弗六17~18　……借着各样的祷告和祈求，接受……那灵的剑，那灵就是神的话；时时在灵里祷告，并尽力坚持，在这事上儆醒，且为众圣徒祈求。

　　西四2　　你们要坚定持续地祷告，在此儆醒感恩。
　　基督作那灵与话，供给我们进攻的剑，杀败我们的仇敌（圣经恢复本，弗六17注5）。
　　在属灵的争战里，我们不仅需要对付客观的仇敌，更需要对付主观的对头。撒但不只是我们外面的仇敌，也是我们里面的对头。……仇敌从外面来的攻击，不如对头从里面来的攻击严重。要对付这个里面的对头，我们需要经历话的杀死能力。不错，仇敌是在我们外面，但他的元素是在我们这人的所是里面。……最棘手的敌人乃是己。己是我们最厉害的仇敌。我们许多次受试诱，都不是由于客观的仇敌，乃是由于己，就是我们自己内里的所是（以弗所书生命读经，九八七至九八八页）。

　　Eph. 6:17-18 ...Receive...the sword of the Spirit, which Spirit is the word of God, by means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit and watching unto this in all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints.

　　Col. 4:2 Persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving.

　　Christ as the Spirit and the word furnishes us with a sword as an offensive weapon to defeat and slay the enemy. (Eph. 6:17, footnote 3)

　　In spiritual warfare we must deal not only with the objective enemy, but even the more with the subjective adversary. Satan is not only the enemy outside us; he is also the adversary inside us....The attacks of the enemy from without are not as serious as those of the adversary from within. To deal with this inward adversary we need to experience the killing power of the word. Yes, the enemy is outside us, but his elements are within our very being....The most difficult foe is the self,...our worst enemy. Many times we are tempted, not by an objective enemy, but by the self, our own inner being. (Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 819-820)

　　因着己是最大的仇敌，所以我们需要经历神话语的杀死能力。当我们祷读时，我们一面得着滋养，一面某些元素就被杀死。……〔例如，〕疑惑、忌恨、嫉妒、骄傲以及自私……能借着祷读主话而杀死。……我们越接受主的话连同其杀死的能力，我们的骄傲以及里面一切消极的元素就越被治死。借着祷读，里面的对头就被击杀。我们祷读主话一段时间后，就会发觉攻击我们的对头消失了。……属灵争战的战场……乃是在我们里面；特别是在我们的心思里。
　　在以弗所五章，话是为着滋养，使新妇美丽。但在六章，话是为着杀死，使召会能作团体的战士，从事属灵的争战。……当“娄格斯”（logos），圣经中常时的话，成了即时的“雷玛”（rhema）时，这“雷玛”就是那灵。成为那灵的“雷玛”，就是砍碎仇敌的剑〔17〕（以弗所书生命读经，九八八至九九〇、六五八页）。
　　神全副的军装有六项，祷告可视为第七项。这一项是唯一、具决定性、不可或缺的凭借，叫我们借以应用其他各项，使军装实际地供我们使用（圣经恢复本，弗六17注2）。
　　根据保罗在歌罗西四章二节的话，……我们必须坚定持续地祷告，因为祷告与争战有关。神与撒但双方彼此敌对。……虽然在宇宙中激烈进行的争战是在神与撒但之间，但与另一方也有牵连。这第三方包括神所拣选并救赎的人，他们是真正决定这场争战胜负的人。
　　为了要在神这一边与撒但争战，我们就必须坚定持续地祷告。这种的坚定持续是必需的，因为整个世界的趋向都是远离神的。祷告乃是在堕落的宇宙中抵挡潮流。……我们要对主说，“主，我要在这事上拼上去；我把自己献给你，好叫我有祷告的生活。主，保守我在祷告的灵里。如果我忘记了，忽略了，我知道你不会忘记。求你一再提醒我要祷告。”这样的祷告可以当作向主所许的愿。
　　坚定持续地祷告有许多的益处。借着祷告，我们就思念在上面的事。……我们祷告的时候，就进入至圣所，来到施恩的宝座前〔来四16〕。……我们越祷告，就越经历与主成为一；我们也越享受祂的同在，越多与祂交通。这是何等奇妙的赏赐！（歌罗西书生命读经，七一八至七二〇、七二二至七二四页）。
　　参读：以弗所书生命读经，第六十六、九十七篇；歌罗西书生命读经，第六十五篇。

　　Because the self is the greatest enemy, we need to experience the killing power of God's word. As we pray-read, we are nourished on the one hand, but certain elements are killed on the other hand....[For example], doubts, hatred, jealousy, pride, or selfishness...can be killed through pray-reading the word....The more we take in the word with its killing power, the more our pride and all the negative elements within us are put to death. By pray-reading, the inward adversary is slain. After a time of pray-reading the word, we may discover that the adversary who was attacking us has disappeared....The battlefield for the spiritual warfare...is within us; in particular it is in our mind.

　　In Ephesians 5 the word is for nourishment that leads to the beautifying of the bride. But in Ephesians 6 the word is for killing that enables the church as the corporate warrior to engage in spiritual warfare.

　　When the logos, the constant word in the Bible, becomes the instant rhema, this rhema will be the Spirit. This rhema, which becomes the Spirit, is the sword that cuts the enemy to pieces [Eph. 6:17]. (Life-study of Ephesians, pp. 820-821, 548)

　　The whole armor of God is composed of six items. Prayer may be considered the seventh. It is the unique, crucial, and vital means by which we apply the other items, making the armor available to us in a practical way. (Eph. 6:18, footnote 1)

　　According to Paul's word in Colossians 4:2,...we need to persevere in prayer because prayer involves a battle, a fight. Two parties, God and Satan, are hostile to each other.

　　Although the battle raging in the universe is between God and Satan, another party is involved. This third party consists of God's chosen and redeemed people, the ones who will actually decide the outcome of the battle.

　　In order to fight on God's side against Satan, we need to persevere in prayer. This perseverance is needed because the course of the whole world is away from God. To pray is to go against the current, the trend, in the fallen universe.

　　We need to say to Him, "Lord, I am desperate about this. I offer myself to You so that I may have a prayer life. Lord, keep me in the spirit of prayer. If I forget this or neglect this, I know that You will not forget it. Remind me again and again about prayer." This kind of prayer may be regarded as a vow made to the Lord.

　　Persevering in prayer has many benefits. By prayer we set our mind on the things above.

　　When we pray, we enter into the Holy of Holies and approach the throne of grace [Heb. 4:16]....The more we pray, the more we experience being one with the Lord, and the more we enjoy His presence and have fellowship with Him. What a marvelous reward! (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 577-578, 580-582)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Ephesians, msgs. 66, 97; Life-study of Colossians, msg. 65