One of His Prayers for You

“…We have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God… that you may live a life worthy of the Lord… being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience” (Col. 1:9-11, NIV).

Have you, like me, found this season to reveal the limits of your own strength? Yes, certain moments of our lives find us crashing into a wall marked “The End of Your Own Resource.” There have been days lately that I have experienced more weariness than in a long time. Thanks be to God, who – in every season – always provides exactly what we need for victory!

Today’s Scripture has been ministering to me, and I believe it to be a word of encouragement for you, too. As I was listening to Colossians on my audio Bible, I came to this passage. Holy Spirit breathed it into my heart, and this is what I heard:

• “We have not stopped praying for you.” I heard those words right from Holy Spirit. He and Jesus my Intercessor have not stopped praying for me. They have not stopped praying for you, either. You are unceasingly covered in prayer by the mightiest Prayer Warrior in existence. I feel pretty confident about Jesus’ and Holy Spirit’s prayers for you and me being answered in amazing ways!
• “Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might.” All power? What a contrast to our experience of running out of our own energy! “All” sure sounds unlimited; the opposite of such definitive limits as what we experience on our own. Exactly! You and I not expected to push through this on our own inadequate strength. He has promised to provide us with “his glorious might.” His! His glorious might is infinite. It never, ever runs out.

  Do you hear it with your heart? This is what He is praying for you. That you would receive His power and strength. Jesus Himself is praying this for you. So, of course you will!

• “So that you may have great endurance and patience.” What happens when we are strengthened by His infinite, glorious power? Great endurance and patience result on the inside of us. Not just flimsy, fleeting endurance and patience, mind you. GREAT endurance and patience.

  This, too, is what He’s praying for you. What comfort and assurance we can take in knowing how our Great High Priest prays for us!

“To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me” (Col. 1:29, NIV). These are the closing words of this chapter. Paul – the human instrument God used to get these heavenly words to us – had personally experienced this very strengthening we are talking about.

He wrote this letter to the Colossian church from prison. He was enduring hardship far beyond what many of us are going through right now. And yet, how evident was the strength emanating from his every word! This was no debilitated, discouraged disciple barely making it through. He joyfully testified here of “all” Christ’s energy “so powerfully” working in him. He knew personally – as you and I are learning – that Jesus’ prayers always get answered!

Hang in there, dear one. Strength is on the way!

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What are your thoughts about Jesus’ prayers for you?