Suit up!

Ephesians 6:19–20 (CJB)

19 And pray for me, too, that whenever I open my mouth, the words will be given to me to be bold in making known the secret of the Good News, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may speak boldly, the way I should.

Examine / Explain

Paul just finished telling us to “Suit Up!” We need to be in the full armor of God and we are in a spiritual battle on the daily. We are to be diligent and persistent in our prayers, for this is how the battles are fought. Now he is asking for believers to fight for him. To pray for him to share the Good News when he opens his mouth. Prayers to be bold in his faith even when he is a captive in chains.

What’s the application?

Where am I in chains? What is keeping me bound up and not sharing the Good News with boldness? All believers are ambassadors for Christ. How are we representing our King? Are we in a foreign land living bound to its customs and captive to its rules? Or are we living as strangers and aliens but still proclaiming the freedom that is in Christ? Living in the world but not of it. Or are we becoming acclimated and desensitized to the climate and culture we are surrounded by? We are all new creations and we came out of darkness but how easily do we fall back to the darkness? Are we praying for ourselves to be effective in hostile territory? Are we lifting up our brothers and sisters to be warriors and conquerors? I know I am prayed for. I know who I pray for. But what do our prayers look like? Is it for a good day and prosperity of the day? Or is it for each of us to have to boldness to love the way our savior did? To speak truth in love. To run the race that is before us but not in a hurry? To repent of our sins and live a life of victory and freedom or are we still focused on our chains? I know I let the chains I had still weigh me down in my freedom. With that weight, I lose focus. That battlefield of the mind gets clouded by the fog of war. I can only see what is right in front of me. What good is a warrior fully dressed for battle running onto a battlefield completely blinded to the battle? He would swing his sword wildly waste energy and be easily defeated. We need to suit up and clear our minds. Stop, take a breath, and feed our souls. How infective am I because I fight wildly? My past is still dictating my battle plans instead of surrendering to the plans Jesus has for me. I fight with one hand bound by nothing more than my own thoughts.

What’s my response?

Dad, I filter my battles through the wrong lens. I still see things through what I can and can’t do instead of allowing You to work through me. I feel like it always comes back to me not trusting You. How do I get over this? How do I get to a point where I am completely abandoned in my trust of who You are? How do I walk as a complete man in Your protection? How can I be the man You are calling me to be? My answer is simple. Surrender. I feel like I know the answer. How do I do it? Again I feel like the answer is simple. Just surrender. Stop relying on my own ways and understandings. Turn to You in every moment instead of ten toes down alone and isolated. I need Your help doing that. Amen.