Often times, when there is a study about putting on “the whole of armor of God,” which is described in Ephesians 6, there is great attention given to six pieces of Christian armor: 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. What a great study that makes! We must put on every piece (6:10-13)!
However, how often does that study include a seventh piece of armor? Seventh? That almost sounds like a Biblical number, like maybe God meant to list seven pieces of armor and not just six. May I encourage you, when you study the armor of God, to keep reading into verse 18 and finish with the seventh piece listed—“prayer.” In fact, Paul gives more attention to this piece than any other—“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”
When you think about armor, you may not naturally think about prayer as a piece of armor, but it most definitely is. And, just as the sword of the Spirit can be both an offensive and a defensive “weapon,” so can prayer. Think about how the New Testament depicts prayer as a powerful piece of armor for faithful followers of Christ.
Prayer can keep us from being lead into temptation (Matt. 6:13; 26:41). Prayer can deliver us from the evil one (Matt. 6:13). Prayer can help us to find the way of escape from temptation (1 Cor. 10:12-13).
Prayer can give us boldness from God to speak for Him (Acts 4:29-31). Prayer can open doors for the Word of God, so that we may speak (Col. 4:3). Prayer can strengthen us with all might, that we might walk worthy of the Lord, please Him, be fruitful for Him, increase in knowledge, and grow in patience and longsuffering (Col. 1:10-11).
Prayer can fortify the peace of God in guarding our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6-7). Prayer can give us confidence that, even in the midst of trials and daily challenges, the Lord will deliver us (2 Cor. 1:10-11; Phil. 1:19; Phile. 22), even delivering from unreasonable and wicked men (2 Thess. 3:1-2). Prayer will help us to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God (Col. 4:12).
Study what your Bible tells you about prayer. And instead of seeing it as a “last resort” or as “a wish and a prayer” or as “better than nothing,” see it as a piece of armor that God grants to you from His own arsenal. Do you trust God? In trusting in prayer, you are trusting wholeheartedly the God to whom you pray, for the confidence we have is that “His ears are open to [our] prayers” (1 Pet. 3:12). That’s powerful!