February 27 2026

Friday February 27

The Christian Soldier on His Knees

Ephesians 6:18-20

Welcome to Pastor’s Chat. Today we’re moving on to Ephesians 6:18–20. The Apostle Paul has been talking about putting on the whole armor of God, that we might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil—and having done all, to stand. But not only does he want us to stand; he also wants us to bow our knees. In these verses, Paul speaks about the Christian soldier on his knees.

He writes: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, 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.”

As Paul concludes the armor of God here in Ephesians 6, he does something very striking. He does not add another piece of armor. Instead, he brings us to prayer. Someone once wrote, “Put on the Gospel armor—each piece put on with prayer.” That captures Paul’s meaning perfectly. Prayer is not simply another weapon. Prayer is the very air that the Christian soldier breathes. It is the atmosphere in which we wear the armor and wield the sword. We cannot fight this battle in our own strength. No matter how gifted, trained, or experienced we may be, we are no match for the enemy apart from God.

Remember in the Old Testament, in Exodus 17:8–16, when the people of Israel had a conflict with Amalek. When Amalek attacked Israel, Moses went up on the mountain to pray while Joshua fought in the valley below. It took both. It took the intercession on the mountain and the sword in the valley to defeat the enemy. Prayer is the power for victory. Prayer is the exercise of faith. Prayer is putting the Word of God and the armor we have been given, into effect as we fight the battle and stand against the wiles of the evil one.

Paul has just told us in the previous verses to put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit. Now he says, “Praying always.”

Ephesians begins by lifting us up into the heavenlies in Ephesians 1:3. It catalogs the breathtaking blessings we have in Christ. We are chosen (1:4-5). We are redeemed and forgiven (1:7). We are sealed with the Holy Spirit (1:13-14). We are made alive (2:5-6). We are given bold access to God (3:12). We are made members of Christ’s body (2:19-22). We are equipped with spiritual gifts (4:7-12). We are given the fullness of the Spirit (5:18). We are armed for spiritual warfare in the verses we have just been studying (6:10-17). After listing all these riches, there is a danger for all of us—that of self-sufficiency.

Paul begins this letter with prayer in Ephesians 1:16-23, where he shares the prayer he has made for them. Then in chapter 3:14, Paul records another prayer. He says, “For this reason I bow my knees,” and he shares what he prays for the saints (vs. 15-21). He concludes that prayer with these words: “Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). Now Paul closes this letter by putting us on our knees!

In 1 Corinthians 10:12, Paul reminds us, “that we must take heed lest, when we think we stand, we fall”. The way we keep standing—this amazing picture—is by being on our knees. Standing on our knees is a powerful thought. That is how we stand against the wiles of the evil one. We continue praying always with all prayer and supplication. We must understand that God’s armor is not mechanical, and it is not magical. My friend, the gifts of the Spirit and the armor of God are not effective at all without prayer.

Prayer keeps us dependent upon God. When we bow our knees, it is a posture of submission and surrender. It is a picture of humility before a holy God. That is what prayer does. Oh, my friend, let us learn to pray always as we fight the battle against the evil one. Remember, prayer is the breath of the Christian soldier! Just, as you can’t live physically without breathing, you can’t stand spiritually without bowing in prayer!

God bless you, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day.