Thinking of your latest prayers, what do they primarily consist of? Are they laced with praise and adoration, thanksgiving, and peppered highly with your personal requests? Or are they the quick kind thrown up only when you meet the unexpected pot holes of life and you could use a little extra helping hand?
No matter what your prayers look like, whether they are the cookie-cutter variety, shaped by our concerns or worries, or those seasoned highly with praise for the Father, God welcomes our prayers. He offers us an open invitation to come boldly unto Him, to cast all of concerns, and to ask what we want.
I’ve been camping out in the book of Ephesians for some time now and Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:15-20 has been one of the passages that keep drawing my eyes for closer inspection. Paul points out that he has included prayers for the people in Ephesus consistently.
Three Key Areas Paul’s Prayer Focused
- Spiritual Wisdom and insight
- Hearts flooded with light (revelation)
- Understanding of God’s power
Each of these areas Paul asked for on behalf of the people had a specific purpose. He didn’t ask God to give them spiritual wisdom and insight so that they could look lofty to others but rather so that they might know God more.
I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. Eph 1:16-17 (NLT)
In fact, Scripture warns us that knowledge puffs up but love builds up. While we may not start off our reading and studying of scripture with the aim to impress others, if we are not careful, it can be one of the things we use to divide and elevate ourselves from others.
Paul prayed that fresh light would shine in dark areas so that they might not just hear about hope but they may fully grasp the confident hope God has called them to. You see we can have accepted Christ but still have areas of lack of knowledge or things we heard many times but it hasn’t been personally revealed to us.
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called-his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. Eph 1:18 (NLT)
Lastly Paul focused his prayer on understanding God’s power. He wanted them to be aware that this powerful God wasn’t just one exerting his power around them but He uses this power to work through them. I like the way The Voice Bible says verse 19a, “let them see the full extent of Your power that is at work in those of us who believe”.
Those same three areas Paul deemed fit to pray consistently on the behalf of the believers in Ephesus are still needed for us today. No matter how long you’ve been journeying with Jesus, there’s always more to learn about him, always places we can use more illumination of His truths, and always areas where we are viewing God too small.
Linking up here:
Related articles: What Others Are Sharing About Prayer
- Praying About the Dumb Stuff (sharonsharinggod.blogspot.com)
- Q & A with Rick Hamlin on Prayer (andrealschultz.blogspot.com)
- The Power of the Memorized Word (swanvalleytammi.blogspot.com)
LaVonne says
Wanda, this is a timely reminder for me. All three areas are important, but the last one you touched on has been an area of focus for me for some time now. I really began to focus on understanding God’s power when I was reading through Mark 12 and these words of Jesus lodged in my heart: “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.” – Mark 12:24. It was as if an alarm sounded and never stopped ringing. Since then I have prayed everyday that I do not become one of those who are called “Christian” but do not really come to know God and His power.
Wanda says
LaVonne, you’re always illuminated passages of Scripture I’m sure I have read before but have’t quite seen them in the light as you present. Your like a well of knowledge my friend.
Sharon says
Wanda, I loved this phrase: “fresh light would shine in dark areas.” That is one of my heartfelt prayers – that God would reveal Himself and His Word to me in more profound ways. He has so many things to say to me, and I just want to listen.
GOD BLESS!
Wanda says
Yes He has so much to share with us. I would imagine He’s grieve my how little time we make ourselves (or shall I say that I make myself) truly available to just listen without my need to interject.
Michell says
Thanks so much Wanda! None of us have arrived. It just peeves me to see Believers walk around as if they have, for we are constantly learning and growing, line by line, precept by precept. We’re suppose to have ourselves in mind when we read our Bibles, for it’s always going to be the mirror by which we check our hearts…making sure we become more and more like Christ. Thanks for always giving us food for thought Wanda and thanks for linking up! Have a blessed week my friend!
Wanda says
My pleasure to link up Michell and really appreciate those weekly emails you send reminded everyone of the link up. You’re a fantastic hostess my friend.
denise says
Amen, amen.
Wanda says
Hi Denise. Always a pleasure to have you stop by and what a treat to get to see you live via your video.
Mia says
Dear Wanda
I loooove this! When you wrote about the prayers for His provision for our dire needs, I thought you were also going to tell is how selfish we are for doing so instead of praising our Pappa!! But, then you go on to tell us how much He loves listening to us when our hearts are near Him, even those cookie cutter prayers!! I can see you know His heart of love.
Blessings from Tracey’s
Mia
Wanda says
Hi Mia, no condemnation here from me. Different situations call for different types of prayer but whatever the situation God welcomes fellowship with his children. Much like parents are glad to hear from their own children. Although I don’t have children, I’ve noticed just how happy my sister is to hear from her sons even when the conversation is only for a moments. How much more does God take pleasure in talking with His. Wishing you a productive rest of the week Mia. Pleasure to have you stop over.
Joi @ Rx Fitness Lady says
Hi Wanda! Very nice visiting you today! I enjoyed the post with all the reminders and I love your blog name!
Wanda says
Thanks Joi, I like how you cleverly combined your day job and your love fitness to create your blog’s name.
Cynthia says
You are right. There is always more to learn. we can never be too full of spiritual knowledge. In fact, the Bible tells us that we must ask, seek and knock(Luke 11:9,10 & 13b). I don’t believe we do this once and we’re done. We have to stay steeped in the Word and in prayer. There are just so many distractions and this world continuously preaches, “self,” instead of others. I am putting the 3 keys to work. I can never stop learning, growing and loving, in Christ. Thank you, Wanda. I enjoyed this post.
Wanda says
So true Cynthia ask was never meant to be a singular event. I think about the Lord’s prayer where it says give us the this day our daily bread. God didn’t design us to be self-sufficient no matter how much the world will try to convince us otherwise.
Just Be Real says
Wanda, thank you for sharing such an indepth post. Blessings.
Wanda says
My pleasure JBR.
Hope says
I love Paul. I think his amazing transformation by God gave him so much knowledge and insight. I’ve had prayers range from praise to request to desperately seeking and desiring greater relationship with God, but I love the three areas in this post. I’m gonna go hand out in Ephesians… Great post!
Wanda says
I’m with you Hope my prayers have been all over the board. I’ve found myself trying to change of my Bible reading and decided to choose one book of the Bible and really let it marinate. Feel free to come back and share any nuggets you discover in Ephesians.