I pretty much dislike Christianeeze, those expressions which sprinkle our conversation and prayers with terms and phrases which would baffle any non church-going person. Though having grown up in and then served in a church all my life I imagine I use some of that language without even realizing it.
The term “prayer warrior” is one of those expressions which just grates on my ear most of the time I hear it. Though its intent is to affirm that someone offers deep and constant prayer, it just sounds cheesy to me, almost oxymoronic, with the suggestion that the peace and contemplation of prayer is some sort of act of violence. It puts me in mind of a joke from the Charles Stross “Laundry Files” novels. One of the characters is a logician and a violinist, but also a “combat epistemologist.” Stross never quite explains how philosophical inquiry into the foundations of knowledge can serve a military purpose.
However, our text for this Sunday, Ephesians 6:18-20, does in fact connect prayer with battle in a way that is obscured by most English translations. What is translated as a complete sentence in verse 18 is actually the conclusion to the sentence begun in verse 17 (or possibly in verse 14). In other words, the reception of the “helmet of salvation” and the “sword of the Spirit” in verse 17 is to include and be accompanied by “praying in the Spirit at all times in all prayer and supplication, keeping alert and always persevering in supplication for all the saints.” So prayer is a key part of life wearing “the armor of God.” Hence “prayer warrior” has some biblical support.
I’m reminded of a an old Korean woman I heard pray when we held a joint service with our sister Korean church many years ago. I didn’t understand a word she said, but the intensity and fervor with which she addressed the Lord was amazing. Afterward I said, “If I’m in the hospital with a serious illness, I want her to pray for me!” There was a Christian who clearly went to battle in her praying.
Of course, my chosen focus in regard to prayer this week is the matter of whom we pray for. This text answers that by calling us to prayer for “all the saints.” Paul goes on to specifically ask prayer for himself, but the first direction is to pray for all Christians. This dovetails nicely with what we’ve already said about the Lord’s Prayer as a corporate prayer and the main and model prayer for followers of Jesus. We pray together and we pray for each other. I think I’d be willing to say that if you are only praying for yourself, your prayer is seriously deficient.
So this week I’d like to think about how our prayers can better fulfill the direction here and be a constant offering of intercession and supplication for “all the saints.” May the Lord help us to grow in our awareness of the larger needs of His people, both those close to us and those in distant parts of the world, and may He enable us to be good “prayer warriors” on behalf of them all.