PAUL’S PLEA ON PRAYER AND HIS PLEA FOR PRAYER
(Colossians 4:2-4)
by: Sis. Andrea Ortega
Much has been said and written on the topic of prayer. Books, articles and other forms of literature about prayer abound. But more than information, what is more of weightier value is its application. In Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae, he appealed to them (and to us) 2 things regarding prayer: First was his plea on the church’s attitude on prayer and finally was hisplea for prayer
1) Paul’s Plea on the Church’s Attitude on Prayer
Colossians 4:2 - Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful
So how should we pray? What should be the proper attitude towards it? Should we take it lightly, viewing prayer just as something we do and recite before eating our meals, upon waking up or just before going to bed? Is it something we do only during Monday midweek service or on selected sporadic occasions during the week or whenever it is convenient for us? There are 3 attitudes that Paul exhorted that we should have towards prayer:
a) Have an attitude of devotion/ persistence/ earnestness - The believer as an individual, and the church as a corporate body are called to be strong, committed, dedicated, steadfast, passionate, persevering, and zealous for prayer and in prayer. To devote one’s self to prayer involves allocation of one’s time and resources. How we spend our time and the things or activities that we constantly are involved in speaks a lot of where our devotion lies. Let’s examine our prayer life. Can we say that it mirrors the above descriptions? If not, then to what are we devoting our lives…is it in pursuit of temporal things or those that would have an impact on eternity? The call and the instruction to devote one’s self and continue earnestly in prayer is also exhorted in Rom. 12:12; 1 Thes. 5:17; Acts 6:4; Acts 2:12
b) Have an attitude of watchfulness/ vigilance - When we speak of vigilance, the image that first comes to mind is that of a soldier wide-wake and alert, always on-call 24/7, ready anytime to fight and ward off any foe, who will not retreat in the face of danger because he had purposed to keep watch and be on the guard at all times. “Keeping alert or vigilant” in the original Greek is “gregoreu”which means to keep awake, refrain from sleep, and to remain alert, watchful and ready to meet danger or emergency. It means to be quick to perceive and act; being on the lookout. The idea of “alert” stresses readiness or promptness in meeting danger and seizing opportunity. When we understand that prayer is more than just talking to God and presenting our requests to him but it is also a mighty weapon against the enemy of our souls- Satan and his plans and schemes to wreak havoc and destruction in our lives, we will be more watchful and vigilant in it. John Piper in his book, The Pleasure of God: Meditations on God’s delight in Being God, he writes that “Prayer is a wartime Walkie-Talkie, Not a Domestic Intercom. Prayer is the walkie-talkie on the battlefield of the world. It calls on God for courage (Eph. 6:19). It calls in for troop deployment and target location (Acts 13:1; 2:3). It calls in for protection and air cover (Matt. 6:13; Luke 21:36). It calls in for firepower to blast open a way for the Word (Col. 4:3). It calls in for the miracle of healing for the wounded soldiers (James 5:16). It calls in for supplies for the forces (Matt. 6:11; Phils. 4:6). And it calls in for needed reinforcements (Matt. 9:38). This is the place of prayer—on the battlefield of the world. It is a wartime walkie-talkie for spiritual warfare, not a domestic intercom to increase the comforts of the saints. And one of the reasons it malfunctions in the hands of so many Christian soldiers is that they have gone AWOL. “Let’s make use and maximize prayer. We are called to be in a state of “high alert”, ready to pray anywhere, anytime, for any need and any one.
c) Have an attitude of thanksgiving - Praying with thanksgiving signifies faith. When we have a thankful heart and our confession is full of it, this helps us to stay vigilant in it in it and reminds us of who God is and what He can do. Philippians 4:6 instructs us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
2) Paul’s Plea for Prayer
Colossians 4:3-4
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
What kind of prayer requests did a great man of faith like Paul asks his prayer supporters? Top and foremost in his prayer request list is that in order for the gospel to reach the unreached, we need to pray for:
a) God to open doors & opportunities to share the Gospel
b) Correct and clear proclamation of the Gospel
Opportunities for the good news of Jesus Christ to be shared are God-given and not forcibly created by man. And prayer is the key for those doors to be opened. Let’s continue to be steadfast in praying for more divine appointments and opportunities. We should not forget also to include in our prayers and intercede that an accurate and correct gospel will be preached.
The urgency and the importance that we include these prayer points in our prayer times cannot be undermined. Paul kept on reminding churches to do so as in Ephesians 6:19:
Ephesians 6:19 - Pray also for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel.
And also in 2 Thessalonians 3:1:
2 Thessalonians 3:1 - Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified
These prayer requests are not only for the churches in Colossae, Ephesus or Thessalonica, it’s also for us.
Conclusion:
Not only has God made the accomplishment of his global purposes of salvation hang on the preaching of the Word; he has also made the success of the preaching of the Word hang on prayer. God's goal to be glorified in a world full of worshippers from every people and tongue and tribe and nation will not succeed without the powerful proclamation of the gospel by people like you and me. And that gospel will not be proclaimed in power to all the nations without the persevering, earnest, global, faith-filled prayers of God's people. This is the awesome place of prayer in the purposes of God for the world. They won't happen without prayer. (From: Prayer: The Work Of Missions by John Piper).
If we trace and analyze revival movements, breakthroughs in missions, and other spiritual awakening, we can see one single denominator – fervent and persistent prayer. People have labored and toiled in their knees, crying out to God to intervene and tapping on His power and resources by means of faith-filled intercession. Just to cite an example, Hudson Taylor was before all else a man of prayer. He lived in the conscious presence of the Lord; constant communion with God had become to him as necessary and natural as breathing. The China Inland Mission, which he founded, was born in prayer, and prayer has ever since been its vital breath. (from: The Vital Force of Missionary Intercession by Robert Hall Glover).The Moravian movement which launched hundreds of missionaries was marked by prayer, having a prayer chain that spanned 100 years!
Time is short. There are still millions of people who still have to hear the love of God and the good news of Jesus Christ. Not all of us may have the opportunity to proclaim it to them, but we can all pray! 1 Peter 4: 7 says
1 Peter 4: 7 - But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers
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