The Prayer Life of a Christian – Col.4
Paul was somebody who understood prayer and its power. Prayer was a part of Paul’s life, and he took it for granted that it would be a part of the life of every Christian. You cannot really be a good Christian and not pray, just like you cannot have a good marriage if you don’t talk to your wife. You can be a Christian and not pray, just like you can be married and not talk to your wife. But in both circumstances you will be miserable. Prayer is the pipeline of communication between God and His people, between God and those who love Him.
I. Pray with persistence
Paul begins by saying, “Continue earnestly in prayer,” . In the original language it says, “continue steadfastly in prayer.” It caries with it the idea of dedication. Of the ten times it is used in the New Testament four of them have to do with being devoted to prayer. It is a very powerful word and in this verse is given as an imperative, or a command. In other words, persistence in prayer is not an option for the Christian it is an order from the Lord Himself.
Two of the most instructive parables Jesus ever told on prayer, one in Luke 18 and the other in Luke 11, both have to do with being persistent and not giving up in prayer.
Luke 18:1 says, “Now He was telling them a parable to show them that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.”
Luke 11:9 is where we find the promise that says, “ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you.”
Each of those verbs are in the present tense, active voice and could be translated, “keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking.” Jesus does not want us to give up in prayer, He instructs us to be persistent.
Now there is a difference between a persistent prayer and a long prayer. A person who is persistent in prayer does not necessarily have to pray for a long time. Persistence means not giving up.
“It is a common temptation of Satan to make us give up the reading of the Word and prayer when our enjoyment is gone; as if it were of no use to read the scriptures when we do not enjoy them, and as if it were no use to pray when we have no spirit of prayer. The truth is that, in order to enjoy the Word, we ought to continue to read it, and the way to obtain a spirit of prayer is to continue praying. The less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray.”
II. Pray with passion.
If you are persistent in something, it stands to reason that you are to be passionate about it. In fact, Paul says we should be vigilant or be watchful; it is the opposite of slothfulness. This describes passionate prayer.
Jesus was passionate about His prayer life, it was something He was always doing. It was not only his regular habit, but his resort in every emergency, however slight or serious. When perplexed he prayed. When hard pressed by work he prayed. When hungry for fellowship he found it in prayer. He chose his associates and received his messages upon his knees. If tempted, he prayed. If criticized, he prayed. If fatigued in body or wearied in spirit, he had recourse to his one unfailing habit of prayer. Prayer brought him unmeasured power at the beginning, and kept the flow unbroken and undiminished. There was no emergency, no difficulty, no necessity, no temptation that would not yield to prayer. And every time we see Jesus praying He was praying with passion.
In Luke 3:1 at His Baptism – while He was praying the heaven was opened. Passionate prayer opens Heaven.
In Luke 6:12 before He called His disciples – He spent the whole night in prayer. Passionate prayer gives direction.
In Luke 9:29 at His transfiguration – And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. Passionate prayer enables us to experience the glory of the Father.
In John 17 in His high priestly prayer – Passionate prayer impacts the lives of others.
In Matthew 26:39 in the Garden of Gethsemane – It is only through passionate prayer that we can pour out our hearts to God.
In Luke 23:24 as He hung on the cross – a life that is lived in passionate prayer will enable us to maintain that spirit, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
Jesus always prayed with passion, because He knew Who it was He was talking to and He knew that prayer to the Father is a powerful thing and not something to take lightly and glibly.
Prayer from the heart, that’s what passionate prayer is, it is prayer from the heart not just from the head.
That is how He taught us to pray, not only through His example, but specifically through His teaching Look in Matthew 6:7, in the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus instructs on prayer. It is here that we find the Lord’s prayer. But just before the Lord’s prayer what does He say?
“When you pray, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do.
What has happened to the Lord’s Prayer? People repeat it as if it were some kind of magic mantra that will bless them or move God to hear them. They are doing with it is exactly what He was instructing us not to do with it. The gentiles, when they prayed tried, through their religious repetitions, with their chants and their mantras to call forth or impress their Gods. That is not what you do when you are in a relationship.
James 5:16 says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
III. Pray with thankfulness.
Paul never fails to mention it.
Ephesians 5:20 tells us that thanksgiving is the natural result of being filled with and walking under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Philippians 4:6 tells us to be anxious for nothing but in everything we should pray, giving thanks as we make our petitions known to God.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us that giving thanks at all times is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:17 says that as believers everything we say or do should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus as we give thanks to Him.
1 Timothy 4:4 – says that food and marriage are good things given to us by God and are to be received with thanksgiving and gratitude.
Expressing gratitude does several things:
- It articulates dependence
- It demonstrates relationship
- It communicates gratitude – proper attitudes
- It generates humility
IV. Pray, making intercession
Intercessory prayer is basically praying for others, it is praying for God’s will to be done in the lives of other people.
Intercessory prayers characterized the prayer life of Jesus.
In Isaiah 53:12 the Bible says, He Himself bore the sins of many and, interceded for the transgressors.”
Luke 22:23 Jesus tells Peter, “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail;”
Luke 23:34 on the cross, Jesus was praying for others when He said, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
John 14:15 Jesus interceded for us, asking the Father to send the Holy Spirit
John 17:19 He prayed for us, the church, in His High Priestly prayer. Listen to the intercessory nature of this prayer, “I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom Thou has given Me . . . “
Romans 8:34 tells us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us.
And Hebrews 7:25 says, “Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Jesus prayed intercessory prayers, He was ever praying for others.
It is instructive to note that Paul is not asking them to pray for his legal situation or that he would be released from prison. He is asking them to pray that he will have the opportunity to lead someone to Christ.
Paul wanted their prayers to be in accordance with God’s will not simply after the greedy desires of someone living for this world.
Paul was always concerned with doing the will of God. How many of our prayers are directed at the expansion of His eternal kingdom rather than the expansion of our petty kingdoms? compare how much time you were praying for the lost who are headed to hell and how much you prayed for yourself and your family.
Intercessory prayer changes things.
You see, when you pray for others, when you pray for God's work to be done, for His will to be accomplished, He will begin to use you and grow you in ways that will astonish those around you. Sometimes I think we do not become what God wants us to become, because we are too focused on ourselves and not on others. It is when we pray for others that we will become more like Jesus, and as we become more like Jesus God will grow us more, show us more, and use us more.
Sol.Paulose