Do Not Cease To Pray For You!

Colossians 1:9
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

The ministry of prayer is by far the single hardest thing I endeavour to do. I am like most Christians in that I talk a lot about prayer, but spend little time talking in prayer! As I invest myself in the people that surround me I see the great swelling needs that plague their daily lives. I am at least mentally convinced that prayer is the only answer to the increasing problems of the world around me and the problems of the whole world. I do ask that you pray for me that I move from a mental knowledge of prayer to an experiential, consistent life of actually praying.

As we look at this passage we see a number of great example of practical prayer;

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it.
The Apostle is in the middle of commending the Colossian Christians. He was commending them for their faith. A big part of our ministry at Fort Benning is to encourage the troops. Most of them are homesick, tired, and about to give up. Many are scared about the near future as they may deploy. Some get bad news from home, others never hear from home!

As Christian we need to make it a major point in our daily life to be an encourager. I believe that many new (and older immature) Christian fall out due to the lack of encouragement. Many of the so called Older saints, are quick to point out faults, and never encourage them in the small things that has changed since salvation!

Do not cease to pray for you,
We do not need to look very far to find someone to pray for. I wish to God that we would pick someone to focus in on and earnestly pray for them daily! Most of us may pray for them a lick or two, them never pray again. The attitude is to latch on and pray continuously for them. Never quiting. This is another area I need forgiveness in!

To desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will.
I guess I have turned a corner in my life, I now see that by investing my effort in others multiplies the results for the effort I expend. It is vitality important that every Christian doubles and triples their outreach. I want God to fill with knowledge of his will in those who want to serve him.

In all wisdom and spiritual knowledge.
What a practical prayer. The Apostle is begging God to make the Colossians better and more effective by granting a clear revelation of exactly what God would have them to do for Him. If we would put more into the way we pray for others by desiring that God would make others better than we are, the world will be changed.

May God help us in this task!