September 8, 2010
Colossians 1
Pastor Michelle Hoverson
How many times has someone asked you to pray, but didn't give any specific details? Have you ever sought a way to pray for those that have wandered from the Lord? Or…have you ever had a burden to pray for a family member or friend that lives at a distance, so you weren't sure how to cover them in prayer?
In this letter to the believers in Colossae, the Apostle Paul gives us a powerful prayer to personalize for people when we don't know what to pray. In light of Colossians 1:9-12, your prayer may sound something like this:
Father, today I lift before you _________(insert name). I thank You for him/her and today I pray that You would fill _______ with the knowledge of Your will. Life is full of complex choices and decisions, so I pray that You would give _______ spiritual wisdom and understanding. Help him/her not to lean on their own understanding, but to embrace Your wisdom.
Please give _______ cognitive understanding of spiritual realities. I pray _________ would live a life worthy of the Lord, that they would wear the Name of Christ well and their life would reflect what You purchased for them on the Cross. I pray every aspect of __________'s life would bring you pleasure…that how they invest their life would bear good fruit.
I pray ___________ would want to grow in the knowledge of God, knowing Your character and Your ways more and more. That _________would put deep roots into the fertile ground of Your Word and live out the truth of Your Word in all they do and say. I pray __________ would be strengthened today with Your glorious might and the same power that raised Christ from dead.
Not only do I pray they would have great endurance, but I pray that as they put their trust in You, their ability to patiently persevere and overcome will increase. May __________ joyfully serve You, giving thanks to the Father for the bounty of their inheritance through Christ Jesus.
Who needs your prayers today? Let me encourage you to put this scripture prayer into practice right now. Someone is about to be blessed!
Pastor Michelle oversees Grace Covenant’s outreach ministries/partnerships, as well as leading the church’s care team and serving on the teaching team.
