifts
come
from
union
with
Jesus
Christ—a
personal
relationship
with
God
(see
Ephesians
1:8).
5. It
is
impossible
to
see
the
riches
of
the
Glory
of
God
apart
from
God
allowing
us
to
behold
it.

7. a. According
to
Paul,
his
Apostolic
mission
was:
“to
open
their
[the
Gentile’s]
eyes,
so
that
they
may
turn
from
darkness
to
light
and
from
the
power
of
Satan
to
God,
that
they
may
receive
forgiveness
of
sins
and
a
place
among
those
who
are
sanctified
in
[Jesus]”
Acts
26:18
b. That
they
would
have
knowledge
of
the
hope
they
are
called
to
(1:18a).
i. Other
translations
place
the
emphasis
on
the
calling
of
God
as
being
the
source
of
our
hope:
1. The
NASB
translates
it:
“…so
you
will
know
what
is
the
hope
of
his
calling…”
2. Charles
Hodge
translated
it:
“…the
hope
of
which
his
calling
is
the
source…”
ii. Let’s
dig
a
little
to
discover
what
is
that
calling?
Looking
across
the
New
Testament
we
can
survey:
1. We
are
called
to
God;
to
live
out
the
message
of
the
Gospel
of
His
glory
(past)
–
2
Timothy
1:9
2. We
are
called
to
live
in
a
manner
consistent
with
the
nature
and
attributes
of
God
(present)
–
Ephesians
4:1
3. We
are
called
to
pursue
God,
to
press
on
toward
Godliness
(holiness)
-­‐
Philippians
3:14
4. We
have
the
heavenly
calling
of
being
like
Christ,
our
elder
brother
(future)
–
Hebrews
3:1
5. We
are
called
to
be
one
with
Christ
as
He
is
formed
in
us
–
Colossians
1:27
c. That
they
would
have
knowledge
of
the
riches
of
their
spiritual
inheritance—that
is
the
inheritance
of
God
that
is
found
in
and
among
the
saints
(1:18b).
i. The
communion
of
saints
is
the
only
place
or
group
of
people
in
which
the
inheritance
of
God
is
to
be
found—it’s
nowhere
else.
We
are
bound
with
Christians
of
every
ethnicity,
every
culture,
from
every
age
of
Christian
history,
bound
together
as
joint-­‐heirs
of
the
spiritual
riches
of
Christ.
ii. As
we
are
enlightened
by
God’s
spirit,
they
increasingly
realize
the
riches
of
the
inheritance
they
have
received
in
Christ—
1. They
are
adopted
sons
and
daughters
of
God

8. 2. Their
name
appears
on
the
“Last
Will
and
Testament”
of
God
the
father
declaring
them
forgiven
of
their
sins,
righteous
in
Christ,
and
destined
for
eternity
with
God.
3. It
is
so
easy
to
take
this
for
granted.
It
is
so
natural
to
forget—to
forget
our
identity
as
the
beloved
Children
of
the
King.
We
have
to
remind
ourselves
and
to
root
ourselves
in
our
true
identity
by:
a. Praying
regularly
b. Reading
Scripture
regularly
c. Partaking
of
the
Sacraments
regularly.
d. Knowledge
of
the
immensity
of
God’s
power—His
“immeasurable
greatness”
and
“great
might”—1:19
i. These
are
superlative
qualities—there
is
nothing
or
no
one
who
is
greater
or
mightier—and
they
are
stacked
on
one
another
again
and
again:
1. His
life-­‐giving,
body-­‐resurrecting
power
2. His
soul-­‐saving
power
3. His
dominion-­‐giving
power
4. Paul
is
Philippians
3:20-­‐21
a. “But
our
commonwealth
is
in
heaven,
and
from
it
we
await
a
Savior,
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ,
who
will
change
our
lowly
body
to
be
like
His
glorious,
by
the
power
which
enables
him
even
to
subject
all
things
to
Himself.”
ii. This
is
the
power
that
is
made
available
to
us—this
is
the
God
who
calls
us
“friend,”
and
“beloved.”
6. This
great
and
glorious
Jesus
is
the
head
of
his
church,
which
is
his
body,
but
more
than
that
he
is
the
ruler
of
the
creation.
It
has
become
popular
to
emphasize
the
intimacy
of
Jesus—
that
he
suffers
with
us,
that
he
loves
us
deeply—and
he
does.
At
the
same
time,
however,
Scripture
also
shows
us
that
this
loving,
caring
Jesus
is
also
the
sovereign
of
all
that
is.
In
the
same
instant
he
can
wipe
away
our
tears
and
hold
the
waves
at
bay.
This
is
the
Jesus
that
I
need—who
loves
me
and
is
powerful
enough
to
save
me.
I
don’t
just
need
someone
to
suffer
with
me,
I
need
someone
who
will
make
the
world
right,
who
will
undo
injustice,
who
will
vanquish
sin,
and
death,
and
all
of
the
consequences
of
the
Fall
in
Genesis—this
is
the
Jesus
that
Paul
prays
to
and
the
Jesus
we
need.

9. a. Christ
has
been
raised
from
the
dead
(1:20a)
–
Jesus’
resurrection
is
our
guarantee
of
resurrection
in
the
life
to
come
and
shows
him
to
be
powerful
over
all.
b. Christ
has
been
seated
at
the
right
hand
of
God
the
Father:
i. He
has
all
authority
–
1. Christ
is
beyond
(above)
all
other
powers
both
now
and
forever
(1:21)
2. Christ
is
the
head
of
His
Church
a. Kephale
–
“head,”
“source”
ii. He
has
all
power
–
Christ
has
all
things
under
his
feet
(1:22a)
7. Conclusion
a. Paul
prayed
continually
–
he
centered
his
life
upon
God
and
in
prayer.
b. Paul
gave
thanks
in
prayer
c. Paul
prayed
for
believers
to
grow
in
their
faith
and
love
toward
Christ
d. Paul
prayed
with
specificity
e. Paul
prayed
for
wisdom
and
revelation
f. Paul
was
consumed
with
the
glory
of
God
and
the
Gospel