Read Colossians 1:10-14

In countless thousands of churches across the world each Sunday, congregations join together to pray what is referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer.” This prayer comes from a request from His disciples in Luke Chapter 11…

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught His disciples.” Luke 11:1 NIV

The response of Jesus would be better called “The Disciple’s Prayer” as this is the model prayer that Jesus instructed His disciples (and thus us) to pray. In a sense, each Sunday we pray the words of Scripture when we pray this prayer together. While Jesus intended this prayer to be a guide for our prayers, it serves as a prayer we can lift up when our heart has no words.

“This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’ Matthew 6:9-13 NIV

Over time, I came to realize that there are a number of prayers in Scripture that we can pray over others, including this passage in Colossians 1. I find this to be very helpful when I am struggling to find the words to pray over someone else. Believing that the Word of God is “alive and active”, praying the words of Scripture ensures two vital things.

First, praying Scripture ensures that we are praying according to the Word of God. We can be fully confident in the power of our prayers when we are praying the very words of the Bible.

Secondly, praying Scripture ensures that we are praying according to the Will of God. How do we know what God’s will is for us and for those for whom we are praying? We discover the will of God through the Word of God and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Questions to consider:
Beyond possibly praying The Lord’s Prayer, when have you prayed the words of Scripture for yourself or for others?
In what ways would praying Scripture give you more confidence in your prayers?
Ask God today to give you the desire to pray fervently for others according to their needs.