Continue Steadfastly in Prayer!

A few days ago I decided to be more diligent and focused in spending time in prayer and reading my Bible. I had been letting laziness and distraction keep me from really pressing in to Him. So I've been getting up early with only my Bible and a notebook to write my prayers. No iPad (which so easily leads me down abstract paths), and no other books. It was so refreshing! I gave Him my thoughts on paper, and received His living word to my soul! I wanted to share one special thing that came out of my quiet time with Him.

Something that's been on my heart, is praying for my children...beyond the little night time prayers. I mean, intercession on their behalf. Doing battle for them in the unseen realm! If I actually believe in the power of prayer, than why on earth don't I pray? Why am I so passive about it?

Part of it is being subtly distracted. What a clever tool of the enemy.

Part of it is that I don't fully recognize or understand the power of prayer.

And sometimes I just don't know where to begin. I don't take the time to quiet myself, and really pray from my heart. I end up with "Please keep them healthy and safe and don't let anything bad happen to them." There isn't anything wrong with praying for good health and safety, but there is so much more! And bad things are bound to happen. I want to go deeper. I want to pray according the the Spirit of God.

So I was reading in Colossians the last few mornings. I took an orange pen and highlighted everything I could pray for my children (really anyone for that matter). It was wonderful. I put all those verses together, and modified them into a prayer. I read it when I was done, and was thrilled! It felt like such an important, relevant, and meaningful prayer. I want to start praying the Word over everyone!

It's not always "easy" to pray, but I won't let that stop me. In Colossians 4:12 Paul mentions someone named Epaphras who was "...always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God." I will struggle in prayer on the behalf of others for that same reason.

My prayer from Colossians, written for my children:

Father, I ask that my children would be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of You, fully pleasing to You, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You. May they be strengthened with all power, according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to You.

Deliver them from the domain of darkness and transfer them to the kingdom of Your beloved Son. I pray that they would continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that they have heard. Make known to them the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in them, the hope of glory.

May their hearts be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I will rejoice to see their good order and the firmness of their faith in Christ.

I pray that they would receive Christ Jesus the Lord, and so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as they are taught, abounding in thanksgiving. May no one take them captive by philosophy and empty deceit. I pray that they would be made alive together with Him, and forgiven of all their trespasses. May they seek the things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

I pray that they would put to death what is earthly in them; sexual immorality, impurity, evil desire, and covetousness. That they would put away all anger, wrath, malice, slander, lying and obscene talk from their mouths. I pray that they would put off the old self, and put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator.

May they wear compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as You have forgiven them, so they also must forgive. And above all these, I pray that they would put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts. May they be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in them richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing songs, with thankfulness in their hearts to You. And whatever they do, in word or deed, may they do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to You through Him.

I pray that they would be obedient, for this pleases You. May they stand mature and fully assured in all Your will, and fulfill the ministry that You have for them.

In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."  (Col. 4:2 ESV)