praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Ephesians 6:18 ESV

The seventh and concluding instruction on how to be “strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” is “praying at all times in the Spirit”. It is not depicted as a physical piece of armour (unlike the preceding instructions), but as good soldiers of Christ Jesus we must do it (2 Tim 2:3). Praying in the Spirit focuses our hearts and minds on God. It requires us to yield to the Spirit, thus enabling us to “lean in” to God’s divine will and power. It cultivates complete dependence on God, which is essential to successfully resisting the Devil (James 4:7).

Praying in the spirit will feature requests for our needs and wants, as well as praise and worship of God. It invigorates and strengthens our faith. Praising and worshipping God, in particular, grows confidence and strengthens hope by deepening our appreciation of Him. Praying reminds us of His many immutable qualities, such as His sovereignty, greatness and power. “Praying at all times in the Spirit” will therefore lift our morale, enabling us to rejoice and stand victoriously – even whilst experiencing the most heinous Satanic-orchestrated attack.

I imagine that one of the most demoralising scenes on a battlefield is a soldier who cannot contact their commander. They are alone, lost and vulnerable, destined to become discouraged and disheartened.  But we will never experience that. Our Lord always hears our prayers, and knowing what we need (Mat 6:25-33), He answers them – before they are even uttered (Isa 65:24).