AN INSPIRED PRAYER YOU CAN PRAY
Colossians 1:9-12 NKJV
9 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; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
The Book of Colossians is another of my favorite books in the New Testament. Like the Book of Ephesians, this small letter is packed with great spiritual insights. Paul doesn't address problems in the church at Colosse, so this is more of a doctrinal letter.
This letter also gives us a Holy Spirit inspired prayer that Paul prayed for the church. And the great thing about this prayer is that it is still applicable today. The requests Paul was making for the church at Colosse still apply to the church in Conroe or wherever you are located. And what Paul asked the Lord for the Colossians is what we can ask the Lord today for our lives and the lives of those we love.
Paul was praying for believers, but notice he never prayed that the Lord would bless them. Instead, he prays that the Lord would give them revelation. Revelation of what God's will was for believers. And Paul did not want the church to have a little bit of wisdom; he wanted them filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Right here is the first thing we can pray. We can ask the Lord to fill us and other believers who are in our lives with the knowledge of His will.
The overarching purpose of being filled with the knowledge of God's will in wisdom and spiritual understanding is that we may walk worthy of the Lord. That we would live our lives in such a way that God is honored. And that we would be fully pleasing to the Lord. Notice again, filled with knowledge that we would live worthy and be fully pleasing to the Lord. Not barely pleasing, or sporadically pleasing, but fully pleasing.
And that the believers would be fruitful or productive in every good work. This is God's will for us. Worthy, fully pleasing, and fruitful. Increasing in the knowledge of God. I love the wording here, and I do not believe any word is hype or exaggeration. Fully pleasing, fruitful, and increasing are all positive positions. Not sort of or partial or stagnant.
Paul also prays that these believers would be strengthened with all might according to God's glorious power. The purpose for this strength is so they would have endurance in the circumstances and patience dealing with people. That strength is greatly needed today. We still need endurance and patience. That need has not diminished over the centuries.
APPLICATION
This prayer in Colossians is one I pray frequently for the church. If Paul prayed it, so can I. And so can you. Simply add the name of the people you are praying for. This is a prayer for believers. If you are praying for lost friends and family, that is a different prayer. And you can put your name into this prayer. You can have confidence knowing you are praying God's will for you.
So, for today's prayer, go ahead and pray these verses for yourself and your loved ones. Don't be concerned if it feels awkward at first—most new things do. Keep praying it anyway. It's a great prayer!