An Awesome Prayer Series

“AN AWESOME PRAYER” Colossian 1:9-14

FBCF – 7/7/24

Jon Daniels

INTRO – Author Kevin Halloran – "When Prayer is a Struggle" – discovered one of top answers as to why people struggle to prayer – “I don’t know what to pray.” Many people feel like they’re stuck in a rut, repeatedly praying the same thing, & they give up.

- First, let me say that there’s nothing wrong w/ praying the same thing over & over again as long it is a genuine concern of your heart – Don’t know many people who pray for their spouse/kids/grandkids one time & say, “Ok, I’m done praying for them.”

- Words like Paul’s in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing”, & Jesus’ in Matthew 7:7 – “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” (NLT) make it clear that heartfelt repetitive prayer should be a part of every Christ-follower’s prayer life. SATAN WANTS YOU TO GIVE UP!

But we have to admit that there are those times when we feel like we’re just going through the motions, when we want to infuse our prayer lives w/ a freshness & newness. One of the best remedies is to pray the Bible – to let the actual words of the Bible inform & impact the words that we say in our prayers. Kevin Halloran – “Praying the Bible is simply responding to the conversation that God our Father has already started.” (https://openthebible.org/article/25-powerful-prayers-from-the-bible/)

There are beautiful prayers all throughout the Bible in both the Old & New Testaments that you can utilize to open up your heart & mind to the power of praying the Word of God back to God.

- Psalm 51 – “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, & cleanse me from my sin!... Create in me a clean heart, O God, & renew a right[b] spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence & take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation & uphold me with a willing spirit.”

- 1 Chronicles 4:10 – “And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’” (NKJV)

- The Lord’s Prayer – Matthew 6:9-13

Paul’s letters contain several prayers that he prayed for the believers in the different churches he ministered to. At one time when I was younger, I had an ambitious goal of memorizing all of his prayers. Didn’t make it, but I did memorize this one from Colossians 1. Wrote it on this card years ago. Have prayed this prayer over my family & over the church staffs I’ve worked with over the years. Let’s read it together:

EXPLANATION – Colossian 1:9-14 (NIV84)

Start new series in Colossians – “Our Life in Christ” – next 5 weeks leading up to our revival w/ Don Wilton – Aug. 18-21.

- In a world that is constantly trying to get us to focus on yourself & believe that whatever belief system you choose is just as valid as any other, we will be focusing on the superiority of Christ over all human philosophies & traditions.

- In a world that is constantly trying to convince us that living for ourselves focused on worldly passions is the best way to live, we will be focusing on how to live our lives focused on heavenly things rather than earthly things.

- In a world that is constantly telling us that we can live any way we want to live, we will be focusing on how to live & walk in Christ.

Paul wrote this letter to the Colossian believers to help them stand strong against false teachers. And right at the beginning, he prays this awesome prayer for them.

Components of this awesome prayer:

PERSISTENCE – v. 9 – “…we have not stopped praying for you…” – It’s an awesome thing to persist in prayer. Luke 18:1 – “…Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray & not give up.” (NIV)

- Dave Lang

The diary of George Mueller, Christian social reformer from the Victorian era, chronicles his devotion in prayer:

- “In November 1844, I began to pray for the conversion of five individuals. I prayed every day without a single intermission, whether sick or in health, on the land, on the sea, and whatever the pressure of my engagements might be. Eighteen months elapsed before the first of the five was converted. I thanked God and prayed on for the others. Five years elapsed, and then the second was converted. I thanked God for the second and prayed on for the other three. Day by day, I continued to pray for them, and six years passed before the third was converted. I thanked God for the three and went on praying for the other two. These two remained unconverted.”