I wanted to take time in this series to focus on one of the most important things we can do in this battle for our hearts: pray.
Guys, there’s no prerequisite to prayer. No formal training. No credentials needed. Any one of us can be doing it– regularly and consistently. Within this spiritual battle, it’s a weapon that we shouldn’t leave laying around. Yet, how can we pray?
It’s helpful to have some examples to look at when considering how we pray and aligning our requests with God’s will.
The apostle Paul’s prayers are featured often throughout the New Testament of the Bible; his prayers provide a good demonstration for what God-aligned prayer looks like. I combed through some of these and discovered that if I want to pray like Paul, these are some of the things I might be asking for.
“Lord, I want to know you deeper each day. Please give me wisdom. Help me to live my life well. Please give me strength, and shape me.
Help me to love greater! Please allow fruit to grow in my life and my relationships. Please keep me unified with others.
Anchor me in Your hope. Let my life bring You glory!”
Diving In
This isn’t a formula for prayer. I’ll unpack each sentence in this, but know that there’s probably a thousand ways you could ask for something similar in your own honest words to God.
Lord, I want to know you deeper each day.
Paul–like David–wants to truly know God and wants the same for others. This means having a real, intimate relationship with God.
Colossians 1:9–10 – “…That you may be filled with the knowledge of his will… growing in the knowledge of God”
Ephesians 1:17 – “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ… may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him”
Philippians 3:10 – “…That I may know him…”
Please give me wisdom.
It is amazing that we can ask for wisdom; rightly applying what we know about God to our lives and decisions is the fruit of Godly wisdom. We need this in our battle.
Colossians 1:9 – “…Spiritual wisdom and understanding”
Philippians 1:9–10 – “…That your love may abound… with knowledge and discernment”
Romans 12:2 – “…That you may discern what is the will of God”
Help me to live my life well.
How we live matters, especially when the battle is raging. Our words and actions reflect what is in our hearts. To me, this speaks to being an ambassador for Christ and representing him well.
Colossians 1:10 – “…Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord”
Ephesians 4:1 – “…Walk in a manner worthy of the calling”
1 Thessalonians 2:12 – “…Walk worthy of God”
Please give me strength, and shape me.
This reveals the reality that life is not easy (a battle) and we are weak. This request is inwardly focused (character) for outward good (purpose). And, we can always ask for this, regardless of our circumstances or other people’s behavior.
Colossians 1:11 – “…Strengthened with all power… for endurance and patience with joy”
Ephesians 3:16 – “…Strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being”
2 Thessalonians 1:11 – “…That God may fulfill every resolve for good”
Help me to love greater!
The greatest demonstration of a life changed is the presence of love lived out. A man is measured by how he loves; Love is our legacy! And even when things are rough, we can pray to be filled with more and more love.
Ephesians 3:17–19 – “…That you… may have strength to comprehend the love of Christ”
Philippians 1:9 – “…That your love may abound more and more”
Romans 5:5 – “…God’s love has been poured into our hearts”
Please allow fruit to grow in my life and my relationships.
Fruit is evidence and witness. Fruit brings good, not only to ourselves, but to the people around us and in our life.
Colossians 1:10 – “…Bearing fruit in every good work”
Philippians 1:11 – “…Filled with the fruit of righteousness”
Galatians 5:22–23 – Fruit of the Spirit
Please keep me unified with others.
Conflicts are inevitable but unity is our hope. Be someone who seeks harmony with others and takes action to forgive, reconcile relationships, and restore unity as much as is possible, believing that God will lead and do the work.
Ephesians 4:1–6 – “…Maintain the unity of the Spirit”
Romans 15:5–6 – “…Live in harmony with one another”
Philippians 2:1–2 – “…Be of the same mind”
Anchor me in Your hope.
This anchor is not lodged into anything circumstantial, or anything that can be taken or removed or disrupted. It is clear that our situations and circumstances in life will change drastically. Our prayer can be to remain anchored in hope to the immovable Sustainer and Creator, God himself!
Ephesians 1:18 – “…That you may know the hope to which he has called you”
Romans 15:13 – “…May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace”
Let my life bring You glory!
There’s no way to more simply state the purpose, intention, and mission for our life and why we should press on in this battle: to bring God glory!
Philippians 1:11 – “…To the glory and praise of God”
Ephesians 3:20–21 – “…To him be glory in the church”
Romans 11:36 – “…To him be glory forever”
The last thing I would add, for myself, in this battle for my heart is…
God, protect my heart and mind.
This is spiritual warfare. I’m facing temptations and attacks both within and outside. I need God’s protection over my thoughts, the desires of my heart, my words, and my actions. Who I am to others flows from what is inside of me. I need protection.
Moving Forward
This isn’t a formula. I’m not trying to show you how to get your prayers answered. What I hope you’ll get out of this is understanding how prayer can turn our heart towards God. He is exactly the direction we need to turn, go, and trust, in the middle of our battles.
What did you take away from this? I would love to know: gerberxc@gmail.com