Today we are comparing Paul’s different prayers: Col. 1:3-14, Eph. 1:3-23, Philippians 1:9-11
Have you ever listened to yourself pray? This is a hazard of the trade for me. One of my primary roles at TrueLife is to teach the application of Scripture each Sunday. I feel a weight of responsibility to be the best I can be at this. So, I listen to my own sermons, and evaluate how I did on communicating what God intended for that week. Can I admit to you that my voice sounds awkward to me when I pray? (I guess I just did admit it)
How long do you think it took Paul to write these portions? I believe Paul was guided by the power of the Holy Spirit when writing these passages, but that does not guarantee speed. Paul’s prayers are packed full of deep theology. You can hear it and sense it. They are worthy of study and application; reading and memorization. Paul certainly has a pattern to his prayers. Did you see it?
How about you? What is your pattern of prayer? Can you pick up some new words, new phrases, and new thoughts from Paul’s prayers to use in your own? Don’t worry. It won’t be plagiarism. It’s exactly why the Holy Spirit penned these words.
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God”(Philippians 1:9-11)
Try that prayer on for size. You can pray that over your family, parents, kids, neighbors, co-workers, and dogs.
