Praying always with all prayer….
— Ephesians 6:18

If you want to grow in your spiritual walk, you need to make prayer a central part of your life. But in order for prayer to be the great adventure God wants it to be in your life, you must understand that there are all kinds of ways to pray. Don’t get stuck with just one form of prayer! The Bible tells us that there are several kinds of prayer, and you need to learn to use every kind of prayer that’s available to you.

Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying always with all prayer.…” The first thing I want you to notice is that this verse commands us to pray “always.” As noted in the Sparkling Gem for January 4, the word “always” is taken from the Greek phrase en panti kairo. The word en would be better translated at. The word panti means each and every.

You could say that this word panti is an all-encompassing word that embraces everything, including the smallest and most minute of details. The last word in this Greek phrase is the word kairo, the Greek word for times or seasons. When all three of these words are used together in one phrase (en panti kairo) as in Ephesians 6:18, they could be more accurately translated at each and every occasion.

*[If you started reading this from your email, begin reading here.]

bookmark2But I want you to notice that this verse goes on to say that you are to pray “with all prayer.” This phrase is taken from the Greek phrase dia pases proseuches and would be better translated “with all kinds of prayer.” To assist the Church in maintaining a victorious position in life, God has given His people various kinds of powerful prayer.

Other translations of Ephesians 6:18 include:

“Use every kind of prayer….” (Goodspeed)
“Pray…with all manner of prayer….” (AMP)
“Pray…with all kinds of prayers….” (NIV)
“Pray…with all kinds of prayers that are available for you to use….” (REV)

Most people don’t realize there are different kinds of prayer. But according to this verse, God has actually made many forms of prayer available to us to use as needed, such as the prayer of faith, the prayer of intercession, the prayer of consecration, and the prayer of agreement.

Sometimes life can be difficult and challenging. For one thing, the devil doesn’t want you to be blessed or successful in your endeavors. So in order to face the inevitable attacks that arise against your marriage, finances, body, job, and career, you must come to realize that prayer is indispensable. You cannot succeed as a Christian without an active and effective prayer life.

No matter how anointed, skilled, or gifted you may be or how bold and courageous you think you are, you simply cannot maintain a victorious position in life apart from prayer. Without prayer, you can be sure of absolute and total defeat. But as you develop a lifestyle of prayer, taking advantage of every form of prayer available to you, you will find that victory is yours in the midst of every challenge!

The various kinds of prayer have all been given to you for your benefit and spiritual growth. So take the time to study the Word and learn how to pray with “all kinds of prayer.” Don’t let this day go by without spending quality time in prayer with the Heavenly Father. There is victory waiting on the other side!

sparking gems from the greek

My Prayer for Today

Lord, forgive me for the times I get so busy that I neglect my prayer life. I really want this inconsistency in my life to be broken; I want my prayer life to get stronger and more stable. I realize that when I don’t spend time alone with You, I make it difficult for You to tell me what You want me to know. Inconsistency is a work of the flesh, so I am asking You to help me break this pattern and learn how to make prayer one of the most important pillars of my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

My Confession for Today

I declare by faith that prayer is a central and significant part of my life. God has great spiritual adventures planned for me, and He wants to reveal them to me during my time of prayer. I am steadfast, immovable, and consistent in my time with God. Nothing is as important to me as those moments I enjoy with Him. As I spend time with Him each day, He refreshes my spirit and enlightens my mind with the knowledge that He wants me to know. My prayer time is a key to the success God is giving me in my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

sparking gems from the greek

Questions to Answer

1. Do you find yourself praying “at each and every occasion” during the day?

2. How can you remind yourself to pray throughout the day?

3. In what types of situations would it be appropriate to pray the following kinds of prayers: the prayer of faith for your own life, the prayer of thanksgiving, the prayer of intercession, and the prayer of worship?