Ephesians 6:18-20

For whom should we pray? Every believer.

Here is our fourth all. “For all the saints” (Eph 6:18). This is the ninth and final time Paul uses the word saints to refer to those who’ve believed on Christ for salvation. As saints, we’ve been chosen and set apart by God for the special purpose of serving him.

• This group of people included believers in the church at Ephesus (Eph 6:1) and believers throughout the world (Eph 1:15).
• God guarantees that this special group of people will receive an abundant inheritance in eternity (Eph 1:18) and that we’re equal members in the family of God (Eph 2:19).
• Paul considered himself to be among this group (Eph 3:8) and prayed that we would comprehend the full scope of God’s love for us (Eph 3:18).
• He also taught that everyone of us should participate in ministries that build up the church (Eph 4:12) while abstaining from immoral and materialistic behavior (Eph 5:3).

To “pray for all the saints” does not require us to pray for every Christian who’s ever been alive or will ever walk the earth, nor does it obligate us to pray for every believer in the world today. It means we expand our prayers beyond ourselves to include prayers for one another, especially other believers in your church and broader circle of Christian friends.

Perhaps you’ve heard the rhythmic, memorable saying, “A family that prays together stays together.” Well, that’s kind of what Paul is teaching here about the church. “A church that prays together stays together” – or rather stands together in our spiritual struggle.

Paul not only teaches this kind of commitment to prayer, but he models it well. In Eph 1:15-23 (esp. v. 16) he explained how he prayed for the believers at Ephesus to receive wisdom and power from God to live out their calling. Then in Eph 3:14-21 he explained how he prayed for them to be able to comprehend the full scope of God’s love and the full magnitude of God’s power within their lives.

For whom should we pray? Our spiritual leaders.

Now here’s an intriguing turn. To “all believers,” Paul adds “[even] for me” (Eph 6:19). By “throwing this in” here, Paul reveals his own keen sense of a need for prayer. Not even Paul believed he could succeed at his mission without the prayers of others for him.

Just because he was the “apostle Paul,” a respected leader in the church, didn’t mean he was above the need for prayer. In fact, he had already revealed a humble mindset when he described himself as “the least of all saints” to whom God has given a big responsibility, to reveal and explain to the world God’s teaching about the church (Eph 3:8-9).

Here again Paul refers to his overwhelming assignment. “That utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Eph 6:19-20). These words are more than a request for God to help him be evangelistic. They refer to his special assignment from God for the church to the world.  

When Paul wrote this letter, he was serving a 2-yr. term in a prison at Rome chained to two Roman guards. He was there because Jews at Jerusalem had accused him of treason for spreading the news about God’s redemptive plan for this age. Now he was scheduled to appear before Caesar and the Roman tribunal (a panel of Roman powerful officials), with death by execution being a possible outcome.

Knowing Paul’s dilemma, pay careful attention to his request. He didn’t ask for a fast release from prison; he prayed for a successful mission. He didn’t ask to get out of jail, but he asked for confidence and courage to be successful while he was there – for God to give him the right words to say since he would have no lawyers to speak on his behalf.

Paul knew that by taking his case to the highest court in the empire he could establish a precedent for the gospel as a peaceful, reasonable message throughout the world. This would serve as a capstone, then, on his apostolic mission as an ambassador for God, opening the way for the church to advance throughout the world for centuries to come.

From Paul’s perspective, going through prison to the courtroom of Caesar was a high risk, high reward opportunity, and this was certainly one of those “times” (or “seasons”) of his life that required much prayer. He wanted to go into this moment standing for the Lord and he wanted to come out of it victorious.

Do we pray for other believers?

• Our spouse
• Our children
• Our parents
• Our extended family
• Our brothers and sisters in the church
• Our missionaries
• Our spiritual leaders