Paul's Prayer and Love for God's People

In our Devotional Guide for church our pastor, Aaron Turner, encourged us to pray through Colossians 1:[9-12] for ourselves, and for anyone else that the Holy Spirit laid on our hearts. I did pray through this passage and it amazing what God did in my heart. He revealed to me a heart issue that I didn't even know was there, and brought me to brokenness about the sin that was in my heart. That was two days ago and I am still praying through and meditating on this passage, but I would like to share with you some of what God has revealed to me through it.

Colossians 1:[9-12]--"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."

In this passage, Paul is writing to the church at Colosse. Paul prays for them, and then writes out the subjects of his prayer so that they would know that he was praying for them. By him writing this letter to the Colossians it showed them that prayer was a priority in his life. Paul made prayer a regular part of his life because he knew how important it was in his walk with the Lord. He tells them that he was thankful to God for the work He was doing in their lives. Paul's desire was to see the Colossians growing and being fruitful spiritually. He prayed that they would be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that their lives would be lived in a manner that pleased God.

Paul's hearts desire for them was to understand the principles of God's word and be able to practically apply them to their lives. He wanted them to see that they could not obtain the knowledge of God's will apart from God's written word. And that they would not be able to grow spiritually apart from that knowledge. Paul's prayer for them is packed full of love and it expresses that they were very dear to his heart. It amazes me that Paul had such a strong love for the Colossian people because some of them he had never met. With this in mind I asked myself, How could Paul have such a passionate love for these people if he had never met them? I believe the answer is found in his prayer life. Because Paul prayed so passionately for these people God produced in him a love for them.

After praying through this scripture, the Lord revealed to me these truths about Paul's prayer life. As I began to pray through this scripture myself the Holy Spirit laid on my heart many of my fellow sisters and brothers in Christ, and then as I prayed for them, He began to show me my lack of love for them. "Why do I have a lack of love for these people?" I asked. The Lord then began to work in my heart and reveal to me that I haven't been praying for these people as I should. Sure, I would pray for them if they were having problems, but was only praying shallow prayers for them when they didn't seem to be going through any major crisis. And I do pray for people as the Lord brings them to my mind , but I have not been intentionally praying passionately for them. My prayers for others need to be unceasing so that my love for them will increase. As we pray, our love for the Lord will grow stronger as well as our love for others.

Paul says in verse 9," since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you," Paul's telling the Colossian people that he always prays for them. How encouraging these words must have been for them. I believe Paul wanted the subjects of his prayer preserved for them in writing to serve as a reminder that he was going to continue to pray for them. Paul wanted them to know how much he desired for his prayer to be accomplished in their lives.

How many times have people asked us to prayer for them and then we didn't? I believe sometimes we just say we will pray for them just to sound spiritual, but then as soon as they are out of our sight we don't think any more about their request. In fact, some time may pass before we speak to them again and then when we see them they say, "I just wanted to thank you for praying for me", and then they share with us the answered prayer and to our shame we never even lifted them up in prayer. Has this happened to you? I believe it has happened to all of us at one point or another. I find it best to stop right then and pray with someone that has asked me to pray for them. When I have stopped to pray for them the Lord has developed in me a greater love for them.

Paul's prayers were intense and he remembered people in prayer and we also must do the same. When we pray for others they become a regular part of our lives. When I tell people that I are praying for them regularly I am telling them; I am concerned about them, I love them, I am interested in them, and they are on my heart and mind. When we are committed to praying for people it expresses to them our love for them. It also develops a closeness and special bond that can only come through passionately praying for them. Only through Christ can we love people the way he has loved us. Even the people that are difficult to love.

Intersession for others is a beautiful thing. Christ made it possible for us to come into the very presence of God and have an intimate relationship with Him through prayer. I am thankful that Christ makes intersession to God on our behalf. We are accepted by God because He paid the penalty for our sins when he shed His blood on the cross. Because Christ is risen and is sitting on the right hand of God we can come into God's presence. Christ's presence in heaven serves as a constant reminder that through Christ the penalty for our sins has been paid in full. When we come into the presence of God it is a privilege because it's only by God's grace through Christ that we can come to Him in prayer.

John 14 :6--Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."


Lord, forgive me for not praying for your people as I should. Help me to diligently pray and be intentional to pray without ceasing for others. Develop in me a passionate love for your people that you may be glorified. Help me to stay disciplined in your word and prayer that I may be filled with the knowledge of You as Paul prayed,"that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;"

Lord, help me to be fruitful and grow spiritually that I may have a deeper love for you and keep you first in my life. Help me to grow in obedience to your word. Produce in me a stronger foundational doctrine of Your word. Help me to flourish and abound in faith. Thank You, Lord for giving me the privilge to come into your presence. Thank your for pouring out Your grace and mercy on me and bringing me to brokenness once again.

Is there anyone that you have a lack of love for because you haven't been passionately praying for them? Does someone come to mind? If so, it's not to late for you to start developing a love for them. Rely on the Lord to love through you and as you pray for them it will amaze you what God will do in your heart.

Serving Our Lord Together,
Michelle Harrison