Standing Firm in Prayer – Two Ways Through Worry

If you were the Apostle Paul—writing from prison to weary, marginalized believers in a city known for its pagan worship and the financial pressures that came with it—how would you end your letter?

Fear or Faith

It doesn’t look like power is stacked in Paul’s favor. He’s chained, confined, and surrounded by uncertainty. Yet, as he reaches the final lines of his epistle, Paul’s words don’t shrink back in fear. His heart doesn’t quiver. Instead, he writes with courage, conviction, and a startling sense of peace.

Where does such en-courage-ment come from?

Maybe you can relate to the tension Paul must have felt—the ache of worry, the weight of responsibility, the unknowns that seem to multiply. I know I can. I find myself worrying about our emerging ministry resource, our new church plant, the impact of our work for the Kingdom, finances, relationships, and the health of those I love. And then there are the broader anxieties—unrest in our region, the state of the country, and the brokenness of the world.

Power Through Prayer

But Paul gives us a way through all of this:

“Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” Ephesians 6:18–20 (NIV)

Paul invites us into the deep well of Christian power—prayer. After describing the armor of God as salvation, faith, righteousness, peace, and the Word, he ends with the most intimate and powerful weapon of all: praying in the Spirit.

Right here, right now, we can pause. We can breathe in, letting this reminder sink into our hearts. We can breathe out, releasing prayers and requests of all kinds. As we turn our focus toward God’s strength, the grip of fear loosens. As we become aware of His mighty power, the shadows of worry grow smaller. And with fresh alertness, we can pray for others facing their own battles.

Power in Community

But Paul’s closing words don’t just call us to personal prayer, they draw us into community.
He assumes believers are living their faith together. He doesn’t picture solitary heroes of faith, each fighting their battles in isolation. No. Paul, the great apostle, asks for prayer. He depends on the prayers of others. What humility. What humanity. What a model for us.

We, too, are not meant to fight alone. Friends can pray with us, right in the middle of our fears and uncertainties. The Christian community has never been perfect, and yet, we need each other. Even Paul, who corrected and encouraged others, openly expressed his dependence on their prayers.

We reside in this world where life is beautiful, but it is also hard and mysterious – we live in this tension every day and God meets us through prayer and people in all the hard and the beautiful. Paul’s situation reminds us that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus was good news for 1^st Century people like Paul, and it is still good news for 21^st Century people like you and me.

Two Ways Through Worry

So, as we work toward wholeness and face our worries, we find two ways through:

• walking the protective path of prayer, with
• the living, breathing body of believers praying alongside us.

With humility, and with Paul’s example before us, I invite you to pray with me—for our new inSPIRE® resource, that through it we might fearlessly make known the gospel and guide readers toward a full, whole entire life of faith. Pray for perseverance, for wisdom, for provision, and for every detail to align with God’s purpose.

And let me ask:
How can I pray for you?
How will you invite others to pray for you?

Because even from a prison cell, Paul reminds us—we are never alone, and prayer is possible even in chains. And that changes everything.