Eph 6:21-22 | KingComments | STEP | . Well, the soldier is dressed and protected. In full force, he is on the battlefield, ready to repel the attack. But what do you see then? He is kneeling down, without even watching out for the enemy. But that attitude makes him yet more vulnerable, doesn’t it? Nothing could be further from the truth. To fall down on your knees and start praying is the final piece of the armor. You can have everything put on optimally, but if you omit the prayer, you will surely lose the struggle. Through praying you don’t report to the enemy, but to God Who has all power in heaven and on earth. By prayer you rise above the struggle area and enter God’s holy place to see there the might of the Lord Jesus Who fights for you. He is the Commander; it is also His fight. He oversees the whole struggle area and gives His orders. It is striking that there is no symbol for prayer. Which symbol would be satisfying to reflect a prayer life? After all, it is important that you are continuously, “at all times”, in connection with God in your life. Prayer is, as it were, the breathing of the soul. Without prayer your spiritual life suffocates. The Holy Spirit Whom you have received ( ), wants to work this in you. He is the only One Who is able to. He knows exactly the feelings of the Lord Jesus and He also wants to work them in your heart. He leads you in your prayer and petition. Then you do not pray out of habit, but you urgently pray for what is needed. While praying, the risk is that your thoughts are wandering off or that you fall asleep. Therefore prayer goes together with being on the alert and with all perseverance. Through prayer the soldier is continually in connection with the Commander. Without that connection everything goes wrong. You will then act in self will and that will surely cause harm to the unity within the army. That would jeopardize the safety of others. Acting in this way shows that you don’t consider “all the saints” you are connected with. It is important to always consider “all the saints” ( ), for no saint is free from needs. We can pray for groups of believers, but let us also specifically name every saint in our prayers. . With the words “and [pray] on my behalf” Paul makes clear how much he appreciates the prayers for him personally and for his ministry. He doesn’t put himself above that, as if he wouldn’t need prayers. We see in this a clear indication to pray for each believer personally and for his or her ministry for the Lord. In this way Paul makes the believers become co-workers in passing on blessings which he presented to them in this letter. Because of their prayer support he can also make known to others “the mystery of the gospel”. He was convinced of the power of prayer. . He doesn’t ask them to pray for his release from imprisonment. To him the most important thing was the preaching of what God had entrusted to him and which was the cause of his imprisonment ( ). Therefore he asks them to pray that he might speak in such a way that is fully in accordance with the mystery of the gospel. It was important to him that his message would be well understood by the hearers. A preacher should always consider the level of his hearers. Not that the content of the message has to be adjusted to them, but the way that the message should be brought. Every situation is different. Therefore dependence on the Lord and supplication of believers are necessary to see what ought to be spoken in any situation. . The final words of Paul follow from this verse. We can say that love is the key issue of the final verses. In he speaks about love for one another; in it is about the love of and for God and the Lord Jesus. Paul was interested in all the believers, but he was also convinced that all the believers were interested in him. The thought that his situation was also of concern to others, is a great proof of love which filled his heart. He wants them to know how he is doing. Therefore he sends Tychicus to them. It is very likely that Tychicus has taken the letter, which Paul is now finalizing, with him. It is possible that Tychicus also had the letter for the church in Colossae ( ) with him. Paul calls him “the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord”. That is a nice testimony. He functions as a link between Paul in his imprisonment and the believers elsewhere. Such people are scarce, unfortunately. I hope that you want to be like Tychicus, that you want to be a ‘transmitter’ of the truth that you have learnt from Paul about the Lord Jesus. Your fellow believers will appreciate you as a ‘beloved brother’. But you are not to tell them what they like to hear, as ‘a faithful servant in the Lord’ doesn’t do that. ‘A faithful minister in the Lord’ speaks of both pleasant and unpleasant truths; he reports “everything” that is entrusted to him. . Tychicus didn’t transmit cool statistic data. He was someone who was fully involved with Paul and the other believers. In him also the feelings of Paul became visible for the believers. The Ephesians loved Paul, they are therefore saddened by his circumstances. Therefore they needed comfort. Tychicus knew how Paul felt, how he was doing. He was the right man for this mission. Paul sent him because Tychicus was able to give solace to the hearts of the Ephesians. This requires being able to empathize with what those hearts need. Although the Ephesians probably didn’t know Tychicus, they wouldn’t need time to get acquainted first. The love of Tychicus for Paul and the love of the Ephesians for the same Paul would have been felt mutually. As soon as you or I talk with someone, we also notice that that person loves the Lord Jesus when he loves the truths that are made known to us through the ministry of Paul. Thereby I especially think about the truths that are in connection with the heavenly blessings of the Christian and the unity between Christ and His church, which are wonderfully highlighted here. . His desire is that the “brethren” (the sisters are included) will experience the “peace … from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” and also “love with faith”. In this time of so many divisions and confusion, pain and rejection, we heartily join in this desire. Let us pray that that desire may be fulfilled. Love goes together with the confidence of faith here that He is above all circumstances and will fulfill His counsel and that there is nothing out of His control. The awareness of His love for us will strengthen our confidence in Him. In His love He will keep us. . To his previous wishes “grace” is now added. Grace is the basis of all life. If we stand in grace, then the awareness of the love from God the Father and the Lord Jesus for us will increase. And can our reaction be otherwise than a burning, unquenchable mutual love for the Lord Jesus Christ? We will love Him more and more, together “with all” who also do. What a joy such a reaction must be for Him, Who “loved the church and gave Himself for her”! Now read Ephesians 6:18-24 again. Reflection: How can other believers notice that you are interested in them?

