我们已经看见神的军装是由六项所组成：真理的腰带、义的胸甲、和平福音的稳固根基、信的盾牌、救恩的头盔、以及那灵的剑。当我们有了这样全副军装的装备，我们就能站住抵挡仇敌的攻击，甚至能进攻仇敌。保罗说过神军装的这些项目之后，就转到祷告上。
十七至十八节说，“还要藉着各样的祷告和祈求，…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。”“藉着各样的祷告和祈求”这句话，乃是形容下文的“接受”。藉着祷告，我们不仅接受救恩的头盔，也接受神的话。这指明我们需要藉着各样的祷告和祈求，接受神的话。我们接受神的话时，需要祷告。我们已经看见，神全副的军装有六项，祷告可视为第七项。这一项是惟一、具决定性、不可或缺的凭借，叫我们藉以应用其他各项，使军装实际的供我们使用。
十七节“藉着各样的祷告和祈求”这个形容的句子，与十四至十七节所说的六项军装有关。我们乃是藉着各样的祷告和祈求，用真理束腰，穿上义的胸甲，以和平福音的稳固根基当作鞋穿在脚上。不仅如此，藉着祷告，我们拿起信的盾牌，并接受救恩的头盔，和那灵的剑，那灵就是神的话。每当我们要穿上军装或拿起军装的任何一项时，都需要祷告。我们不能，也不该没有祷告，就想使用神军装的任何部分。祷告是应用神军装惟一的路，祷告使军装对我们成为实用的。譬如，我们也许有救恩的头盔，但使这头盔实用且发挥功效的，乃是祷告。因此，祷告是重大且紧要的。
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Prayer as the Application of the Items of God’s Armor (1) — Eph. 6:17-18
We have seen that the armor of God is composed of six items: the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the firm foundation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. When we are equipped with such full armor, we can stand against the attack of the enemy and even take the offensive against him. After these items of the armor of God, Paul turns to prayer.
Verse 18 says, “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.” The phrase “by means of all prayer and petition” modifies the word receive in verse 17. By prayer we receive both the helmet of salvation and the word of God. This indicates that we need to receive the word of God by means of all prayer and petition. We need to pray as we are receiving the word of God. We have seen that the whole armor of God is composed of six items. Prayer may be considered the seventh. It is the means by which we apply the other items.
The modifier “by means of all prayer and petition” in verse 18 is related to all six items of the armor covered in verses 14 through 17. It is by means of all prayer and petition that we gird our loins with truth, put on the breastplate of righteousness, and have our feet shod with the firm foundation of the gospel of peace. Furthermore, it is by prayer that we take up the shield of faith and receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Whenever we are about to put on the armor or to take up any item of the armor, we need to pray. We cannot and we should not attempt to use any part of God’s armor without prayer. Prayer is the unique way to apply the armor of God. It is prayer that makes the armor available to us in a practical way. For example, we may have the helmet of salvation, but it is prayer that makes this helmet available and prevailing. Therefore, prayer is crucial and vital.