Amen. Hold on a second. I gotta check the air over here. That's why I'm hot. Okay.

Ephesians chapter six. Ephesians chapter six. This is the last message on a series of the armor of God. Started this back before, our revival services a few weeks ago in preparation for those revival services. We, as children of God, are called to be victors in Christ Jesus.

We are called to have the victory over sin and temptation, to claim victory in Jesus Christ, to be changed into the likeness of Christ, to enjoy the blessings of Christ, to be servants of Christ, his representatives in this world. We enjoy such a victory in Christ over the world, the flesh, and the devil. That victory is seen in our lives daily as we put on the what? Armor of God. Not as we determined on our own will and power that we're going to defeat the enemy today.

Not by going to the gym and pumping iron. Mhmm. Not by by going to school and learning calculus. Those things can be helpful, by the way. But you don't defeat spiritual enemies with calculus, and you don't defeat spiritual enemies with muscles.

Not this kind or well, I don't have much, but anyway, you get the point. But with spiritual muscles, with spiritual defenses, From where? How do we see the victory? With spiritual defenses from from God and from his word. Because greater is he that's in us than he that's in the world, and that's the Holy Spirit.

Look, if you would, in Ephesians chapter six as Paul uses an illustration of the armor of a Roman soldier to illustrate the pieces of armor that we need to put on in our fight against spiritual wickedness and enemies that we might have victory over them in Jesus Christ. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand.

Stand therefore having your loins gird about with truth. Truth is important, is it not? Claim the truth. Believe the truth. Search out the truth.

Having on the breastplate of righteousness, be determined to do what is what? Right in the eyes of God. Start out your day that way. Lord, I'm going to do what's right. Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

Ready and prepared to tell others about who? About Jesus Christ. Above all, taking the shield of faith wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Nothing Satan hates more than faith in God. And by faith, we will follow the Lord and not the wicked one.

The spirit and not the flesh. Take the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit which is the what? The word of God. We looked at that last week. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching there into with all perseverance and supplication for all saints 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.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you for your word. Thank you for this armor that we have in Christ Jesus. Lord, I I pray that we would not neglect to put it on to Lord, I pray that as we do, you would give us the victory in Jesus Christ.

Lord, thank you for the victory that is already ours and that a home that's already prepared for us, place that is reserved in heaven for those who know you as the Lord and savior of their life. I pray, Lord, that we would seek to be the witnesses for Christ here, to be the servants of Christ, to see the victory, Lord, today and tomorrow and the next day as we follow in the steps of Jesus Christ, our savior, and as we put on the whole armor of God. Lord, thank you for this gracious and wonderful gift, and most of all this morning, privilege of prayer. In Jesus' name, do pray. Amen.

Yet another sermon on prayer. Why? Well, this morning, for several reasons. Because God chose to place it here at the end of this lift of the armor that we've been studying. The armor that we need to fight the enemies of the Lord, protect ourselves and others from the harm that Satan and sin would inflict upon us.

Paul included it here for a reason. It's part of our power, our defense against the enemy, against spiritual wickedness in high places, against the world, the flesh, the devil. It is important and it's here. So that's one reason. Number two, because prayer is the ultimate expression of faith in God as the believer demonstrates their faith in a God they cannot see and his power to change things in a world we can see and his love and interest in our needs and concerns so as to actually talk, communicate with him.

That's what prayer is. It is an expression, an incredible expression of faith. It's one thing to say, well, I believe this and I believe that and I believe this and I believe that and list all those things. It's another thing to put your faith in action, actually call on God in heaven believing that he is hearing your what? Your prayers.

How foolish would it be to pray to a God who's not there? How foolish would it be to pray to a God who does not care? How foolish would it be to pray to a God you don't believe in? Like talking to somebody that's not there in a room all by yourself, but he is there. Faith is a great expression.

