Tag Archives: Paul

The Apostolic Prayers of Paul

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Prayer for revelation of Jesus’ beauty that we might walk in our calling and destiny by God’s power.

“… the Father of glory, may give to you the SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the HOPE OF HIS CALLING, what are the riches of the GLORY OF HIS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS, and what is the exceeding GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARD US”  (Ephesians 1:17-19).

Prayer for the release of supernatural strength in the heart so we experience God’s emotions and love.

“… that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT THROUGH HIS SPIRIT IN THE INNER MAN, that CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, MAY BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and heightTO KNOW the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be FILLED with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).

Prayer for God’s love to abound in our heart resulting in discernment and righteousness.

“And this I pray, that YOUR LOVE MAY ABOUND still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may APPROVE THE THINGS THAT ARE EXCELLENT, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being FILLED WITH THE FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).

Prayer to know God’s will, to be fruitful in ministry and strengthened by intimacy with God.

“We… do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may have a WALK WORTHY OF THE LORD, fully pleasing Him, BEING FRUITFUL in every good work and increasing in the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD; STRENGTHENED WITH ALL MIGHT, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1:9-12).

Prayer for unity in the Church across a city or region.

“Now may the God of patience and comfort GRANT YOU TO BE LIKE-MINDED toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, THAT YOU MAY WITH ONE MIND AND ONE MOUTH glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus” (Romans 15:5-7).

Prayer to be filled with supernatural joy, peace, and hope.

“Now may the God of hope FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING, THAT YOU MAY ABOUND IN HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Prayer for Israel to be saved through Jesus.

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for ISRAEL is that they MAY BE SAVED”  (Romans 10:1).

Prayer for the release of apostolic ministry and to abound in love and holiness.

“We rejoice for your sake before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and PERFECT WHAT IS LACKING in your faith. Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE to one another and to all… so that He may ESTABLISH YOUR HEARTS BLAMELESS IN HOLINESS before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:9-13).

Prayer for the release of the Holy Spirit’s power unto mature holiness.

“Now may the GOD OF PEACE HIMSELF SANCTIFY YOU COMPLETELY; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

Prayer to be equipped and prepared to receive the fullness of God’s destiny for the Church.

“Therefore we also pray always for you THAT OUR GOD WOULD COUNT YOU WORTHY OF THIS CALLING, AND FULFILL ALL THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS GOODNESS AND THE WORK OF FAITH WITH POWER, that the name of our Lord Jesus CHRIST MAY BE GLORIFIED IN YOU, and YOU IN HIM, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).

Prayer for the Word to increase by the release of God’s power to win unbelievers to Jesus.

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD MAY RUN SWIFTLY AND BE GLORIFIED, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. NOW MAY THE LORD DIRECT YOUR HEARTS INTO THE LOVE OF GOD AND INTO THE PATIENCE OF CHRIST” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-5).

Prayer that God would open a door of evangelism through releasing His power on the Word.

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; mean-while praying also for us, THAT GOD WOULD OPEN TO US A DOOR FOR THE WORD, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak” (Colossians 4:2-4).

Prayer to be enriched with the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit leading unto righteousness.

“I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, THAT YOU WERE ENRICHED IN EVERYTHING by Him in all utterance and all KNOWLEDGE, even as the testimony of Christ was CONFIRMED in you, so THAT YOU COME SHORT IN NO GIFT, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also CONFIRM you to the end, THAT YOU MAY BE BLAMELESS in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:4-8).

(All verses are in the NKJV.)

 

Praying the Apostolic Prayers of Paul

944396_1074321042631002_4139452721582485246_nPraying the Apostolic Prayers
of Paul

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Did you know that there is a tremendous anointing when we pray and sing God’s Word? The Word of God is alive and active. It is sharp and it penetrates into our thoughts and hearts. We need God’s Word to be written on our hearts and flowing through our prayers.

The prayers of the Apostle Paul are some of the richest prayers in the Bible. They are always positive and directed toward God. He thoroughly understood the law, grace, the church, and holy living. Here at the International House of Prayer (IHOPKC) we pray the apostolic prayers everyday and throughout each day.

In the apostolic prayers, Paul focuses on gifts, fruits, and wisdom. He prays for the release of the ministry gifts of the Holy Spirit so that revival breaks out. He prays for the fruits of Godly character in the lives of those in the Church. He prays for wisdom in the Church in order that believers are able to search out the mysteries and knowledge of God so that we may know Him better. He prays these prayers for the glory of God so that His Kingdom may come and His will be done in our churches, cities, and nations around the world.

We need divine encounters with God. We need our eyes enlightened. Inn his prayers, Paul reveals to us the power of intercession and the high focus we should have in prayer for the spirit of revelation. He prayed that the Church would come to a more full experience of the knowledge of God in active intimacy (Ephesians 1:17-19) as they walked out these spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3-14).

Paul wanted the Church to encounter God deeply. Notice what happens when we pray these apostolic prayers regularly:

  • Our hearts are supernaturally influenced by God – This helps us have a sustained lifestyle of pursuing God’s glory. We need the Spirit to do this, to enable our human capacity to receive more of God (1 Corinthians 2:12-14). We need to have our hearts fully alive!
  • We receive divine revelation to enlighten the eyes of our understanding – We begin to see God unveiled experientially in our understanding (John 17:3; Ephesians 1:18).
  • We receive confidence and hope in our individual calling from God – These divine assignments encompass all of time and eternity. We cannot walk firmly in our assignment in this age unless we are anchored in eternity (Ephesians 1:17-18; 2:10; Colossians 1:9-10).
  • We receive understanding of our spiritual identity – We discover the glory and wealth of being God’s inheritance. We understand that we are the focus of God’s affection (John 15:9; 17:23).
  • We are empowered to live our life in God (Eph. 1:17-19) – He gives us His resurrection strength (Ephesians 1:20-21). We have the authority of Jesus as we resist sin and satanic opposition. All God’s power works through and for the good of His Church because all things are subject to Christ (Ephesians 1:20-21; Colossians 1:16; Philippians 2:6-11).

Praying these apostolic prayers of Paul’s are powerful. Paul had a brilliant mind but was deceived and, out of his extreme zeal, had been persecuting the Church. But suddenly, He had a supernatural encounter with God that changed everything. His prayers are anointed with the power of God. His prayers are model prayers. Pray them on a regular basis. Have several copies in your prayer room. This is what we do here daily at IHOP in Kansas City.

We must seek to ask for revelation and obey God as we fill our hearts with His Word. The apostolic prayers will undoubtedly bring you up to a new level in prayer and intercession. They will help you see how God views the Church and each one of us. Begin by praying them in your own personal life, and then integrate them in your own prayer meetings. Choose two of the apostolic prayers of Paul, and pray them out loud each day this week. See them below. As we seek the face of God by praying the Apostolic Prayers, our hearts will burn and our light will shine.

“Seeking the face of God, and then gazing at it, has to begin sometime and someplace. It begins by bringing our whole person before the consuming fire who is God, reciting His wordsthe Bibleout loud to Him and then letting the Holy Spirit reveal Christ to us. This is why we pray the Bible. May it be that as you engage in this practice that your prayer times will have the same result as the disciples’whose hearts burnt within as God talked with them along their journey of life. Yes, may your heart burn and your light shine.”

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC