PAY ATTENTION

By Tammy Phillips
May 4, 2020

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; -Ephesians 6:18

This whole week the Holy Spirit has been gently, but repeatedly saying: “Pay attention.”

I thought we were finished with Ephesians 6, but he has been preparing me all week to search for his treasure in the second half of Ephesians 6:18.  Let’s look at the Greek and see what His words say.

Watching: (agrypneō) to be sleepless; do not be asleep; be awake; to be circumspect; ready; be intentional; to exercise constant vigilance over something; a state untouched by any slumberous or beclouding influences; be attentive.
thereunto:
(eis) toward
(touto) that thing
with(en) in, by through
all (pas) each and every, all
perseverance (prokarterēsis) continue all the time; devoted; constantly diligent; attend continually; steadfastly attentive
and supplication (deēsis) asking for help; making requests for basic spiritual need
for all saints.

Tammy’s translation would read something like this:

“Pray all the time with every prayer you have in your arsenal.  Oh, and by the way, watch!  Do not be asleep.  Be awake.  Do not be touched by slumber or anything that clouds your influence.  Be attentive.  Girl, pay attention, and to that with all perseverance.  Pay attention to that be awake all the time.  Pay attention and to that be constantly vigilant.  Pay attention by being steadfastly attentive.  Pray for all the saints all the time, too! 

Why does Paul so strongly instruct us to pray, pay attention and pray for our brothers and sisters?   I believe the answer can be found in 1 Corinthians 10:12, where Paul says:  “Wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”  and in the words of Jesus in Mark 14:38: “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.  The spirit truly [is] ready, but the flesh [is] weak.”  Jesus and Paul both encouraged us to watch and PAY ATTENTION lest we fall and enter into temptation.  They were saying the same thing.  Stand.  Watch and pray so that you will remain standing.  Pray for you brothers and sisters so they will also be empowered to stand.

I enCOURAGE you to pay attention.  I enCOURAGE you to pray without ceasing and to pray for the saints continually.  I enCOURAGE you to endure to the end and you will be saved.  I enCOURAGE you to stand, stand, stand!