Building a Life of Prayer David Beaty

Paul's trust was not in his own ability to make disciples but in the work that God would do for those whom Paul was teaching.  Paul was part of the process of their spiritual growth through his prayers for them.

Without an active life of prayer, we are not putting on the whole armor of God. We should be praying at all times in the Spirit. As we are praying for other people it is important that we persevere in prayer.  Don't give up if you don't see immediate changes in response to your prayers. 

Spiritual opposition from Satan and his kingdom is a reality. If we are going to be able to stand against this opposition we need the spiritual armor that God has provided. Constant prayer in the Holy Spirit is a vital part of the spiritual armor.

The great prayer of the apostle Paul recorded in the book of Ephesians chapter 3 is one of the greatest prayers of the Bible and one of the most important prayers to learn, memorize, pray for ourselves, and pray for others. It models praying for spiritual strength and spiritual comprehension so that we can gain spiritual maturity in which the love of Jesus within us is the evidence.

If you study the prayers of the apostle Paul found in the New Testament, you'll find that there is a recurring emphasis on spiritual growth and maturity. The greatest expression of spiritual maturity is to be filled with the love of Jesus.

From Paul's prayers for the Ephesians, we can learn the importance of praying for the ability to comprehend the greatness and vastness of the love of Jesus. If we are to be filled with all the fullness of God then we must be filled with the love of Christ.