I mean, prayer is a great expression of faith and a God who is real. Not just a religious ritual, but faith that there is a God in heaven who is listening and interested. Because the ultimate defense we possess against the enemy is God, is God himself. And prayer is going straight to the source while acknowledging as the scriptures say that without him, we can do what? Nothing.

Nothing of eternal value. And with him, all things are possible. We need him. Prayer is an expression that we know that, that we do need him, and and we do. I I decided I'd just go ahead and throw it up there for you to read along with me.

Anybody ever heard of George Mueller? He was a preacher of the word of God and also had many orphanages, many orphans he took care of in a time in in England when money was scarce. And so I thought I'd put this up on the screen, read for you. This is a a testimony of the prayer life, and there are many of these examples of George Mueller and how the Lord provided to take care of the orphans that were in his his care. Now, this is one of those one of those examples.

One morning, he wrote, all the plates and cups and bowls on the table were empty. There was no food in the larder and no money to buy food. The children were standing waiting for their morning meal when Mueller said, children, you know, we must be in time for school. Then lifting up his hands, he prayed, dear father, we thank thee for what thou art going to give us to eat. When did he make that prayer?

While they were standing there at the table with no food. Alright? There was a knock at the door. The baker stood there and said, mister Mueller, I couldn't sleep last night. Somehow, I felt you didn't have bread for breakfast, and the Lord wanted me to send you some.

So I got up at 2AM and baked some fresh bread and had brought it. Mister Mueller thanked the baker, and no sooner had he left when there was a second knock at the door. It was the milkman. He announced that his milk cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. And he would like to give the children his cans of milk so he could empty his wagon and repair it.

Now, this this is not just a mere story. These these are from his biography. These are things that actually happened to him and many people that can verify that things like this happened to George Mueller all the time to take care of the orphans. He didn't have a bunch of people supporting him with tons of money coming in. Day by day, the Lord provided so that they had food, they had heat, they had a roof over their head, and so he could give them the word of God and not only change their their temporal needs, but also meet their eternal spiritual needs as well.

What is the problem with the church today? No prayer, little prayer, insincere prayer, or faithless prayer equals no power. And that is the truth. One of the big most lacking things in the church today is real prayer, prayers of faith to a God who is there, not just going through a ritual to make you feel better or praying before you eat your food because, well, that's what we do. We're Christians.

James four, James says, ye have not because you, what? You asked not. And in Matthew seven, Jesus says, ask and it shall be what? And it shall be given. Ask.

But oftentimes, we have not because we ask not or we ask amiss. We don't ask in faith or we ask to for selfish and worldly reasons. The power, as Paul noted here in the passage, is not in man's great intellect and reasoning skill or in man's incredible physique or or vast knowledge or advanced technology or the power of the will of man. But the power comes from who? Comes from God.

How do you tap into that power? Well, God says all you gotta do is what? Ask. Ask and it shall be given. Seek and you shall find.

Knock and it shall be opened unto you. Prayer is not listed as a piece of armor but as a reminder that the battle belongs to who? The Lord. The battle against spiritual wickedness, we require the assistance of the highest spiritual authority and power in the universe who is at available to us twenty four seven. Isn't that incredible?

President's not available to you twenty four seven, is he? He's not available to you at all. But the king of the universe, he is. He's not only that, he's my father and he's available. Not only is that he invites me to come before him, to bring my request before him.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. That's concerning prayer. God says, you have a need? Don't come hesitantly. Come boldly because we can be assured that this privilege and power is available to us because, as you read in the context in Hebrews four, because Christ died on the cross, making the way to God through no other mediator than Christ himself by his death and resurrection.

When Christ died, the wall of separation which held us apart from God was torn in two, allowing us certain access to God through Christ. Not a priest, not a dead saint, not Mary, but Christ alone. Christ who died for man's sins, who tore the barrier in two, who rose again from the dead, who was seated at the right hand of the father where he is our advocate and ever lives to make intercession for us. In second Timothy chapter two, we're reminded that there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Let me read the context for you, verses one through six.

