Any real and lasting growth within our personal experience of salvation life usually comes as we grow to trust who God is. When we are ‘born from above’ the eyes of our hearts draw us to knowing who God is and what He does, has done and continues to do. Paul’s prayers open our eyes to see the multi-dimensional nature of God and help us to participate more fully in the ways of Jesus.
HE IS PRAYING
When the Lord spoke to Ananias about going to visit Paul on Straight St He gives us a description of what Paul was doing – “he is praying.” – Prayer has a way of moving us away from our self confidence in to a dependence upon God. Prayer is the life source that shifts our perspective from a self-centred and limited space into God’s vast world. Faith-filled effort while waiting upon God frees us from complacency. We should not be surprised that Paul received revelation describing God’s glorious new creation plans and eye opening dimensions of His extraordinary nature. Paul was a man who knew how to give of himself in prayer.
I mentioned briefly in my previous post about my own personal devotion included praying Paul’s prayers in the first person. I found myself rereading Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and 2 Thessalonians as a start. But I discovered that Paul’s letters are peppered with prayer for the saints.
In the letter to the believers in Ephesus Paul prays and asks God that He, “may give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that I may know Him better.” [1]
“May have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know that love that surpasses knowledge – that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of Christ.” [2]
CALLED TO PRAY
These Pauline prayers seem radical yet they do open a way for all who participate in their reality to being and becoming like Jesus. Prayer, like nothing else opens the way to grasp the dimensions of God’s love, cultivate healthy wisdom and revelation and strengthen us with all power. These prayers prioritise our living as we call upon God “to fill us with the knowledge of His will.” [3] Our praying helps to carry God’s power from a humble heart to revolutionise the way we see Jesus building His Church, change our thinking as to His purposes and renew our faith in an extraordinary God.
It is my conviction that when the saints begin to pray and allow God to fill us with all the fullness of Christ then disciples of Jesus will be transformed. The Church that Jesus is building will make a powerful impact on society and God’s purposes of a new creation reality will be fulfilled in the earth. After all, “The Church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the Church. The Church is Christ’s body, in which He speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.” [4] May it be so!
[1] Ephesians 1:17 NIV
[2] Ephesians 3:19 NIV
[3] Colossians 1:9 NIV
[4] Ephesians 1: 23 The Message
I have personalised Paul’s prayers for emphasis.