Found this 1 colossians prayer for patience last night as I was reading. I need this so much today. Growing more impatient with each day. The end of pregnancy is definitely a time to pray for power, patience, endurance, and JOY! Just in case, anyone else needed or knows anyone needing this…
This was a thought that came to me during prayer time. We must press in to comprehend what is the height, depth, length, width of His great love for us. Out of this understanding we will not only find rest, but all of the fruit blossoms out of this restful understanding. Also, out of the overflow of this comprehension will we love others. It’s no longer a challenge or struggle to love when we truly understand the depths of His love for us.
Peace and grace,
Lauren
Last week I posted about How to Pray Powerful Prayers. This post was specifically on praying the apostolic prayer of Paul in Ephesians 1. I also listed why using the apostolic prayer language in our prayers is so important and powerful. Today I wanted to continue this prayer series on praying powerful prayers looking at my favorite biblical apostolic prayer: Philipians 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.
Philippians 1 – Praying Powerful Prayers – Free Printable Prayer Guide focusing on Philippians 1
I find this is beautiful language to pray over my marriage and relationships…or the relationships of my daughters. That love would abound, increase and spill over. That as I grow in the knowledge of my husband, friend, etc my love would grow more and more with every day and year that passes. It pairs wonderfully with the verse asking the Holy Spirit to shed His love abroad in our hearts. Because it’s from the overflow and source of His love that we love..
This is great to pray when you or someone you know has a difficult decision. Or maybe they are just going through a difficult season making choices that do not line up with the wisdom of God. It’s also just generally a good prayer to pray over yourself, your family, your children. This way by God’s grace and wisdom, the choices that we or they make will line up with God’s perfect will for their lives; so that we will be blessed making choices that keep us on the narrow way and that are loving.
Here are the study notes that focus on the different parts of these verses. I got them here.
Prayer for God’s love to abound in our heart resulting in discernment and righteousness.
And this I pray, that YOUR LOVE MAY ABOUND still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may APPROVE THE THINGS THAT ARE EXCELLENT, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being FILLED WITH THE FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Phil. 1:9-11).
- That your love may abound still more and more – ever-increasing love in our hearts
- The path of the just shines ever brighter unto perfection
- But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. (Proverbs 4:18)
- Believers abounding in excellence in every gift
- But as you abound in everything– in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us– see that you abound in this grace also. (2 Corinthians 8:7)
- Abounding more and more unto pleasing God
- Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; (1 Thessalonians 4:1)
- Thanksgiving for ever-increasing faith and love
- We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, (2 Thessalonians 1:3)
- Other scriptures – Job 17:9; Matthew 13:31-33; Philippians 3:15-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10; Philemon 6; 1 Peter 1:22
- In knowledge – experiential knowledge of the person of Christ
- The need for maturity in understanding
- Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. (1 Corinthians 14:20)
- Be wise, understanding the Lord’s will
- Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17)
- Filled with the knowledge of His will
- 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; (Colossians 1:9)
- New man renewed in knowledge according to Christ’s image
- and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, (Colossians 3:10)
- Other scriptures – 2 Peter 1:5-6; 2 Peter 3:18
- And all discernment –
- The King prays for an understanding heart to govern the people
- “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:9)
- The spiritual man discerns unsavory things
- Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory? (Job 6:30)
- The ear discerns words as the mouth tastes food
- For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. (Job 34:3)
- Using discernment to test and keep the good
- Test all things; hold fast what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
- Other scriptures – 2 Samuel 14:17; 1 Kings 3:11; Isaiah 7:15; Romans 14:1; 1 Corinthians 2:14-15;
- That you may approve the things that are excellent – examining and agreeing with the excellence of the Lord
- This comes from the mind being renewed in God’s Word
- And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)
- Walk in light, and discover what pleases the Lord
- For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:8-10)
- Training the senses through use to discern excellence
- But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14)
- Test every spirit to approve excellence
- Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)
- Other scriptures – 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; Revelation 2:2
- That you may be sincere – tested as genuine by the light of the sun
- Fear the Lord, and serve Him with sincerity and truth
- “Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! (Joshua 24:14)
- Nathanael seen by Jesus Christ as being without deceit
- Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” (John 1:47)
- Speak sincerely in the sight of God in Christ
- For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:17)
- Hearts established blameless in holiness
- so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:13)
- Other scriptures – Acts 24:16; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 2 Corinthians 8:8; Ephesians 4:15; Philippians 1:16
- And without offense – not stumbling over anything God chooses to do or permit
- Jesus is a sanctuary to His own, but an offense to unbelievers
- He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Isaiah 8:14)
- Not to be offended at the mystery of God’s ways
- “And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Matthew 11:6)
- Knowledge of Jesus keeps us from offense at His ways
- Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 9:32-33) orinthians 1:23 – The stumbling block of the cross of Christ
- Other scriptures – Matthew 26:33; 1 Corinthians 1:18; Galatians 5:11; 1 Peter 2:8
- Till the day of Christ – the culmination of natural history at the appearing of Jesus
- Blameless in the day of Christ
- who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:8)
- Work of Holy Spirit in our lives completed unto that day
- being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Philippians 1:6)
- Rejoicing in the day of Christ that our race was not in vain
- holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. (Philippians 2:16)
- The sudden appearing of the day of the Lord
- But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10)
- Being filled with the fruits of righteousness – the effects of the Holy Spirit working in our hearts
- Planted in the Lord’s House, we bear fruit into old age
- Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, (Psalm 92:13-14)
- The pruning work of the Holy Spirit to increase fruitbearing
- “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:2)
- Appointed by the Lord to bear fruit that remains
- “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. (John 15:16)
- Fruit of righteousness comes to those who embrace discipline
- Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)
- Other scriptures – Psalm 1:3; Isaiah 5:2; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:8; Romans 6:22; Romans 15:28; 2 Corinthians 9:10; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 4:17; Colossians 1:6,10; James 3:17-18
- Which are by Christ Jesus – the work of His hands upon our lives
- His work in us that He may be glorified
- Also your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. (Isaiah 60:21)
- The planting of the Lord for His own glory
- To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3)
- Fruit borne through abiding in Christ
- “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
- We are His workmanship, created for good works
- For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
- Other scriptures – Isaiah 61:11; Hebrews 13:15-16; 1 Peter 4:10-11
- To the glory and praise of God – that He is honored and beautified by our lives
- Our fruitbearing to the Father’s glory
- “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (John 15:8)
- Our purpose is to be to the praise of His glory
- that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:12)
- Our purchase and redemption results in praise to His glory
- who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:14)
- Our lives glorify God in the time of visitation
- having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1 Peter 2:12)
Resources That I Want to Share with Friends:
This book by Tim Keller looks awesome. Since it’s on prayer, I thought I would share with you in this post. He’s one of my favorite pastors to listen to, very anointed for being so nerdy. Check out some of my Favorite Sermons post if you would rather listen to some of his material.
This is a beautiful soaking hour that I found on YouTube. It would be great to sit quietly and just let it play over your soul. I needed so much of what she sang. I pray it blesses you.
photo credit ihopkc.org
The early church had it going on, didn’t they? They walked in anointing and power. They knew how to pray powerful prayers. I mean how to pray powerful prayers that shook physical foundations, cast out demons, brought revival, set men and women free…how to pray powerful prayers that caused miracles and healings. These are all needs that we still need (desperately) today in our personal lives, our families, our churches, our cities.
I feel the Bible gave us a model for how to pray powerful prayers. By using the prayers of the apostles, we can dialogue with God with the same confidence and power that the early church had. I was taught a lot about this at an internship on prayer / intercession at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. This doctrinal training has served me well in my prayer life. I feel it is a great tool in learning how to pray powerful prayers so I felt moved to share this model with those seeking how to pray powerful prayers.
At the bottom of this post, I have a practical prayer journal for the Ephesians 1 apostolic prayer and a resource that reveals in greater detail the treasure to be found within the walls of this great and powerful prayer. Simply print out the free printable prayer journal or printable prayer template. The instructions that I use/ have been taught are at the top.
I find this anointed album to be very helpful as a background or soundtrack to prayer. Music to pray to-Young Oceans Steady the Stars
The notes of the main pastor from this church describe in great detail the apostolic prayer model. Below are the notes from Bickle of IHOP-KC on the value of praying the prayers of the apostles.
I. INTRODUCTION
A. When I intercede, I almost always use the prayers of the Bible. The prayers that Jesus, Paul, and
Peter prayed are recorded for our benefit. I refer to them as the “apostolic prayers” because they are
the prayers that Jesus prayed as our chief apostle (Heb. 3:1) and that the Spirit gave to the apostles.
Including doxologies, there are about thirty apostolic prayers (see a list of these on mikebickle.org).
B. The apostolic prayers are a valuable gift to the church being the prayers that burned in God’s heart
and give us the language of His heart. He never changes, so be assured they still burn in His heart.
C. These prayers are guaranteed! They are like checks already signed in heaven and waiting only for a
co-signer on the earth to be cashed. They are as relevant today as they were in the early church.
II. APOSTOLIC PRAYERS ARE GOD-CENTERED
A. All the prayers in the New Testament are God-centered prayers; each one is addressed to God.
Not one apostolic prayer is addressed to the devil. God-centered prayer, including spiritual warfare
prayer, is the model set forth in the New Testament. It is the model the early church used in
resisting and dislodging demonic forces and cultural strongholds (Eph. 6:12; 2 Cor. 10:3-5).
B. All the prayers of Jesus that are recorded in the Bible were directed to the Father (Jn. 14:16; 17:5,
11, 15, 25). Jesus taught His disciples to direct their prayers to the Father (Mt. 18:19; Lk. 11:2, 13).
