By Steve Horn
I am not sure there is anything better we can do for another person than to pray. In Colossians 1:9-14, we have a record of Paul’s specific prayer that he prayed for the believers of Colossae.
Here is a specific prayer for Christians. You can pray it for yourself, for others, or for your children. I see at least these four specific requests. We should pray that each person…
• Be Filled with the knowledge of His will.
Is anything more important than knowing the will of God? But, the goal of knowledge is not to be puffed up with knowledge. The knowledge has a goal so we continue to request.
• Fulfill the Calling of a Disciple.
Follow the logic. The knowledge leads to a “so that” clause. The “so that” is each person would walk worthy of Him. When a person does that he will be fully pleasing to God, bear fruit, and be increasing in the knowledge of Him. Do you see the cycle?
• Be Strengthened with His power.
Colossians and Ephesians have similar content. Paul wrote to both churches while in prison. In a similar prayer section that he wrote to the Ephesians, about God’s power, Paul wrote: “He demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens.” (Ephesians 1:20) Notice the kind of power available to the believer—the same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead.
• Be Aware of God’s love.
Again to the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote: “I pray that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of god’s love.” (Ephesians 3:18)
Let me encourage us to take Paul’s prayer and make it our own as we pray for people.
What if…
Instead of talking about people, you talked to the Father about them?
Instead of judging people, you committed your life to pray more fervently for them?
Instead of giving up on someone, you decided to give yourself up in prayer for their repentance and return?
You see, it is impossible to be at odds with someone, to be their enemy, and at the same time be praying for them.
So, what if….
Instead of being turned off by someone’s behavior, you turned up your prayer focus for them?
Instead of pouring on criticism of someone, you poured your heart out to God for them?
Instead of struggling with someone over an issue, you decided to struggle in prayer for the resolution of that issue?
Steve Horn is pastor of First Baptist Church in Lafayette and a former Louisiana Baptist Convention president. This post is based on the message “Held Together: By Specific Praying” which you can watch by clicking here.
