Pray also for me
Ephesians 6:19-20 - The mystery is God’s profound and unexpected grace to mankind to reconcile all of humanity to Himself, and to one another.
“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
Ephesians 6:19-20 NIV
The closing chapter of Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians has four major messages: how to live a Spirit-filled life (including how to treat others, i.e. parents and children, employers and employees), fighting against forces of evil, equipping oneself with the armor of God, and how Christians should use spiritual strength and the armor of God.
As he nears the conclusion of the letter, Paul humbly asks for the Ephesians to pray for him. Paul is not asking for prayers for release from his imprisonment in Rome, but instead imploring the readers to pray for him to always be able to preach the Gospel fearlessly.
Paul frequently asked for prayers from the churches he wrote to. This was a lesson to the early Christian church on the significance of intercessory prayer, and that lesson echoes still today. Our faith is communal — not singular — and we rely on the body of Christ to support us spiritually. One would think that the apostle Paul would have a “direct line” to God, but even he humbly felt that he needed others to intercede for him in prayer.
Although Paul often wrote letters to the fledgling churches, that wasn’t his primary means of accomplishing his ministry. Instead, he spoke the Gospel to anyone and everyone. By saying “whenever I speak”, Paul was sending a message to the generations about how important speech is in both evangelism and teaching. There’s a small subtext here suggesting to the readers that they be constantly ready to share the Gospel, and to be aware of God-given opportunities to do so.
You’d think that Paul would have a pre-packaged, one-size-fits-all evangelistic message to give to others at all times, but the next phrase — “that words may be given me” — indicates his awareness that his message needed to divinely inspired to have the most impact. That divine inspiration would come from the Holy Spirit. This is in agreement with the promise of Jesus in Matthew 10:19-20, where He told His disciples that the Spirit would give them the words to speak in times of need:
“But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”
Even Paul depended on God for wisdom and clarity in communicating his message!
Did Paul want to meekly speak this message? No! He says he wants to “fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel”. Paul often writes of having courage to speak truth despite opposition to the early church. Here he is pointing out the necessity of proclaiming the Gospel in the face of intense personal risk.
Paul was “an ambassador in chains” for the Gospel, and here he’s asking for prayers to help him continue his ministry in spite of persecution. I loved this explanation on Enduring Word about the term “ambassador in chains”:
Of course, the ancient Greek word for chains meant a prisoner’s shackles. But it could also be used for the gold adornment worn around the neck and wrists of the wealthy and powerful. On special occasions, ambassadors wore such chains to show the riches, power, and dignity of the government they represented. Paul considers his prisoner’s chains to actually be the glorious adornment of an ambassador of Jesus Christ.
One more point of clarification before I close out this devotional. Paul uses the phrase “mystery of the gospel” — what does that mean? It refers to the previously hidden plan of God that was revealed through Christ, centering on the inclusion of both Jews and Gentiles in God’s plan of redemption, uniting them as one body in Christ (the Church) through faith.
The details of salvation weren’t clear in the Old Testament, but through the writings in the New Testament, we see that Christ’s life, death, and resurrection made salvation accessible to all. The mystery is God’s profound and unexpected grace to mankind to reconcile all of humanity to Himself, and to one another.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Lord, I pray that I am always empowered by the Holy Spirit to know when to reveal the mystery of the Gospel to others, and to have the words to do so effectively. May all of Your faithful intercede with prayer on behalf of others who are also seeking to help grow Your Kingdom. I ask this in Jesus’ name, AMEN.