Recently I’ve been using one of Paul’s prayers (Colossians 1:9-12) to guide me in praying for the women (and now, the men) in my church. Perhaps there’s someone you can pray these six things for.

1. Spiritual discernment (v. 9)

“. . . that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” I’m praying that we will know God’s will in our lives, that we would have spiritual discernment to know what He wants us to do — in the small decisions as well as the major decisions in life.

Action Point: Be attentive. In order to be spiritually discerning, we must be attentive to God’s Word and the prompting of the Holy Spirit in us.

2. A Worthy Walk (v. 10)

“. . . so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects.” I’m praying that we would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in all we do.

Action Point: Be faithful. Be faithful to obey His leading in your life as He reveals it.

A good habit to get into at the end of the day as you crawl into bed is to ask Him, “Lord, did I please You today, with my actions, my words, my thoughts? Did I walk in a manner worthy of You today?”

3. Eternal fruit (v. 10)

“. . . bearing fruit in every good work.” I’m praying that we will bear eternal fruit —leading people to Christ, helping others grow to spiritual maturity, demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 in our own lives.

Action point: Be connected. Be connected to the Vine. Jesus tells us in John 15 that the key to bearing fruit is abiding in Christ.

4. A Deeper Relationship (v. 10)

“. . . increasing in the knowledge of God.” I’m praying that we will grow deeper in our knowledge of God and His character. That requires spending time alone with God and time in His Word.

Action Point: Be hungry. Be hungry to know Him more. Don’t settle for status quo in your knowledge of Him.

5. God-given strength (v. 11)

“. . .  strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience…” I’m praying that we would be strengthened by God’s power, not our own power as we navigate the challenges of life. The Holy Spirit lives in us and empowers us to do all God calls us to do and empowers us to handle trials with steadfastness and patience. Our strength will never be enough, especially in those difficult seasons of life.

Nancy Leigh DeMoss wrote in her devotional book The Quiet Place for August 1:

“Too often I find myself turning my attention to the details and the tasks of the day without first taking time to ‘inquire of the Lord.’ What I’m really saying (though I’d never actually say it) is that I can handle this day on my own. I can do my work, keep my home, handle my relationships, and deal with my circumstances just fine, all by myself. I don’t really need Him…Only by humbling ourselves and acknowledging that we cannot make it without Him—that we need Him—can we count on His divine enabling to carry us through the day.”

Action point: Be needy.  When you feel self-sufficient, you’re not going to draw from His strength. Recognize your need for Him.

6. A thankful heart (v. 12)

“. . . giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” I’m praying that we would be characterized by an attitude of thankfulness — even when we don’t like something or understand why circumstances are what they are.

Action Point: Be mindful. Be mindful of all that God has done for you and given you. Be mindful of your blessings more than your problems.

I keep a thank you journal by my Bible, and the first thing I do every morning when I sit down to meet with the Lord is write down something I’m thankful for. It keeps me mindful of all God has done for me.

This prayer from Colossians 1:9-12 is a powerful prayer. Whom can you pray these things for today? Which action points do you need to work on in order to see these things true in your own life? Let’s pray these things for one another.