General characteristics of Paul’s prayers:-

1. They begin with thanksgiving

1 Cor 1:4 ‘I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.’

2. They appeal to the character of God

2 Cor 1:3  ‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.’

When Paul would pray for the peace of the church at Thessalonica, he says: ” Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” (2 Thess 3:16).  When he would pray on behalf of the church at Rome for the grace of hope, he writes: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 15:13).

3. They focus on the heart

Eph 3:16f  ‘I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.’

“See that your chief study be about your heart, that there God’s image may be planted, and his interest advanced, and the interest of the world and flesh subdued, and the love of every sin cast out, and the love of holiness succeed; and that you content not yourselves with seeming to do good in outward acts, when you are bad yourselves, and strangers to the great internal duties. The first and great work of a Christian is about his heart.” (Baxter)

4. They emphasise the corporate life of the people of God

Eph 3:17f  ‘And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,  may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.’

Take a look at the people around you, and then ponder the following words of Geoffrey Paul: ‘there is no way of belonging to Christ except by belonging gladly and irrevocably to that marvellous and extraordinary ragbag of saints and fatheads who make up the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.’

5. They are practical in their goal

Col 1:9-12  ‘For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.  And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.’

Paul constantly reminds his readers of what they already have and are in Christ.  But he is equally interested in growth towards fullness and maturity.  Note the use of the word ‘all’ (all knowledge, all power).

This is a prayer that they may

• be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding
• live a life worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way
• bear fruit in every good work,
• grow in the knowledge of God,
• be strengthened with all power so that you may have great endurance and patience,
• joyfully give thanks to the Father

What are the characteristics of a life that pleases the Lord?

6. They are universal in their embrace

1 Tim 2:1  ‘I urge that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone.’

‘Some years ago I attended public worship in a certain church.  The pastor was absent on holiday, and a lay elder led the pastoral prayer.  He prayed that the pastor might enjoy a good vacation (which was fine), and that two lady members of the congregation might be healed (which was also fine; we should pray for the sick).  But that was all.  The intercession can hardly have lasted thirty seconds.  I came away saddened, sensing that this church worshipped a little village god of their own devising.  There was no recognition of the needs of the world, and no attempt to embrace the world in prayer.’ (Stott)