Fighting Fire

Ephesians 6:18-20 CSB

“Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.”

The knees of turnout pants are heavily reinforced and padded.

• Being on our knees in a super-heated room keeps us below the heat.
• Being on our knees keeps us out of the gasses and the danger of flashover.
• It keeps us out of the smoke layer so we can see where the victim is.

When danger is overhead, how much time are you spending on your knees? And when you do, what’s the prayer of your heart? Are you begging to be spared from harm or are you praying for boldness to accomplish the mission?

Listen to what Paul asks for from the Ephesus believers in the last 3 verses of our passage in Ephesians 6:18-20

“Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.”

Even as he’s chained to a Roman prison wall, Paul is on his knees begging God for even more boldness. He could be praying for his own release but instead, he wants to remain bold for Gospel. That’s what landed him in jail in the first place but he’s staying on mission and refusing to let fear take him off course.

No matter what his circumstance, he’s taking every advantage to be a Bold witness for the Gospel, but he’s declaring his need, as a rescuer for prayer –

• Pray for me and others
• Pray that I will know what to say
• Pray that I will share the Gospel with clarity
• Pray that I’ll represent Christ well
• Pray that I’ll speak boldly

Are these things that you’re on your knees begging God for? How does this compare to your prayer life?  What if we started our day praying for the same things that Paul prays for here?