WHAT 9-11 TEACHES ABOUT HOW TO PRAY FOR THOSE YOU LOVE

Prayers That Care & Grow

If you ever have any doubts about the effectiveness of prayer, just have a large group of believers praying for you and your doubts will be dispelled. Serveral times throughout my ministry I have done into potentially dangerous situations and had our church praying for me. It is in those nearly impossibly difficult situations that almost physically feel the prayers of others. Last Sunday as I spoke with one of our precious couples who had just gone through a fairly tough time, the husband said to me, "We knew the church was praying for us. We could literally feel it!" It is one of the highest privileges that leaders in churches and homes have: to pray for those they care for. Here's some tips on how to do it.

Colossians 1:9-11¶ And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,.

1. Don't cease - be persistent.

2. Pray them to be filled with the knowledge of God's will.

3. Pray for them to be spiritually wise.

4. Pray for them to have wisdom.

5. Pray for them to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. 

6. Pray that they may be fully pleasing to the Lord. 

7. Pray that they will bear the fruit of good works. 

8. Pray that they will grow in their knowledge of God. 

9. Pray that they may be strengthened by God.

10. Pray that they will endure hardship, trial, temptation and even success and remain faithful to Christ.

11. Pray that their walk with Jesus would be joyful.

Parents should pray this way for their children. Home Bible Study Group leaders should pray this way for those in their Home Groups. Department Leaders should pray this for their team members.

Pastors almost intuitively pastorally pray this for those that God has entrusted to him. I do for you. Consider these prayer lessons of Colossians 1:9-11. Notice what the prayer does not include. It doesn't focus on any immediate problems or needs. I find myself almost drowning in problems and needs at time. The prayer of Colossians 1:9-11 doesn't preclude praying for my problems to be solved or for my needs to be met - but it reminds me that life isn't about me. Life consists of giving glory to Christ and helping others. The prayer of Colossians 1:9-11 reminds me of that. This is one reason why I rarely (if ever) pray about our finances as a church. At times it's a problem and the needs are great. But these problems and needs pale in significance to the magnificence of 9-11 prayer points and their relationship to the eternal destinies of those we care about.

If you are struggling to know how to pray for those you care for, remember Colossians 1:9-11.

Psa. 34:8 ¶ Taste and see that the LORD is good.
Oh, the joys of those who trust in him!

Ps. Andrew