Sharon Reformed Presbyterian Church · Sermon study sheet

Persistent and Persuasive Prayer (Ephesians 6:18-20)

Bryan Schneider · November 28, 2020

Ephesians 6:18-20

sharonrpc.org/sermons/persistent-prayer

Summary

Persistent prayer belongs to ordinary Christian life in work, family, grief, gratitude, and spiritual conflict rather than to secluded religious specialists.
Believers pray at all times because the adversary is active, Christ commands prayer, and Jesus himself models and continues intercession.
Prayer includes adoration, confession, thanksgiving, petition, and urgent supplication rather than reducing God to a dispenser of requests.
Christian prayer is offered in the Spirit, who awakens filial confidence, helps human weakness, and carries believers' needs before God through Christ.
Watchful prayer is attentive and specific; persevering prayer continues despite distraction, fatigue, apparent delay, or previous inconsistency.
Prayer extends beyond personal needs to all the saints and especially asks God to give gospel ministers courage, clarity, and open mouths.

What ordinary moment could become a regular prompt for prayer and thanksgiving?
Is my prayer life balanced among adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication?
Where has distraction or discouragement caused me to stop praying too soon?
Whose spiritual need outside my immediate family should become a specific, repeated prayer?
Do I pray for gospel ministers merely to be safe and comfortable, or to speak Christ boldly and clearly?
How can a prayer journal or calendar help watchfulness without becoming legalistic?

Persistent prayer: Continuing to pray through difficulty, distraction, and apparent delay rather than giving up.
Pervasive prayer: Prayer woven through every circumstance, relationship, need, gratitude, and sphere of ordinary life.
Supplication: Earnest petition or pleading with God for particular needs.
Prayer in the Spirit: Prayer awakened, helped, and directed by the Holy Spirit and offered through Christ to the Father.
Watchfulness: Attentive awareness of spiritual danger, present needs, and occasions for prayer.