The Apostle Paul must have really believed in prayer.

How do we know?

For one thing, nearly all of his letters contain appeals for his readers to pray for him (see Romans 15:30; 2 Corinthians 1:10-11; Ephesians 6:19-20; Colossians 4:3-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).

Secondly, nearly of his letters contain exhortations for his readers to pray … period! For example:

 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  (Romans 12:12)

 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)

 pray continually; (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone (1 Timothy 2:1)

 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. (1 Timothy 2:8)

I ask you: is it reasonable to assume that Paul would have spent so much energy encouraging his readers to pray if he wasn’t convinced that this holy exercise would make a big difference in their lives?

Evidently, the great Protestant Reformer Martin Luther felt the same way.

He once said:

“As it is the business of tailors to make clothes and of cobblers to mend shoes, so it is the business of Christians to pray.”

I want to go further in this blog and direct your attention to one passage in particular where the Apostle Paul encouraged his readers to pray. In this passage we hear Paul encouraging the followers of Christ to make it a habit of praying every day for . . . one another.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18)

Can we spend just a few moments today thinking about what Paul actually had in mind here? I mean, it is one thing to say in prayer: “God bless so-and-so and so-and-so.” I suspect, however, that Paul had more in mind than this kind of hyper-generic intercession when he encouraged his readers to keep on praying for one another.

What did Paul have in mind?

The best way I can think of to answer that crucial question is to look at the way the Apostle Paul, himself, prayed for other believers. It’s not by mere coincidence that Paul’s letters are filled, not only with appeals for and encouragements to pray, but also actual prayers—his prayers for those to whom his letters were addressed.

Let’s take a careful look at some of those prayers. I believe this quick look at Paul’s prayers will not only inspire us to pray more for one another; it will also inform us how to do so.

Since this call to intercede for one another is found in the book of Ephesians, let’s begin by looking at the two huge prayers that Paul included in this very letter. Early on in this letter, Paul pauses to explain to his readers how he is praying for them. In Ephesians 1:16-20 we read:

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. {17} I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. {18} I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, {19} and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, {20} which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:16-20)

In this passage, I “hear” Paul praying that his fellow Christ-followers:

•   might get to know God better;
•   might better understand the wonderful plan God has for their future;
•   might better appreciate how valuable and precious they are to God; and
•   might better comprehend God’s desire and commitment to unleash in their lives the very same power He used to raise Jesus Christ from death to newness of life.

Do you suppose we can and should at times pray this kind of prayer for one another? Wouldn’t it be great to know someone is praying in this way for you?

Let’s press on to consider a second prayer that Paul presents in his letter to the Ephesians. A little later on in Ephesians 3:14-19 Paul writes:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, {15} from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. {16} I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, {17} so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, {18} may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, {19} and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19)

In this passage, I “hear” Paul praying that his fellow Christ-followers:

•   might be strengthened by the power of the Spirit to possess a strong, robust faith in Jesus Christ;
•   might grow in their ability to really understand and experience how radically loved they are by Christ; and
•   might, as a result of this ever-increasing understanding of Christ’s love, experience the fullness of God in their lives—His awesome presence, peace, power and purpose.

Do you suppose we can and should at times pray this kind of prayer for one another? Wouldn’t it be great to know someone is praying in this way for you?

Here’s a third prayer that we find in Paul’s letters; this one was directed to the church members in Philippi. In Philippians 1:9-11 we read:

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, {10} so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, {11} filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)

In this passage, I hear Paul praying that his fellow Christ-followers:

•   might grow in their ability to love one another;
•   might grow in wisdom as well as love;
•   might grow in their ability to discern and do that which is pleasing to God;
•   might grow in their ability to let Jesus Christ help them live lives that are pure, blameless and filled with good deeds; and
•   might, as a result, be really ready for the return of Christ.

Do you suppose we can and should at times pray this kind of prayer for one another? Wouldn’t it be great to know someone is praying in this way for you?

Now, in reality, there are several more Pauline prayers to be found in the New Testament, but for the sake of time, and so as not to overwhelm ourselves, let’s look at just one more. Here’s a prayer that Paul prayed for the church members in Colossae. In Colossians 1:9-12, Paul wrote:

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. {10} And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, {11} being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully {12} giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:9-12

In this passage, I “hear” Paul praying that his fellow Christ-followers:

•   might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will for their lives;
•   might be empowered to live lives that are pleasing to God in every way;
•   might experience God’s blessing upon every good work they attempt for Him;
•   might never stop growing in their knowledge and experience of God;
•   might be divinely empowered to patiently endure every character-building trial God allows to come their way; and
•   might, even in the face of extreme adversity, find themselves able and eager to give thanks to God—the God who has graciously enabled them to become citizens of His eternal Kingdom.

One last time I ask you: Do you suppose we can and should at times pray this kind of prayer for one another? Wouldn’t it be great to know someone is praying in this way for you?

The great poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson, once observed,

“More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.  Wherefore, let thy voice rise like a fountain for me night and day.”

Prayer really is a powerful activity. If Paul’s prayers for his readers are any indication, our praying for one another can make a huge difference in our lives.

How would you like it if all the things Paul prayed for his fellow Christ-followers actually happened in your life? Wouldn’t it be great, really great, to know that you belong to a Christian community filled with people who were seriously asking God to bless you in these ways?

I’m convinced we can do this! We can all make it our goal to belong to a genuine Christian community that engages in this kind of prayer for one another!

The next time you meet with your small group of spiritual friends, quote Ephesians 6:18 to them. Then quote Tennyson: “Wherefore, let thy voice rise like a fountain for me night and day.”

Hopefull, you’ll not just get some interesting looks; you’ll get something started. 

Something to think about.