“…pray
for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a
righteous man avails much.”—James 5:16 - 17
If you have ever
been confused about how to intercede for someone, the Apostle Paul’s prayer in
Colossians is appropriate for every person and every situation. Because it fits perfectly with the will of
God, you can ask these requests with great
confidence—both for yourself and for others.
“For this reason we also, since the day we
heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with
the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you
may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the
knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power,
for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who
has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
He has delivered us from the power of
darkness and conveyed us into
the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption
through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:9-14).
To be filled with the knowledge of His will
in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
Not only do we need to know God’s plan for our lives; we also
require discernment to distinguish His guiding voice from our own self-directed
ideas.
To walk in a manner worth of the Lord,
pleasing Him in all ways. Our lives
should be patterned after the One we follow, with a goal of glorifying and
delighting Him.
To bear fruit in every good work. Instead of being wrapped up in our own
jobs, possessions, pleasures, and plans, we should be contributing to the lives
of others.
To increase in the knowledge of God. By reading His Word, applying it to our
lives, and observing His ways, we will gain a deeper understanding of the Lord.
To be strengthened with His power so we
remain steadfast. The Christian life
can be lived only with the Holy Spirit’s power.
To joyously give thanks for all the He has
done for us. Believers should be characterized by joy and gratitude.
Our prayers should
be focused on the spiritual work that the Lord is doing. Effective prayers are based less on temporal
needs and emphasize the Lord’s desires.
Your life will be transformed and you can intercede with confidence when
the focus of your prayers is less temporal and more spiritual.
Prayer—Father I thank You that You help me
always and I ask for your help when I pray so that my prayers will be effective
and life transforming, in Jesus Name. Amen.
