Devoting Myself To Prayer: Empowered By Prayer, Praying Like Paul

Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38 NLT

Pray in the Spirit in every situation…

Ephesians 6:18a GW

In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us when we are weak. We don't know what we should pray for.

Romans 8:26a NIRV

How does the Spirit help me AS I Pray?

1. He Speaks to God for me when I don’t have the words to speak.

We don't know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself speaks to God for us. He begs God for us, speaking to him with feelings too deep for words.

Romans 8:26b ERV

2. He Speaks to me from God to give me the words God wants.

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.

Ephesians 6:17-18a NLT

3.  He Speaks and Empowers me to do the things I want to do for Him.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses...

Acts 1:8a NIV

Five Words that can help us pray like Paul

So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Colossians 1:9-14 NLT

•  WORD ^#1: Information – That I will know God’s will.

“We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will…” v.9a

•  WORD ^#2: Application – That I will apply God’s will.

“We ask God to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding…” v.9b

•  WORD ^#3: Demonstration – That I will live out God’s will.

“Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord…” v.10

•  WORD ^#4: Determination – That I will persist in doing God’s will.

“We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience…” v.11

• WORD ^#5: Motivation – That gratitude will be my compelling force.

That you will be filled with joy always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.  For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. 

vv. 12-14

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

2 Corinthians 5:14, 15 NIV