I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, and intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one mediator there's one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. What is that passage about? That passage is about prayer.

That's how it starts in verse one. I exhort, therefore, first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. On the basis of what? That Jesus Christ is the mediator between us and God based on what he did for us on the cross of Calvary. We have this invitation to come boldly before the throne of grace.

That is with confidence that God will hear our prayers, that he's listening, that we're not just speaking in the air, that we're not just going through a spiritual ritual, but you're talking to the God of heaven Who cares about who? You. Now prayer is the activity which affords us the greatest benefit in this battle. Standing in the might and power of God means actively seeking it through prayer. It is the act of humbling ourselves before him, but not as a beleaguered servant or a defeated foe, but as a beloved and exalted child who has the ear of our father in heaven.

My children were little. Sometimes they'd come to me with with needs. They want me to hear what they had to say or they they needed something, and they had my ear because I was their father and they were what? My child. He is our father and we are his children.

You know something? He wants to hear what we have to say. He wants to help us. We have his ear. Sad to say, too often, we don't bother to talk to him.

We don't bring our needs before him or we do, but not not really in faith that he's going to do something about it. So we are told back in Ephesians six and verse 18, a few things here. Verse first of all, we're to pray what? Verse 18, we're to pray always. That means at all times or seasons.

Pray without ceasing, first Thessalonians five seventeen. Pray always. Pray in the morning when you get up. Pray before you go to bed at night. You can pray in your car while you go down the road.

Whenever you need to talk to God, do what? Talk to Him. Pray. He's there. He's listening.

You may look funny to some people driving down the road in a car talking to nobody, but you're not talking to nobody, are you? You're talking to God. And by the way, there's a lot of people driving down the road, looks like they're talking to nobody. They got those little things in their ear, you know? You walk in the nurse jabbering, it's like, oh, that's right.

They got that Bluetooth thing in their ear. Prayer is better than Bluetooth, by the way. And the person on the other end of the line probably cares for you more more than the person on that end of that Bluetooth phone conversation you got going. So pray always. God invites it.

With all prayer and supplication, all kinds of prayer and petitioning, formal and informal. Our father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Formal prayers, informal prayers. God, help.

That's a prayer. Public. Like, we started the service. We'll end the service with prayer. And in your closet in private.

God hears both. We shouldn't we shouldn't neglect either. Long prayers, brief prayers, Just pray in the spirit. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit. In what manner?

In submission to the direction and power of God, the Holy Spirit who lives inside of our hearts. In accordance with the will of who? And in the power and direction of who? The Holy Spirit. With all perseverance, persistence, confidence, belief, don't give up.

Keep what? Keep praying. So many times we pray for something, we don't see it happen tomorrow, we just what? We just quit. Do you think George Mueller just quit?

No. He didn't. Why? Because the kids who needed food today also needed food what? Tomorrow.

We kept praying. God kept providing. He'd do the same for us. Be persistent. Persevere.

And for all saints and all men, the objects of our prayer. Like the the good Samaritan that helped his neighbor and his his neighbor happened to be the guy that he stumbled over while traveling down the road to Jericho. Whoever's in need, you can pray for them. Might not be able to do anything else for them, but you can do what? You can pray for them.

Pray for your friends. Pray for your family. Pray for your enemies. God has told us to do that. For those that persecute you and despitefully use you, pray for them.

Pray for them. You can't change their heart, but there is one who can. He can. Again, in first second Timothy two one, it says, I exhort, therefore, that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. Consider this for just a moment.

Three things in closing. Prayer is for God. Prayer is not just for you, prayer is for for God. God desires our prayers. Prayer is an expression of worship.

The word proseuchomai that is normally the word translated prayer in our New Testament means to humble yourself before. It is a word that implies worship and humility. Prayer is important to God. It is for him. It is a manner of worship to him.

It exalts his holiness. Our father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy thy name. It declares our dependence and trust upon him. It expresses our gratitude, or it should. With thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God.

