TUESDAY May 3, 2022
Fervent Prayers
Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis.
Colossians 4:12-13
Epaphras was the founder of the Colossian church and its former pastor (Colossian 1:7-8). He suffered as a prisoner in Rome with Paul: Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus... (Philemon 23). Epaphras was a prayer warrior. He interceded for Paul and the church in Colosse.
Epaphras labored fervently in prayer for the will of God to be complete in the life of the believers. He had such a passionate zeal for the Church. The word fervently means “to put forth every effort, to wrestle earnestly in prayer.” When Epaphras labored in prayer, it involved toil.
When you pray, do not be distracted; have an uninterrupted time when you can labor and wrestle in prayer for people and the church. Pray for the will of God. It is His will that we pray, witness, and love people. The will of God for our lives is to take the message of the Gospel to lost sinners in a world of darkness.
Christians are light to them. God has touched our lives and raised us up in these last days to be His witnesses––a light in these tough, dark times. We have a message to give to them, one of the love, grace and mercy of God––the forgiveness of sins. I believe Christians will have to pray, stand strong, and persevere in their Christian walk. They must learn to build their lives upon a solid foundation––on the Rock––Jesus Christ.
I pray especially for believers that they continue to hunger and thirst for God’s Word, and that they continue to have a passion to know Jesus Christ. We are to be Jesus’ faithful followers.
It is the effectual, fervent prayer that influences God.
~E.M. Bounds~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
