More Ways to Prayer for Your Pastor
“Colossians Claims” for Christian Workers
From Love on its Knees by Dick Eastman
These claims are taken from Colossians 1:9-11. The Amplified Bible is especially descriptive in presenting these verses.
The first set of five claims relates to a release of revelation: God revealing His desired results to the worker.
1. A Revelation of God’s Will. This claim concerns divine direction. Paul prayed that his fellow workers would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. We need to ask God to reveal his desire concerning that worker for THAT VERY DAY.
2. A Revelation of God’s Wisdom. This claim concerns divine perception. Paul prayed that the worker would be filled with all wisdom. Ask God to reveal to a worker how he might apply God’s plan FOR THAT DAY. Wisdom is common sense. It is knowing where you’re going and how to get there. Wisdom is to apply practically what we know theoretically.
3. A Revelation of God’s Understanding. This claim concerns divine comprehension. All too frequently Christian workers view problems as man sees them, overlooking God’s perspective. Paul prayed that his fellow workers would be filled with spiritual understanding. To understand means to perceive or comprehend the nature and significance of a thing. We need to pray that the Christian worker will know what he is to do in situations that develop THAT DAY.
4. A Revelation of God’s Holiness. This claim concerns divine perfection. Paul prayed that believers in Colosse would walk worthy before God. This means the worker would walk in an understanding of God’s holiness as it flows in and through him. One translation of the verse reads: “That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way.” Here we claim that God’s holiness will manifest itself in and through the worker for whom we pray ON THIS SPECIFIC DAY.
5. A Revelation of God’s Pleasure. This claim concerns divine gratification. Paul prayed that his fellow workers would walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. It is to pray that a worker’s every act that day would bring gratification to the Lord.
The second set of five claims relates to an increase of blessings from the Lord for the worker.
6. An Increase of Effectiveness. The focus here is on increased productivity. Paul prayed that his fellow workers would be “fruitful in every good work”. He was claiming that their effectiveness would increase at every level. Ask God to give them lasting fruit as a result of THAT DAY’S ACTIVITIES.
7. An Increase of Devotional Growth. Here the focus in on increased spirituality. Paul requests that his fellow Christians would increase in the knowledge of God. It is possible to increase in the knowledge of God only with a strong devotional life. We should pray that the worker would grow in a hunger for God and His Word.
8. An Increase of Strength. This focus concerns increased durability. Paul desires that his fellow workers would be strengthened with all might according to God’s glorious power. Every worker needs a daily renewal of both physical and spiritual strength. In touching a laborer through prayer, we should claim for the worker a baptism of “fresh oil.” (Psalm 92: 10)
9. An Increase of Patience. This claim touches increased tenacity. Tenacity is the quality of holding tightly to a task or promise no matter the circumstance. Paul’s desire for his fellow soldiers is that they would be strengthened unto all patience and longsuffering. Patience is the ability to wait under pressure. Longsuffering is the ability to put up with difficult situations for extended periods of time. Longsuffering is what might be termed extended patience. Pray that God will give the worker a quiet confidence in Him that manifests itself in an increased measure of patience.
10. An Increase of Joy. This intercession concerns increased joy for the worker. When Paul says that his companions will be “strengthened unto all patience and longsuffering,” he adds “with joyfulness.” All the claims on this list should be saturated with joy. Fruitfulness should be mixed with joy. Spirituality should be bathed in joy. Strength flows from joy. “The joy of the Lord is our strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
And In Conclusion “. . . giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light” (Col. 1:12, NIV).
