Intercessory Prayer

Col. 1:9-14

 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,  giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.  He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

What a blessing it is when we pray for one another's spiritual growth! Prayers for the daily needs are great, but if we prayed like this prayer, we would be giving fellow Christians the tools with which to handle daily needs. Paul had not ceased to pray for them. Their spiritual growth was a burden on his heart. So for me that should be step 1 for intercession. I must be burdened for the spiritual life of others that God brings in my life. 

The content of my prayer should include being filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. This is essential for every believer. We must know His will. How many times have I wondered if I was making the right decision? But once again I think this prayer would solve that problem. It would be the foundation from which all decisions would be made. The result of this prayer would be walking worthy of the Lord, full pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Wow! This is what I want. I want my life, every decisions and all my thoughts and motives to be pleasing to Him. I want to bear fruit and increase in knowing God. I want to walk worthy. I know that God has to grant me all these things because it can only be through His grace. Hence the need for prayer.

The next step is being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,  giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. I cannot live like this on my own or in my own strength. It must be through Him strengthening me according to His might. It is in His strength that I will have endurance and patience with joy. How crucial is that! To endure with joy! When all this is in place in my life, I will be thanking the Father who has given me so many gifts. I will be thankful because I can see that the inheritance of the saints is being a true statement. I can be God's inheritance because I am operating in His strength. He has made me worthy. 

He has delivered me from the domain of darkness and transferred me to the kingdom of the beloved son, the son who died for me giving me freedom from the bondage of sin and forgiveness of sin. 

Father,

I pray this pray today asking You to make it a reality in my life. Grant me to walk worthy of the calling to which You have called me.

In Him,

Amen