The Prayers of Paul
Thy Will be Done!
Moe Bergeron
The Apostle Paul's prayers in his letters are rich with theological insight and pastoral concern. His prayers reflect several major themes central to his ministry and theology.
Note the key themes found in Paul's prayers:
Thanksgiving and Gratitude
Spiritual Growth and Maturity
Strengthening of Faith
Understanding God's Will
Hope and Endurance
Unity and Love Among Believers
Fulfillment of God's Purpose
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Thanksgiving and Gratitude:
Paul often begins his prayers with expressions of thankfulness for the faith, love, and perseverance of the recipients of his letters.
For instance, in Philippians 1:3-5, Paul writes,
I thank my God every time I remember you.
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
Similarly, in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, he says,
We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.
We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul models a posture of gratitude to God for the work He has done in and through the lives of believers.
Spiritual Growth and Maturity:
A significant theme in Paul's prayers is the spiritual growth and maturity of believers.
In Colossians 1:9-10, Paul prays,
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that...
...you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work,
growing in the knowledge of God.
Likewise, in Philippians 1:9-11, he prays,
And this is my prayer:
that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
so that...you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Paul's desire is for believers to grow in their understanding and living out of the gospel.
Strengthening of Faith:
Paul prays for believers to be strengthened in their faith, enabling them to stand firm against trials and temptations.
In Ephesians 3:16-17, he prays,
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.
Similarly, in 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, Paul writes,
We constantly pray for you,
that our God may make you worthy of his calling,
and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.
We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be...
...glorified in you, and you in him,
....according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
He understands the challenges of living a Christian life in a hostile world and he seeks God's empowerment for their faithfulness.
Understanding God’s Will:
A recurring request in Paul's prayers is for believers to gain a deeper understanding of God’s will for their lives.
In Colossians 1:9, he prays,
We continually ask God to fill you...
...with the knowledge of his will...
...through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.
This theme is tied to discernment and living in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him.
Pual’s words in verse 9 are tied to verses 10-12.
so that you may walk in a manner 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 full endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father...,
...who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.
Hope and Endurance:
Paul prays for believers to have a sense of hope and endurance, especially in the face of persecution and suffering.
In Romans 15:13, he prays,
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.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, he writes,
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
...encourage your hearts and strengthen you
...in every good deed and word.
He emphasizes the importance of hope in the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises and the strength it provides in current trials.
Unity and Love Among Believers:
Paul frequently prays for the unity and love among members of the church, recognizing these as fundamental to the witness and health of the Christian community.
In Ephesians 4:1-3, he urges,
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to...
live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Be completely humble and gentle;
be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Similarly, in Philippians 2:1-2, he writes,
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
then make my joy complete by being like-minded,
having the same love,
being one in spirit and of one mind.
Fulfillment of God's Purpose:
In his prayers, Paul often reflects on the grand narrative of God's redemptive work and prays for believers to live in a way that fulfills God's purposes.
In 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, he prays,
We constantly pray for you,
that our God may make you worthy of his calling,
and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.
We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be...
glorified in you,
and you in him,
according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This includes being a light to the Gentiles and participating in the mission of the church.
Do you see what is absent in these seven themes?
This may come as a shocker. To the best of my limited knowledge there are only three instances in Paul’s letters where he expresses a concern for people who are either ill or need to guard against becoming ill:
In Philippians 2:25-27, Paul speaks of Epaphroditus, who was very ill, nearly dying, but was restored to health by God. Paul does not record a specific prayer for his healing but expresses gratitude that God had mercy on him.
In 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul mentions that he left Trophimus sick in Miletus. Again, there’s no recorded prayer for his healing, but it is clear that Paul was aware of his condition.
In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul advises Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach and frequent ailments, which shows Paul’s concern for Timothy’s health, but it is more of practical advice rather than a prayer.
While Paul undoubtedly cared for the physical well-being of others, his letters emphasize spiritual health and growth as the primary focus of his prayers.
This does not imply that Paul or the early church neglected physical needs, but rather that their recorded prayers in the New Testament primarily highlight spiritual matters, reflecting their understanding of the greater importance of spiritual well-being in the context of their ministry and theology.
The themes expressed in Paul's prayers are indeed profound and central to Christian life. And with that said... these themes often seem foreign to the prayers of many contemporary Christians. Why?
May I suggest several obvious and not so obvious reasons:
1. Cultural Focus on Immediate Needs
Modern culture often emphasizes immediate needs, personal success, and comfort.
This focus tends to shape how people pray, leading them to concentrate on requests for health, prosperity, and solutions to temporal problems, rather than the deeper spiritual concerns Paul emphasized.
2. Lack of Theological Depth
Many contemporary Christians may lack theological depth or understanding.
Paul's prayers are deeply rooted in his understanding of God's redemptive plan, the nature of the church, and the believer's identity in Christ.
Without this depth, prayers can become more centered on surface-level concerns rather than on the profound spiritual realities Paul prayed for.
3. Individualism
In Paul's prayers, there's a strong emphasis on community—praying for the church, for unity, and for collective growth in Christ.
Today's culture, especially in the West, tends to be more individualistic, which can influence prayers to be more self-focused rather than community-focused.
4. Consumerism in Christianity
The influence of consumerism has led some aspects of Christianity to be more about what one can get from God rather than what one can offer in service to God and others.
This can lead to prayers that are more about personal gain than about spiritual growth or the fulfillment of God's purposes.
5. Misunderstanding of God's Will
Understanding and aligning with God's will was central to Paul's prayers.
Today, there might be a misunderstanding or lack of teaching on what it means to seek and understand God's will.
Instead of praying for wisdom and discernment in following God’s will, prayers might focus more on asking God to bless pre-determined plans and desires.
6. Lack of Spiritual Discipline
Prayer, as modeled by Paul, requires discipline, persistence, and a deep spiritual focus.
In a fast-paced world where distractions abound, the practice of deep, intentional prayer may be lacking, leading to prayers that are more hurried and less reflective of the deep themes Paul engaged with.
7. Neglect of Scriptural Prayers
There might be a lack of engagement with the prayers found in Scripture.
If Christians are not regularly reading and meditating on the prayers of Paul and others in the Bible, their own prayers might not be shaped by these powerful examples.
8. Different Contexts
Paul’s context was one of suffering, persecution, and the urgent spread of the Gospel.
These circumstances naturally led to prayers for endurance, spiritual growth, and unity.
In contrast, many Christians today live in relatively comfortable environments, which might not as urgently provoke such prayers.
Remember the words of our Lord to the churches:
Revelation 3:14-17 NIV
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. [15] I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! [16] So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth. [17] You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
Conclusion
The contrast between Paul’s prayers and those of many contemporary Christians highlights the need for a return to a more biblically grounded, theologically rich, and community-focused approach to prayer. By engaging more deeply with Scripture, cultivating a greater understanding of the gospel, and focusing on the eternal purposes of God, Christians today can grow in prayer to reflect the same themes that were central to Paul’s ministry and theology.
So... how do we, as God’s people align our prayer life closer to that which we see in God’s word?
Revelations 3:18 NIV
[18] I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
It begins with recognizing our poverty.