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Paul Prays For His People
Introduciton: A. Paul was a great Christian, an outstanding scholar, a model missionary, a giant among men, spiritually, morally and intellectually --- but above all he was a Man of Prayer. 1. His Christian life began in prayer. (Acts 9:10-11) 2. He prayed for himself. (2 Cor. 12:7-9) 3. He asked others to pray for him. (Eph. 6:18-20) 4. He practiced intercession --- praying for others as his Lord did. (John 17:9) B. It is Significant to notice that Paul's Prayers Were Full of Praises I. The Characteristics of Paul's Prayer. A. It was marked by Persistency. 1. Col 1:9, "... we also, since the day we heard <it>, do not cease to pray for you, ..." 1 Th 5:17, "Pray without ceasing. 2. Prayer is a Warfare. Eph 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high <places>." 3. If we Give Up when we are praying --- the battle goes to the enemy. Acts 2:42, "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." B. It was marked by Intensity. 1. Col 1:9, "... desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 2. Notice the word "Desire" --- indicating that Paul was Passionate and Intense in his praying. 3. James 5:16, "Confess <your> faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." C. It was marked by Unity. 1. Col 1:9, "... we ... pray for you," 2. We may pray alone, but there is special power in United Prayer. Acts 16:25, "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. Mat 18:19, "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." II. The Content of Paul's Prayer. --- In our lesson text, we are told that Paul prayed for Seven Things: A. That They Might Be Given Perception. 1. Col 1:9, "... that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;" 2. We need Spiritual Enlightenment in order that we might know the will of God and do it. 3. By Nature we Cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God. 1 Cor 2:14, "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know <them>, because they are spiritually discerned." B. That They Might Lead Lives Pleasing To The Lord. 1. Col 1:10, "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, ..." 2. Rom 15:3, "For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me." 3. Gal 1:10, "For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." C. That They Might Engage In Profitable Service. 1. Col 1:10, "... being fruitful in every good work, ..." 2. Until we become Christians our lives are Unprofitable. Phile 1:10-11, "I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds: {11} Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me:" 3. The will of God is that our lives should Manifest The Fruit of The Spirit. Gal 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, {23} Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." John 15:2, "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every <branch> that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." --- V. 5, "I am the vine, ye <are> the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." --- V. 8, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." D. That They Might Progress In The Christian Life. 1. Col 1:10, "... increasing in the knowledge of God;" 2. Paul longed that these Christians Should Grow. 2 Pet 1:5-7, "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; {6} And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; {7} And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." E. That They Might Be Endued With Power. 1. Col 1:11, "Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, ..." 2. Paul is praying that they might have the Experience of Pentecost. Acts 2:4, "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,..." 3. None of the things of which we have been talking are Possible In Our Own Strength. Eph 3:16, "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;" Phil 2:13, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of <his> good pleasure." F. That They Might Have Patience. 1. Col 1:11, "... unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;" 2. "Patience" here means "Endurance In The Face of Trial". James 5:11, "Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." 3. 1 Pet 4:13, "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." G. That They Might Be Filled With Praise. 1. Col 1:12-14, "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: {13} Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated <us> into the kingdom of his dear Son: {14} In whom we have redemption through his blood, <even> the forgiveness of sins:" 2. We should be Thankful For Things which we Already have: a. His Provision --- He has given us an "Inheritance". Rom 8:16-17, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: {17} And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with <him>, that we may be also glorified together." b. His Power --- Notice what He has Delivered Us from and Translated us to! Col 1:13, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated <us> into the kingdom of his dear Son:" c. His Pardon --- We should thank God that Our Sins have been Removed From Us. Col 1:14, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, <even> the forgiveness of sins:" Psa 103:12, "As far as the east is from the west, <so> far hath he removed our transgressions from us." Heb 10:17, "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."
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