Praying with all prayer
Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Paul tells us in (Eph 6:18) “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
What does he mean “praying with all prayer”? Does he mean that we pray with all prayer all the time? Or does all prayer mean to make all our requests at one prayer time setting?
First, Paul says all prayer and supplication. The word “supplication” literally means need, indigence, want, privation, penury. We do not use most of these words in our common conversation, so they do not shed much light for us. However, looking them up you would find that it is a request, usually for a personal need or desire of your own. Paul ends with “supplication for all saints” so this would indicate that we are to pray for particular needs of other Christians as well as our own.
Most do not realize that there is more than one type of prayer mentioned in Scripture and that we are to practice them. Most or many already pray these other types of prayers and don’t know what they are called, but they are faithful to pray them anyhow.
Prayer of intercession – This is when we prayer to God for another, usually seeking God’s benefit upon them for good. Some times it can be a time of “telling on them” to God. In (Rom 11:2) Paul tells how Elijah prayed to God against Israel because of their sin, “. . . the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel,” Intercede is to stand between two parties, usually for the good of the lesser. Jesus sits at the right hand of God to intercede for us -- (Heb 7:25) Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (1 John 2:1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: Jesus is our High Priest and He sits at the Father’s right hand and when we have sinned He intercedes for us as our Advocate (defense lawyer). So, a prayer of intercession is praying to God for another – perhaps that one is not a Christian and we are asking God to bring them to salvation or perhaps heal them – we intercede for them. God told Ezekiel that He was looking for a person to stand between Him and a sinning people -- (Ezek 22:30) And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. As He says He found none and Israel ended up in captivity for 70 years. We need intercessors for America lest we also end up destroyed and taken into captivity.
Prayer of thanksgiving – This is when we come before God and simply thank Him for His many benefits and already answered prayer. This is often a forgotten part of our prayer life. We have the “give-me’s” when we pray and neglect to thank God for what He has already done for us. Paul exhorts this -- (Phil 4:6) Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. He says we are not to neglect thanking God for the answers to our prayers and for all that we have been given by God. Too often we are selfish and greedy and think God owes us everything and when we don’t get it, we refuse to give thanks. I have seen and witnessed children like that – they are very blessed by their parents and yet they are so unthankful.
You could also say that a prayer of thanksgiving is a prayer of praise. The writer of Hebrews says, (Heb 13:15) By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. He says that it is a sacrifice and if we are going through some particularly testing time, it is a sacrifice to give thanks and praise.
Prayer of petition – This appears to be a type of supplication with a focus on one particular need or desire. The word means simply a request, but when we look at verses with this in mind, it seems to be for a special need. Hannah made her petition before God for a son -- (1 Sam 1:17) Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. It appears that a prayer of petition may be a long-standing prayer of request for a matter that we have sought the Lord for over a long period of time.
Prayer of supplication – We have already touched upon this in the beginning, but to reiterate, it is our asking God for our needs and those of others. It is not wrong to ask God for things we need; He wants us to ask because He is willing and able to answer us -- (Eph 3:20-21) Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, {21} Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.