How To Pray For Each Other

Alba 1-22-2023

HOW TO PRAY FOR EACH OTHER

Ephesians 1:15-23

Here are some prayers that children have prayed:

Debbie, age 7, prayed, Dear God: Please send a new baby for Mommy. The new baby you sent last week cries too much.

Jimmy, age 8, prayed, Dear God: How many angels are there in heaven? I would like to be the first kid in my class to know the answer.

Hank, age 7, prayed, Dear Lord: Thank you for the nice day today. You even fooled the TV weather man.

David, age 7, prayed, Dear God: I need a raise in my allowance. Could you have one of your angels tell my father. Thank you.

And Angela, age 8, prayed, Dear God: This is my prayer. Could you please give my brother some brains. So far he doesn’t have any.

We laugh, but often our prayers aren't much better. The Bible tells us flat out: “we do not know what we should pray for as we should” (Romans 8:26). Even Jesus’ closest followers, the apostles, had to ask Him, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).

We could learn something about prayer. I don’t know about you, but the many of my prayers are all about me and mine: “Lord, help me. Lord, forgive me. Lord, give me.” Or even, “Lord, why me?”

We have a tendency to think about ourselves and our own problems far more than we do other people. But what else—other than helping us get through a bad day—is prayer good for?

What should we be praying for? And how should we be praying? The apostle Paul helps to answer some of those questions in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

In Ephesians chapter one, Paul gives us some keys to a meaningful and effective prayer life. The main key has to do with other people. The simple fact is that Paul prayed for people other than himself!

Let's turn to Ephesians chapter one and read verses 15-23.

15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened;

that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

When Paul wrote this letter, he was sitting in a Roman prison. His circumstances were incredibly difficult. He had no money, no freedom, and was facing the possibility of execution. But he was still thinking and praying about, and for, other people.

Scripture calls all Christians to a regular prayer life. Romans 12:12 says we should be “continuing steadfastly in prayer”. Colossians 4:2 calls on us to “continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving”. And I Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to "Pray without ceasing".

It was the apostle Paul who wrote those words to the churches. But he not only encouraged Christians to pray, he led by example. As he wrote in Romans 1:9 “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.”

And to the Philippian Christians in Philippians 1:3-4 he said, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy.”

And to the people in Colossians 1:3 he wrote,“We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.”

Paul was a man of prayer. And notice: When Paul prays for these Christians in Ephesus, he never requests material things. His emphasis is always on spiritual things and on Christian character.

If Paul prayed that way, it was worth praying. And it is worth it to us to learn from his prayer. The first thing on his prayer list is that God would “give to (them) the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him” (verse 17).