The apostle Paul is an inspiring example of a dedicated love that prays earnestly for people's salvation and for their ongoing growth in their relationship with God.
The first record of Paul praying is after he was blinded by his vision of Jesus on the road to Damascus. God gave a vision to Ananias who came and healed Paul in Jesus’ name. This was the result of Paul's prayers and surely other people's prayers who were praying about the severe persecution.
Later the church fasted and prayed and the Holy Spirit led them to send Paul as a missionary.
From then on the record is that Paul’s first go-to was “in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). He did not wait until things got really bad; he prayed in everything.
In fact, he urged others to be “praying always with all prayer and supplication,” to “pray without ceasing,” and to “continue steadfastly in prayer” (Ephesians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Romans 12:12). That’s a lot of praying.
Did Paul pray that much? It is very clear from his many letters to his brothers and sisters in the churches. He encouraged Timothy saying, “Without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day” (2 Timothy 1:3). He told the Philippians church members, “Always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy” (Philippians 1:4). He told the Colossians that he was “praying always for you,” and again, we “do not cease to pray for you” (Colossians 1:3, 9). To the Thessalonians he wrote, “we give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers…night and day praying exceedingly” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, 3:10). In his second letter he made it clear that he hadn’t stopped. “We also pray always for you” (2 Thessalonians 1:11). It was the same for the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:4) and the Romans, “without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers” (Romans 1:9). Undoubtedly prayer was front and center in Paul’s life.
So what did he find to pray about if he was always and in everything praying? Paul makes it easy for us know because he tells us just what he was praying.
He prayed for salvation for those who hadn’t received Jesus. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1).
Paul specifically asked for open doors for the gospel. He asked the Ephesians for prayers “for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:19-20).
Again he says, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile 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).
And “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” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).
He prayed for healing when people were sick (Acts 28:7-10). He cried out, “O Lord come!” (1 Corinthians 16:22).
He prayed for the members to effectively witness, “that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus” (Philemon 6). “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).
Paul asked for protection so the gospel could go forward. “Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you” (Romans 15:30-32).
“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
In the face of whippings and prison, Paul prayed and sang with Silas until God sent an earthquake to set them free (Acts 16:25-26).
Paul prayed for time that he could spend with disciples. “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you” (Romans 1:9-10).
“Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner” (Hebrews 13:18-19).
When these prayers were answered, he spent time praying with the believers (Acts 20:36, 21:5, 22:17). He believed in the power of groups praying as he states, “you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf” (2 Corinthians 1:11).
He prayed for disciples to grow in Christian character. “Now I pray to God that you do no evil…that you should do what is honorable…And this also we pray, that you may be made complete” (2 Corinthians 13:7, 9).
“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).
“Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ” (2 Thessalonians 3:5).
It really mattered to him as we can see when he said, “Laboring fervently for you in prayer that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Colossians 4:12). “Night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith” (1 Thessalonians 3:10).
He prayed “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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 who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come” (Ephesians 1:17-21).
One of his most memorable prayers starts like this: “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 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 height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:14-21).
And for the Colossians he prayed, “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, 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 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. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, un whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:9-14).
Listen to Paul’s confidence that God will hear his prayers: 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 5:23-25).
Paul prayed for his personal needs and surrendered to God’s answers. “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