The apostles’ prayers also teach us to address the Father when we pray. In the “warfare epistle ”
Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he addressed all his prayers to the Father (Eph. 1:16–17; 3:14, 16, 20).
III. APOSTOLIC PRAYERS ARE POSITIVE
A. The apostolic prayers are positive prayers asking God for the impartation of positive things instead
of the removal of negative things. For example, Paul prayed for love to abound instead of asking for
the removal of hatred (Phil. 1:9). He prayed for the impartation of unity instead of praying against
division (Rom. 15:5). He asked for peace to increase instead of fear to be removed (Rom. 15:13).
He did not pray against sin but asked for an increase of holiness, purity, and love (1 Thes. 3:12-13).
Even Paul’s requests to be delivered from evil men are positive in focusing on the deliverance of
God’s people rather than on exposing or bringing down the evil men persecuting them (2 Thes. 3:2).
B. I believe that one reason God established “positive prayers” as the norm in the New Testament is to
enhance unity and love in the church. Some pray “negative prayers” that focus on sin in the church
or its leadership; often such prayers feel judgmental and angry. Others in the prayer meeting do not
agree with the view or tone that was expressed in the negative prayer, so the prayer results in
creating an unnecessary division among some of the people at that prayer meeting.
C. The Lord knew that praying for the impartation of positive virtues, instead of focusing on removing
negative characteristics, would unify intercessors and heal some of the negative emotions against
the church in the very people praying for the Church.
D. I noticed change in my life in the early days as I prayed for the church using apostolic prayers with
their positive language. Little by little I became more positive in my emotions and developed more
mercy and kindness in my heart toward weaknesses in the church.
E. The positive focus that comes from using the apostolic prayers can also help us to operate in faith.
The apostolic prayers provide us with good theology for a victorious church. A man once asked me,
“Why do you believe the church will be victorious?” I told him to look at the prayers of Jesus and
the apostles for the church. My theology on a victorious church and revival was formed partially by
praying the New Testament prayers. These prayers were given by the Spirit, so we know they will
be fully answered. The church will walk in great power, purity, and unity before Jesus returns.
F. Positive apostolic prayers facilitate unity, impact our emotions, and build our faith. The Father is
the “Great Psychologist.” He designed these prayers to help human hearts flow well and work
together in unity with a spirit of encouragement and faith.
IV. APOSTOLIC PRAYERS ARE USUALLY FOR THE CHURCH
A. The vast majority of the apostolic prayers are focused on strengthening of the church, not on the lost
or the transformation of society. This does not mean that God is ambivalent about the lost or society
or that we are not to pray for these things. The only prayer in the New Testament that is focused on
the salvation of the lost is Romans 10:1 where Paul prayed for Israel that they might be saved.
B. Why are the vast majority of the apostolic prayers for the strengthening the church? Because God’s
primary plan to reach the lost or to impact a city is by anointing His church with power and love.
When we pray for the whole church in a city to be revived in love and power, the answer to these
prayers will have an immense impact on the lost. Many unbelievers will inevitably come to Jesus
and society will be changed as the church in that city walks in the power of the Spirit.
C. We see this principle at work in the city of Ephesus. The preaching of the Word of God was so
powerfully anointed that its influence “grew mightily and prevailed” across Ephesus (Acts 19:20).
God’s strategy was to raise up a large, anointed church with congregations across the whole city
that would win a great harvest in all Asia. What happened in Ephesus was so powerful that
everyone who lived in Asia “heard the word of the Lord” from Paul and others in this church.
10…so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus…20So the word of the Lord
grew mightily and prevailed. (Acts 19:10, 20)
D. Considering the limited communication and transportation systems of the day, it seems likely that
for all in Asia to hear the Word, they had to hear it not only from Paul but also from many believers
who were a part of the large church at Ephesus that was inspired by Paul’s anointed preaching.
E. When preachers are anointed and the church is revived, the saints will speak the Word and do the
works of the kingdom with great consistency and a multitude of unbelievers will come to Jesus.
F. We do well to labor in prayer for an increase of the measure of the Spirit’s anointing on the church,
knowing that a harvest will surely result. No power can prevent the lost from coming to Jesus in
great numbers when the church is revived and operating together in the anointing of the Spirit. Full notes can be found here.
Resource specifically on Ephesians 1 and the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation and here is the Sermon on Ephesians 1 The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation
Click below for the free, printable prayer guide that I created to guide you specifically through praying Ephesians 1. I pray that it blesses you and that you see great breakthrough from your powerful prayers. It’s in 8 X 11 format and can be hole-punched and put into a notebook as I hope to make free, printable guides for each of the apostolic prayers and maybe even other prayers of the Bible.
Also, here is a printable prayer journal template page that I use for intercession prayer.