In Paul’s letters in the New Testament, we read his prayers for the believer, and this does include US! There are 3 particular prayers that give us so much information about who we are, Whose we are, and all that is available to us to be all that we are intended to become.
These are Paul’s prayers for us in order that we do grow and mature [Ephesians 4:13] These prayers are found in Colossians 1:9-12, Ephesians 1:3-6, and 1:17-23, What they tell us is that Paul prayed often for the believer. AND that those were powerful prayers. However, I also believe that it is only when we act on them that the power is displayed. I’m providing the Amplified Bible’s version so that you can appreciate the fullness of power in Paul’s prayers.
In Colossians:
*that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [with insight into His purposes], and in understanding [of spiritual things],”
Why?
*so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord [displaying admirable character, moral courage, and personal integrity], to [fully] please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing in the knowledge of God [with deeper faith, clearer insight and fervent love for His precepts]; [we pray that you may be] strengthened and invigorated with all power, according to His glorious might, to attain every kind of endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints (God’s people) in the Light.”
Turning to Ephesians:
*Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ, just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world,”
Why?
“so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will—to the praise of His glorious grace and favor, which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [His Son, Jesus Christ].Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
“[I always pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him [for we know the Father through the Son]. And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit],”
Why?
“so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God’s people), and [so that you will begin to know] what the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His [active, spiritual] power is in us who believe These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength which He produced in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion [whether angelic or human], and [far above] every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and world but also in the one to come. And He put all things [in every realm] in subjection under Christ’s feet, and appointed Him as [supreme and authoritative] head over all things in the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills and completes all things in all [believers].”
Read these verses in Ephesians and Colossians as if Paul was there with you and is speaking these prayers over you. What is he praying for you? The first thing is that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom. Wow. Knowledge of will in all wisdom and the operative adjective is – all. Paul wants us all to be filled and specifically filled. The reason for this is so that we may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord: admirable character, moral courage, and personal integrity. Can you picture yourself as attaining this? Can we be so filled and for so great a purpose?
Whenever you hear another brother or sister in the Lord deprecating themselves … gift them with this knowledge. Help them to know that Paul may have been writing to Ephesus or Colosse but these letters were also meant to be shared with the other churches and for all Christians. Because of the work in front of us we need to know who we are and why. God has chosen to work through us to touch this world, to bring salt and light, to encourage, to correct by His Word. Bottom line is that knowing and acting on who you are is NOT arrogance. It is confidence because you can’t do this apart from the Triune God…. you weren’t to.
In Ephesians, Paul repeats the focus of “..who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ”. I believe Paul was reinforcing his teaching about all we receive when we make Jesus our Lord. He also restates:
“And He put all things [in every realm] in subjection under Christ’s feet, and appointed Him as [supreme and authoritative] head over all things in the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills and completes all things in all [believers].” [1:23]
Thank goodness we are always a work in progress and that it is the Lord who fills and completes all things…