In everything, give thanks. We conquer when we praise and honor who? The Lord. The blessed best place for you to be is on your knees before the Lord in your heart, if not physically on your knees. Exalting him.

Because when we exalt the savior, he exalts who? He exalts us. That's what David did before Goliath. He exalted the Lord. The Lord gave him the victory.

That's what the children of Israel did at Jericho. They walked around the walls 13 times, and on the thirteenth time on the seventh day, what did they do? They praised the Lord and the walls fell down. In Nehemiah one five, Nehemiah prayed. He said, I beseech thee, o Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe His commandments.

And then Nehemiah went on with the rest of his prayer. But prayer is worship. And the God that Nehemiah worshiped and exalted exalted Him and the nation of Israel, provided them with the ability to rebuild the walls in the city in answer to his prayer. In acts four thirty one, it says, and when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Prayer is worship.

Do we worship? Praise and proclaim our dependence upon the holiness and faithfulness and loving kindness of the Lord by going to him in prayer? We should. It's for him, not just for us. And as we exalt the Lord who deserves to be exalted, he acts.

Number two, prayer is for you. Prayer is for you. That word supplication means making of requests, bringing petitions before the Lord. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Who is that for? It's for you. Prayer is for God. He deserves it.

But prayer is also for you because in Christ, you deserve it. Because you are a child of who? You are now a child of God. And he has opened wide the gates and invited you in. Prayer is also for you.

We conquer when we ask for God's help. As Nehemiah before the king in Nehemiah two four, Nehemiah went before the king and he had to ask the king a question and he knew that the king might just decide to kill him for asking the question. So Nehemiah took a big breath, and then it says this. The king said unto me, for what dost thou make request? Then Nehemiah said, so I prayed to the God of heaven.

Now, don't think he prayed out loud. I don't think it was a lengthy prayer. It's just, Lord, help. And then he opened his mouth and the Lord filled it. Not only filled the mouth of Nehemiah, filled the heart of the king of Persia.

It's for you. For Abraham's servant. Abraham's servant was given the incredible job of going and finding a wife for Abraham's son Isaac. He was entrusted with finding the right woman and bringing her back. So you know what he did?

Before he got there, he got down on his knees and he said he prayed to the Lord and he said, Lord, show me. Make it make it clear as a billboard, you take this person. Make it the woman who comes and and happens to be at the well who not only offers to give us water, but offers to give water to all my what? Tamils. He needed help.

God gave it. Her name? Rebecca. As David, over and over again in the Psalms, as Daniel and his friends prayed, as the king had ordered all the wise men of of Babylon to be killed, What did Daniel and his friends do? Well, they went to God and they huddled together and they they prayed and said, God, we are going to be killed, Lord.

We need your help. Please show us this dream and this interpretation. Did God do it? Of course, he did. Ask and it shall be be given.

It's okay to thirst for things you need. We have a God in heaven, a good God, powerful God, but loving God. Says in first John five fourteen, this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. Prayer is for you. So ask.

He's listening. And then prayers for others. That's the word intercession. That's praying for others. That's pleading on behalf of others.

Intercession. Prayer is an opportunity for you to do something for somebody that you you yourself can't provide, you yourself can't can't perform, and they desperately need it. And you can't do it, but I know someone who can. So do you. So rather than worrying about what's going to happen to you or what's going to happen to them, it's time to pick up this piece of weaponry that God has given to us, prayer, and get on our knees and pray for them.

In James chapter five, we're told to pray for one another. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth, accomplishes, performs much. Much if you pray. And some people need you to pray for them. They're not praying.

They don't know to pray. They don't many cases don't know the God of heaven. Some of them do, but they need your prayers too. Pray. Jesus prayed for us.

John seventeen nine, I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine. Paul prayed for his converts for this cause, Colossians one nine, for this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Paul asked that others pray for him and intercede in his behalf for his ministry, for his safety all throughout his writings. Brethren, pray for us.

