Eph 6:18. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
We all know the context is the armor of God. While you are putting on the armor and after you’ve put on the armor, you are praying always. Before you get on the battlefield and while you’re on the battlefield, you are praying always.
Well, wait a minute. How can I be praying always? I have work to do. I have to sleep.
I think Paul is talking about having a mindset of prayer. You have a predisposition to pray. You are in this spiritual habit of talking to God in prayer in your mind all the time. You are quick to pray to God in your mind all the time, and… all your prayers and supplications are done in the Spirit. This means you’re careful to make sure that all your words and all your supplications, or your requests… everything you say is done in the Spirit.
What does he mean by in the Spirit? This means that every thought, every word you say to God, is in perfect agreement with the sound doctrines of grace. Plus, the tone of your prayers is done in the Spirit. Your tone in your prayers to God also embodies the fruit of the Spirit. Your thoughts and feelings reflect back to God all of His attributes. You’re doing prayers of grace, prayers of joy, prayers of love, of peace, of goodness, all of that.
So praying in the Spirit means your thoughts are in alignment with the doctrines of grace and your tone mirrors God’s attributes – He can sense HIS life and HIS grace in YOU when you pray.
Here’s a question. Why does Paul say supplication twice in this one verse? Supplication implies you’re making a request for yourself. So Paul clarifies he means supplication for yourself and supplication for others, too.
In addition to all this praying, Paul says you are also watching thereunto with all perseverance…
What is that about?
There are two primary actions in this verse. You’re praying and watching.
What is watching exactly? Does this mean we have to be on top of the news and know everything going on in the world? No. So what is watching? Paul never really defines watching, which suggests to me that he’s highlighting a timeless principle. He means watching in the same sense watching is used everywhere else in Scripture.
Write down Matt. 24:42-46. The Lord defines watching in His Olivet Discourse. He talks about them watching during the Tribulation. It’s not like they have to spend all seven years looking up at the sky. By watching He means the Jews are to think of themselves as servants in the Master’s house and the Master has gone away on a long journey. But He may come back anytime. So they are watching while He is gone. Watching is more than just being alert. They are making way for His return by keeping themselves pure. They are making way for His return by keeping themselves focused upon all the instructions He gave them. They are focused upon their obedience to His Word. Despite all the crazy stuff going on around them for seven years, they are focused on doing what the Lord told them to do. Why? Because He’s coming back! And they know that when He comes back, He will be inspecting their works. And when He does, they want him to be pleased because He will be rewarding them.
I think Paul means watch in a similar sense. You are all now servants in the Master’s Grace House. You are focused upon your service to God because you know the Rapture may happen any moment. And when the Rapture happens, you know He will be inspecting your works at the Bema Seat, just as He will with Israel at His Second Coming.
But Paul says more than just watching. He says you’re watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Why does he say thereunto? Watching thereunto? What?
“Thereunto” is a rather formal archaic English term. It means “to that” or “to that place or purpose.” It directs your mind back to something previously mentioned.
Here’s an example. “Des Strydom… agreed to the time constraints that were set for when he preaches… and he was committed thereunto.” (I’m not saying this is a true statement. Nobody would believe this sentence. This is just an example. LOL) Des agreed to the time constraints and was committed thereunto. What was Des committed to? The time constraints, right? Des was committed thereunto. He was committed to the time constraints that were set.
Thereunto directs your mind back to something that had been previously mentioned, right? So in Eph. 6:18, what does watching thereunto direct your mind back to? Praying. If watching embodies all your service to God, then prayer is going to be a part of watching. If watching encompasses all your service, then prayer is going to be an integral part of your service. You’re watching thereunto. You’re serving God in anticipation of His return while always praying. So the big picture point of the first half of this verse is- that you are always watching with prayer, and all your prayers and requests are always done in the Spirit.
This brings us to perseverance. He says you’re watching thereunto with ALL perseverance... The watching, all that service to God in anticipation of His return, is to be done with ALL perseverance. You watch with perseverance. You serve God with every ounce of determined dedication you possess. This is you choosing to excel in your service in every detail. You are zealous. You are completely dedicated to studying His Word and serving your Savior. You are completely focused on what God tells you to do in Paul’s epistles. You are completely committed to doing what God tells you to do.
Your spiritual life isn’t some side hobby. If you think about it, you might do half-measures. Like the Laodicean church – neither hot nor cold. (Or like somebody who drinks half-calf coffee. That person’s probably got some commitment issues. Right?) This is about your full commitment – you being resolute in your determination to serve God faithfully every single day of your life. Not only that, Paul says you’re watching with ALL perseverance. He doesn’t say you’re watching with a little bit of perseverance. He says with ALL perseverance. Every fiber of your being is dedicated to serving God all the days of your life. And that’s how Webster defines perseverance. It’s your “Persistence in anything undertaken.” So when Paul says ALL perseverance, he means your unwavering determination to serve to God every single day of your life…
I mentioned that this is the one and only time Paul ever mentions perseverance. He uses a Greek word that’s found here and nowhere else in the Bible. Do you know what the Greek word for perseverance means in the Greek? It means perseverance.
Perseverance is you persisting in serving God no matter what, even during all the hard times of your life. Why? Because He may return any second!
SUPPLY OF GRACE 
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