Colossians 1:1-14
There is no one more important in the world to us than our family. And one of the greatest ways to love our families is to pray for them. Here’s how:
- PRAY PASSIONATELY Colossians 1:3-3, 4:2 — Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ: Grace and peace to you from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you…
The church at Colossae was made up of Paul’s spiritual children. He loved them and experienced hardship on their behalf. Paul shows us that one of the greatest ways we show love for others is through prayer. Why would we not plug into the greatest power source this world has ever known? May we understand that prayer is the power switch to unleash God’s power on our family’s behalf.
- PRAY POINTEDLY Colossians 1:4-8 — …because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.
Am I praying specifically for my family? Paul mentions several characteristics in the lives of his spiritual children that he commends and celebrates. I believe these are excellent spiritual traits that we need to pray into our kids, grandkids, and others around us.
Make a list and pray for the development of specific character qualities. Pray pointedly for specific character qualities/traits to be developed in your kids and grandkids. Here are five Paul mentions:
- Faith
- Love
- Hope
- Fruitfulness
- Learning
- PRAY PERSISTENTLY Colossians 1:9 — For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives…
Am I praying persistently for my family? Start early and never stop praying for your kids, grandkids and family. Pray for your family in seven ways:
- Mentally—to have the mind of Christ, to be clear minded, to think like Jesus.
- Physically—health, protection, strength.
- Spiritually—to know Christ, live for Christ, grow in Jesus Christ.
- Emotionally—break free from emotional chains.
- Relationally—be protected from the wrong people and connected with the right people.
- Sexually—moral and sexual purity
- Financially— manage money God’s way: save, give, avoid debt traps and materialism.
- PRAY PURPOSEFULLY Colossians 1:10-14 — …so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
When praying for our children and grandchildren use Paul’s “checklist:”
- Pray they live a life worthy of the Lord.
- Pray they live their life to please Him in every way.
- Pray their life becomes fruitful and full of good and godly works.
- Pray they grow in the knowledge of God.
- Pray they are strengthened in His power.
- Pray they experience great endurance and that they persevere through challenges.
- Pray they grow in patience, trusting God in all things.
- Pray they experience the joy of the Lord and keep encouraged.
- Pray they live life with gratitude and thankfulness for all God has done.
- Pray they live life to gain Heaven.
You need to plan prayer – so create a plan and then be sure to work your plan. Paul shows us how to pray for our family by starting early and never quitting!