Spiritual Warfare: Prayer Support

Dr Alfonse Javed
Jun 29
10 min read

The Spirit aligns our prayers with God’s will, timing, and purpose of God while He comforts and encourages us to stand firm.

Ephesians 6:18-24 - ¹⁸praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

²¹So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. ²²I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.

²³Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.

Why does Paul end this book and the list of the armor of God with prayer? I believe it’s because prayer is the secret weapon that undergirds the whole armor of God. On one hand, prayers act as the air support that ground troops need to advance on the battlefield and on the other hand, prayers connect us to the command center in the heavenly places. Imagine you're a soldier, fully armored, standing on the battlefield. You've got the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, and the sword of the Spirit that we studied last time. But there's one problem— how would you communicate with your command center?

The problem is that without communication with your commander, you might be able to stand firm for a while, but unless you get direction, encouragement, and backup support, your defeat is inevitable. People need to know that in spiritual warfare, prayer connects us with the command center. It is not just a defensive weapon; it’s our lifeline to our Commander, Jesus.

In Ephesians 6:18-24, as Paul closed the letter to the Ephesian church, he called the church to a renewed commitment to Spirit-led, intercessory, and mission-driven prayer life because in spiritual warfare, our survival depends on the prayer support.

The big idea is that in spiritual warfare, prayer support is not optional— it is essential, not just for our personal battles, but for the battles of everyone around us. So, are we willing to join our fellow believers in a unified, persistent, powerful prayer life that can shake the very gates of hell? God is calling us together to powerful persistent prayer in the Spirit of God, purposeful persevering prayer for the saints of God, and peaceful proclaiming prayer for the servants of God.

Powerful Persistent Prayer in the Spirit of God (Ephesians 6:18a)

The first part of Ephesians 6:18 reads, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.”

First, our prayers need to be persistent, that’s what “all times” means. We cannot just give up when we do not hear our preferred response. Is there something you have been praying for a long time and are unsure whether you will ever receive an answer? 1 Thessalonians 5 says, “pray without ceasing.”

Second, our prayers need to be in the Spirit. We cannot allow our emotions, worries, problems, and preferences to determine what we pray and how we pray because prayer is a spiritual matter, and our fight is in the spiritual realm.

Third, that it should be true for all kinds of prayers, whether adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication, or intercession.

It is by God’s Will that after defining the battlefield, describing Satan's schemes, and declaring what, why, and how the whole armor of God can defeat our adversary, the devil, Paul introduces the secret weapon that is often ignored, misunderstood, and underutilized by most Christians, including me: prayer.

God is calling His redeemed children to a lifestyle of prayer. That doesn’t mean we need to be on our knees 24/7; rather, it is a reminder of our position in Christ and posture of uninterrupted communication with Jesus, no matter where we are.

In the illustration of Roman soldiers, they would never go into battle without armor. However, even the best-equipped soldiers would fail if they were cut off from their commander. Our commander in this spiritual warfare that manifests in physical battles is Christ. As long as we remain in regular communication with Jesus, we walk in faith, but the moment we are cut off, fear and doubts invade our minds. This is why we are told to pray in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

The Spirit is the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Godhead, the Trinity. The term “third person” does not mean that He is less divine or subordinate in any way; it refers to the order of the position of the Holy Spirit in the traditional order of the Trinity. Otherwise, He is co-equal, co-eternal God, equal in power, glory, and essence with God the Father and God the Son. Just like God the Father and God the Son, God the Holy Spirit is a distinct person within the Godhead with His own intellect, will, and emotions.

He has a distinct function within the Godhead. He descended on Pentecost to counsel, guide, and assist the church. Jesus, in John 16, described His role and function in these words, “^7b…I will send Him [the Holy Spirit]. ⁸And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” John 16:13-14 continues , “¹³When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” So, the Holy Spirit convicts our hearts of our sin by opening our eyes, ears, and hearts to the truth of the Trinity.

In my conversations with Muslims, they always say the word, trinity, is not in the Bible. That is true, but the concept of the Trinity is everywhere in the Bible. They also want us to explain the Trinity, to which I say only the Holy Spirit can explain that. Unless one has the Holy Spirit, the idea of the Trinity sounds nonsensical.

The Holy Spirit reveals the truth that in Christ, God took on flesh, became man, and lived among us, died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 3-4). When we accept the truth about Christ revealed by the Spirit, we are saved, and immediately the Spirit comes to reside in our hearts forever to continue to guide us in truth and righteousness so we may live a holy and righteous life worthy of our confession of faith in Jesus.

