Because the disciples were not born-again when our Lord Jesus was with them, there were certain aspects of prayer that our Lord could not teach them. Now that we are born-again however, the Holy Spirit has been sent by God to teach us further about what we should pray for. In the following passages of scripture the Holy Spirit has given us numerous prayers that we should be praying before God our Father. These prayers are Holy Spirit inspired, to be prayed for the individual believer and for churches. I would strongly recommend that you pray them for yourselves and for your brothers and sisters in Christ. These prayers recorded in the epistles are written to the church, and as such these prayers are particularly relevant to our walk in the Lord.
Ephesians 1:16-19 “do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: (17) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, (18) the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, (19) and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe.”
Ephesians 3:14-19 “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (15) from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, (16) that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, (17) that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (18) may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- (19) to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Philippians 1:9-11 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, (10) that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, (11) being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
Colossians 1:9-11 “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (10) that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; (11) strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.”
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 “Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, (12) that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 John 1:2 “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
Michael E.B. Maher
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