Second Thessalonians five twenty five. Second Thessalonians three one. Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you. Ephesians chapter six verse 19, and for me that utterance may be given. Paul acknowledged that he couldn't do it alone.

He needed whose help? God's help. He said, please pray for me. This pastor asked you, please pray for me because I'm human just like you are. I need God's help.

I need his courage. I need his wisdom. I need his guidance just like you do. Please pray for me And pray for your family member. Pray for your friend.

Pray for that neighbor. Intercede. Take the opportunity. It can change their life forever. God is listening.

Do you care enough to pray? I can't save anyone, cure anyone, change their family, change their future, change their heart, but I know someone who can. And he listens to my prayers. He listens to yours. Through prayer, God changes lives, alters circumstances, moves mountains, softens hearts, cures diseases, forgives sin, empowers servants, enlightens disciples, gives courage, renews strength.

Well, we could go on, for it's a long list. But we have not because we want, we ask not. The problem with the church today is powerless prayer life on the part of many of his children and many of his churches. We take prayer for granted. We could be changing lives.

We could see God do wonderful things in our life. We could be honoring, exalting God in prayer as we should be, but we're not. Many cases. Prayer is important. That's why it's in this passage.

You want to get victory over sin? Pray. You want you want to see a friend, a family member who's struggling help? Pray. You have a bill that you can't pay, pray.

Believe that there is a God in heaven who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. But most importantly, there is one prayer that God is waiting to hear from you. A prayer that he is inviting that is vital for you, and that is the sinner's prayer for repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. If you have yet to pray that prayer if you have yet to pray that prayer, then all of the rest of this is kind of obsolete, not not worthwhile until you become a child of who? Child of God.

If you reject Jesus Christ, if you have yet to receive God's invitation to salvation and become a child of God, then you do not have his ear the way you could. The first thing you need to pray is Lord, save my soul and forgive my sin and be the Lord and savior of my life. And he will make you his child and he will give you eternal life and he will forgive your sins. In Romans ten thirteen, it says, for whosoever shall what? Call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Let me ask you a question this morning. When did you do that? I'm not asking you were you born in a Christian home. I'm not asking you when you got baptized, whether that was dunked in water or whether somebody sprinkled water on top of your head and called it baptism. Not asking you when you joined the church or how many good things you have done or whether when you were first taught about Jesus.

I'm asking you when did you choose by faith to call on him to be the Lord and savior of your life and forgive your sins that you might become a child of God. Because if you've done that, everything we talked about this morning, it is available to who? To you. But if you haven't done that, you're outside the family of God. But that can change today.

You can become a child of God. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name. Would you call on him in prayer today? If you have not, behold, today is the day of what? Salvation.

He's waiting. His arms open wide. His his son seated his right hand who died on the cross for your sins and rose again. Will you call on him in prayer today and ask him to be your savior? If you will, he will hear your prayer, and he will save your soul.

Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord, for your word. Thank you for the wonderful privilege we have, Lord, to intercede in the lives of others, maybe on the other side of the world, but, Lord, you know them, you care about them, and you will hear our prayer in their behalf. Lord, for the privilege to pray and bring the request before you of the needs that we have, Lord, and see you do great and mighty things in our lives. A privilege, Lord, to come before the God of heaven and worship the holy one of Israel, the God of grace and truth, the God who made the world and yet loves his creation.

Lord, thank you for the privilege of prayer. Forgive us for neglecting it if we have, for praying faithlessly or going through the motions. Lord, thank you that you are in the room, that our prayers are not bouncing off the ceiling. They're not going out into the air, but into the ear of the one who sent his son to die on the cross for our sins. And I pray if there's one today that is yet to pray that prayer of repentance and faith and trust in Jesus Christ, I pray that would be the prayer they make this morning that they might become a child of God and know what it is to be forgiven and a child of God.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. If you take your hymn books, if you