In Greek, the word Christ used for the Holy Spirit is parakletos, which means advocate, comforter, and intercessor. As an intercessor, He is praying for and with us. Romans 8:26 says, “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

Application

Make space in your life to pray intentionally, not just reactively, but proactively as you ask the Holy Spirit to lead your prayers, even when you don’t know what to say.

Purposeful Persevering Prayer for the Saints of God (Ephesians 6:18b)

Ephesians 6:18 continues, “To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” Perseverance is the act of endurance in pursuit of a goal while facing various challenges and obstacles. Those challenges can be job-related, health-related, or relationship-related. The verse calls us to keep alert as we endure all for Jesus, and not only that, it calls us to pray for fellow believers because they are also enduring all that in pursuit of Jesus, for a godly life, and gospel proclamation.

In Greek, the term “keep alert” is agrupneo, which means to stay awake, or being on guard like a watchman on a city wall. Jesus used agrupneo in Mark 13:32-33 to alert us regarding His sudden second coming, “ ³²“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Be on guard, keep awake.For you do not know when the time will come.” In Luke 21:34-36, Jesus used agrupneo to alert us to what we must face while on earth, “³⁴“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. ³⁵For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Last time, I shared that the shield of faith has the idea that we must practice our faith in the community of believers by locking in our shields of faith to protect against the flaming arrows of the devil while we advance in the camp of the enemy. Intercessory prayer is spiritual vigilance for the souls of others who are locking in their shields of faith with yours. If they fall, you fall; if they win, you win. However, when we keep alert with all perseverance, we intercede for each other. If you attend our Wednesday prayer service, you will hear that all of our prayer time is devoted to intercessory prayer for our brothers and sisters. I see the same in our small groups.

Application

Praying in the Spirit doesn’t mean we will not be attacked, but it does mean He will strengthen us to persevere. The Spirit aligns our prayers with God’s will, timing, and purpose of God while He comforts and encourages us to stand firm.

Let’s pray for each other regularly because the strongest churches are not the loudest, but the ones praying for one another in secret.

Peaceful Proclaiming Prayer for the Servants of God (Ephesians 6:19–24)

Ephesians 6:19-24 reads, “¹⁹and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. ²¹So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. ²²I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. ²³Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.”

Paul was arguably the great evangelist, apostle, yet he pleaded for prayer, not for comfort or safety, though he was in prison, but for boldness in gospel proclamation. We ought to peacefully proclaim the gospel, the peace that comes from knowing that God the Holy Spirit convicts hearts, and converts people, and not us.

In my previous church, a group of ladies led by the Holy Spirit felt that when the pastor preached, they would commit to praying for the preaching of the Word. This is not just a prayer for pastors— it’s a call to pray for all who carry the gospel: missionaries, evangelists, church planters, and faithful witnesses in secular workplaces.

Application

This might seem self-serving, but pray for me while I preach, but also as I prepare. Pray that as I preach, may the Spirit of God move in my heart and yours. Pray for proclamation and salvation.

As I close, I want you to imagine how the forces of darkness will tremble if we all begin to support each other in the spiritual warfare with the most powerful, purposeful, and peaceful weapon: prayer, how the prince of darkness, Satan, will feel when we begin to pray for each other with persistence, for perseverance, and proclamation, how the Lord of all, Jesus, will be pleased to see us praying in the Spirit of God, for the saints of God, the servants of God. So that the gospel can reach everyone.

Action Step

Set aside 15 minutes daily for Spirit-led prayer. Intercede for at least three people in your church. Commit to be a global intercessor. In Ezekiel 22:30, God said to Ezekiel that He looks for even one person who can “stand in the gap before me.” Imagine if we all stand in the gap as intercessors for each other.

Appeal

If you’re here today and you’ve never known the intimacy of speaking to God as Father, it begins with surrendering to Christ and turning everyday moments into prayerful moments— commutes, chores, walks. When prayer becomes our habit, power becomes our posture. Far too many Christians today are living without this power posture because they don’t use prayer as oxygen for breathing, but aspirin or an ATM when they need something.

So, don’t treat prayer like a last resort, but a first instinct. It is not your spiritual 9-1-1 call, but a daily communion with the living God. Acts 4 tells us the early church was persecuted and pressured. They didn’t panic, but prayed, and as a result, in Acts 4:31, we read, “the place where they had gathered was shaken.” (Acts 4:31). When they prayed, heaven responded. Walls trembled. Hearts were filled. The Holy Spirit moved. The gospel advanced.

Do we believe that it can still happen today? Do we believe God still answers bold prayers with bold power? If the answer is yes, please stand up wherever you are with whatever need you may have and let’s fire up the heart of God with prayer in the Spirit.