‏ Ephesians 6:21-22

Prayer and Love

Eph 6:18. Well, the soldier is dressed and protected. In full force, he is on the battlefield, ready to repel the attack. But what do you see then? He is kneeling down, without even watching out for the enemy. But that attitude makes him yet more vulnerable, doesn’t it? Nothing could be further from the truth. To fall down on your knees and start praying is the final piece of the armor.

You can have everything put on optimally, but if you omit the prayer, you will surely lose the struggle. Through praying you don’t report to the enemy, but to God Who has all power in heaven and on earth. By prayer you rise above the struggle area and enter God’s holy place to see there the might of the Lord Jesus Who fights for you. He is the Commander; it is also His fight. He oversees the whole struggle area and gives His orders.

It is striking that there is no symbol for prayer. Which symbol would be satisfying to reflect a prayer life? After all, it is important that you are continuously, “at all times”, in connection with God in your life. Prayer is, as it were, the breathing of the soul. Without prayer your spiritual life suffocates.

The Holy Spirit Whom you have received (Eph 1:13), wants to work this in you. He is the only One Who is able to. He knows exactly the feelings of the Lord Jesus and He also wants to work them in your heart. He leads you in your prayer and petition. Then you do not pray out of habit, but you urgently pray for what is needed.

While praying, the risk is that your thoughts are wandering off or that you fall asleep. Therefore prayer goes together with being on the alert and with all perseverance. Through prayer the soldier is continually in connection with the Commander. Without that connection everything goes wrong. You will then act in self will and that will surely cause harm to the unity within the army. That would jeopardize the safety of others.

Acting in this way shows that you don’t consider “all the saints” you are connected with. It is important to always consider “all the saints” (Eph 1:15 ; Eph 3:18), for no saint is free from needs. We can pray for groups of believers, but let us also specifically name every saint in our prayers.

Eph 6:19. With the words “and [pray] on my behalf” Paul makes clear how much he appreciates the prayers for him personally and for his ministry. He doesn’t put himself above that, as if he wouldn’t need prayers. We see in this a clear indication to pray for each believer personally and for his or her ministry for the Lord. In this way Paul makes the believers become co-workers in passing on blessings which he presented to them in this letter. Because of their prayer support he can also make known to others “the mystery of the gospel”. He was convinced of the power of prayer.

Eph 6:20. He doesn’t ask them to pray for his release from imprisonment. To him the most important thing was the preaching of what God had entrusted to him and which was the cause of his imprisonment (Eph 3:1 ; Eph 4:1). Therefore he asks them to pray that he might speak in such a way that is fully in accordance with the mystery of the gospel.

It was important to him that his message would be well understood by the hearers. A preacher should always consider the level of his hearers. Not that the content of the message has to be adjusted to them, but the way that the message should be brought. Every situation is different. Therefore dependence on the Lord and supplication of believers are necessary to see what ought to be spoken in any situation.

Eph 6:21. The final words of Paul follow from this verse. We can say that love is the key issue of the final verses. In Eph 6:21-22 he speaks about love for one another; in Eph 6:23-24 it is about the love of and for God and the Lord Jesus.

Paul was interested in all the believers, but he was also convinced that all the believers were interested in him. The thought that his situation was also of concern to others, is a great proof of love which filled his heart. He wants them to know how he is doing. Therefore he sends Tychicus to them. It is very likely that Tychicus has taken the letter, which Paul is now finalizing, with him. It is possible that Tychicus also had the letter for the church in Colossae (Col 4:7) with him.

Paul calls him “the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord”. That is a nice testimony. He functions as a link between Paul in his imprisonment and the believers elsewhere. Such people are scarce, unfortunately. I hope that you want to be like Tychicus, that you want to be a ‘transmitter’ of the truth that you have learnt from Paul about the Lord Jesus. Your fellow believers will appreciate you as a ‘beloved brother’. But you are not to tell them what they like to hear, as ‘a faithful servant in the Lord’ doesn’t do that. ‘A faithful minister in the Lord’ speaks of both pleasant and unpleasant truths; he reports “everything” that is entrusted to him.

Eph 6:22. Tychicus didn’t transmit cool statistic data. He was someone who was fully involved with Paul and the other believers. In him also the feelings of Paul became visible for the believers. The Ephesians loved Paul, they are therefore saddened by his circumstances. Therefore they needed comfort. Tychicus knew how Paul felt, how he was doing. He was the right man for this mission. Paul sent him because Tychicus was able to give solace to the hearts of the Ephesians. This requires being able to empathize with what those hearts need.

Although the Ephesians probably didn’t know Tychicus, they wouldn’t need time to get acquainted first. The love of Tychicus for Paul and the love of the Ephesians for the same Paul would have been felt mutually. As soon as you or I talk with someone, we also notice that that person loves the Lord Jesus when he loves the truths that are made known to us through the ministry of Paul. Thereby I especially think about the truths that are in connection with the heavenly blessings of the Christian and the unity between Christ and His church, which are wonderfully highlighted here.

Eph 6:23. His desire is that the “brethren” (the sisters are included) will experience the “peace … from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” and also “love with faith”. In this time of so many divisions and confusion, pain and rejection, we heartily join in this desire. Let us pray that that desire may be fulfilled.

Love goes together with the confidence of faith here that He is above all circumstances and will fulfill His counsel and that there is nothing out of His control. The awareness of His love for us will strengthen our confidence in Him. In His love He will keep us.

Eph 6:24. To his previous wishes “grace” is now added. Grace is the basis of all life. If we stand in grace, then the awareness of the love from God the Father and the Lord Jesus for us will increase. And can our reaction be otherwise than a burning, unquenchable mutual love for the Lord Jesus Christ? We will love Him more and more, together “with all” who also do.

What a joy such a reaction must be for Him, Who “loved the church and gave Himself for her”!

Now read Ephesians 6:18-24 again.

Reflection: How can other believers notice that you are interested in them?