I recently found myself reflecting on prayer, and wondering how to pray more effectively and specifically. In this 2-part writing and video series, I want to share what I have been learning through exploring parts of the New Testament and Paul’s prayers. I hope it will positively impact your prayer life. 

Unpacking Powerful Prayer

The apostle Paul’s prayers are featured often throughout the New Testament of the Bible; his prayers provide a good demonstration for what God-aligned prayer looks like. 

If I want to incorporate the key elements of Paul’s prayers in my own, I began to understand that I might pray like this:

“Lord, I want to know you deeper each day. Please give me wisdom. Help me to live my life well. Please give me strength, and shape me. Help me to love greater! Please allow fruit to grow in my life and my relationships. Please keep me unified with others. Anchor me in Your hope. Let my life bring You glory!”

Diving In

“Lord, I want to know you deeper each day.

Paul–like David–wants to truly know God and wants the same for others. This means having a real, intimate relationship with God.

Colossians 1:9–10 – “That you may be filled with the knowledge of his will… growing in the knowledge of God”

Ephesians 1:17 – “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ… may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him”

Philippians 3:10 – “That I may know him…”

Please give me wisdom.

It is amazing that we can ask for wisdom; rightly applying what we know about God to our lives and decisions is the fruit of Godly wisdom. 

Colossians 1:9 – “Spiritual wisdom and understanding”

Philippians 1:9–10 – “That your love may abound… with knowledge and discernment”

Romans 12:2 – “That you may discern what is the will of God”

Help me to live my life well.

How we live matters. Our behavior reflects our heart, and reveals it to others. To me, this speaks to being an ambassador for Christ and representing him well.

Colossians 1:10 – “Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord”

Ephesians 4:1 – “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling”

1 Thessalonians 2:12 – “Walk worthy of God”

Please give me strength, and shape me. 

This reveals the reality that life is not easy and we are weak. This request is inwardly focused (character) for outward good (purpose). And, we can always ask for this, regardless of our circumstances or other people’s behavior.

Colossians 1:11 – “Strengthened with all power… for endurance and patience with joy”

Ephesians 3:16 – “Strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being”

2 Thessalonians 1:11 – “That God may fulfill every resolve for good”

Help me to love greater!

The greatest demonstration of a life changed is the presence of love, lived out. A man is measured by how he loves; Love is his legacy.

Ephesians 3:17–19 – “That you… may have strength to comprehend the love of Christ”

Philippians 1:9 – “That your love may abound more and more”

Romans 5:5 – “God’s love has been poured into our hearts”

Please allow fruit to grow in my life and my relationships.

Fruit is evidence and witness. Fruit brings good, not only to ourselves, but to the people around us and in our life.

Colossians 1:10 – “Bearing fruit in every good work”

Philippians 1:11 – “Filled with the fruit of righteousness”

Galatians 5:22–23 – Fruit of the Spirit

Please keep me unified with others.

Conflicts are inevitable but unity is the hope. Be someone who seeks harmony with others and takes action to forgive, reconcile relationships, and restore unity as much as is possible, believing that God will lead and do the work.

Ephesians 4:1–6 – “Maintain the unity of the Spirit”

Romans 15:5–6 – “Live in harmony with one another”

Philippians 2:1–2 – “Be of the same mind”

Anchor me in Your hope.

This anchor is not lodged into anything circumstantial, or anything that can be taken or removed or disrupted. This anchor is rooted in hope in the immovable Sustainer and Creator, God himself!

Ephesians 1:18 – “That you may know the hope to which he has called you”

Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace”

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 – Focus on eternal glory

Let my life bring You glory!”

There’s no way to more simply state the purpose, intention, and mission for our life: to bring Him glory!

Philippians 1:11 – “To the glory and praise of God”

Ephesians 3:20–21 – “To him be glory in the church”

Romans 11:36 – “To him be glory forever”

To me, the prayers I have found in the New Testament by Paul seem to often be prayers for others. It feels important to note this, because I think it reveals that Paul’s heart is often for others and desiring that they would have a rich relationship with God. 

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Takeaway

I want a rich prayer life. I want powerful prayer. I want prayer that aligns with God’s word and God’s will. I want to pray well, often, and for others. 

What do you want? 

I hope that having a better understanding of how Paul prays will help you in your communication, prayer, and relationship with God, today. 

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Moving Forward

Do you find elements of your prayers here?

Is there anything you can use or apply from this to your own prayer life?

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Questions or comments? gerberxc@gmail.com