Prayer that Paul Prayed—Gratitude Unleashed: Thanking God for You

big Idisa : Paul thanked God for each one of his people

Before we journey into the prayers Paul prayed, let's take a brief moment to appreciate who Paul was. His life was transformed from being Saul, the persecutor of Christians, to Paul, an apostle of Christ, spreading the Good News across the Gentile world. His transformation was the result of an encounter with Jesus Christ, an encounter that led him to spend his life praying to and communicating with God.

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you…” (Romans 1:8-10)

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus…” (1 Corinthians 1:4)

“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers…” (Ephesians 1:16)

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy…” (Philippians 1:3-4)

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you…” (Colossians 1:3)

“We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers…” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3a)

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right…” (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

“I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.” (2 Timothy 1:3)

“I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers…” (Philemon 1:4)

Gratitude is prophetic because it changes our perspective from what's wrong to what's right, from what's missing to what's present. It paves the way for more blessings and allows us to be aligned with God's abundant grace. It's time to look beyond our challenges and start counting our blessings, both big and small, because they all come from our Heavenly Father.

When Paul prayed for the Ephesians church he said, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named…” (Ephesians 3:14-15). Paul's prayer of thanksgiving for the Colossian church was similar to his prayer for others: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

A. apostle Paul exemplified a heart of Thanksgiving the church and the community

B. Placing Thanksgiving within our Everyday Lives - How To Incorporate Thankfulness in Your Life -

Rom 1:8-10 “Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son. One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.”

C. Prayers that Connect with God's Will:

A) The Prayer for Understanding:

In Ephesians 1:17-19, Paul asked God to give the Ephesian believers a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, with enlightened hearts. This prayer shows his focus on God's will and his desire for believers to understand God's purposes.

B) The Prayer for Strength and Endurance:

In Colossians 1:9-12, Paul prayed for the Colossians to be filled with the knowledge of God's will and to be strengthened with all power, to endure and have patience with joy. This prayer reminds us that it is through God's strength, not our own, that we can endure life's trials.

2. The Power of Intercession

Intercession makes what is impossible possible.

"Through Jesus Christ..." Here, Paul is illustrating the path of his gratitude – it's directed to God, but it's through Jesus Christ. We see here the power and importance of intercession. Jesus Christ is our intercessor, our bridge between the finite and the infinite, between human and divine.

A. When we go through life, it's easy to get lost in the noise and distractions around us. It's the times when we feel the most overwhelmed that we need to remember to stop, take a deep breath, and center ourselves on what truly matters. And what could be more important than expressing our gratitude to God? But let's not forget the crucial element in this equation, Jesus Christ, our high priest and intercessor. When we come to God through Jesus, we are aligning ourselves with the divine order of things. We are taking the path that God has laid out for us, and we are moving closer to His promises. So, let us always remember to give thanks through Jesus Christ, and in doing so, let us also strive to live a life that reflects the love and grace of our Savior.

Intercession releases god's power on the inner man

Eph 3:14-19 “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

Intercession releases you to have open eyes to see at the deepest level in the spirit realm

3. When Paul was praying for Thanksgiving he had the love of God planted deep within his heart , and he was moved by the power of God’s love. He prayed for the Ephesians to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; to walk worthy of the Lord; to be strengthened with His mighty power. Paul also prayed for them to have patience, joy, and thankfulness so that they could abound in hope and experience the love of Christ.

A. May we all continue to seek God’s heart and pray for others, that they may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; strengthened with mighty power according to His glorious might; equipped spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially. Amen.

B. Our new position in crisis is more than a legal transaction of justification, it includes a deep, intimate enjoyment of God over his people and his church.

May we seek to experience the love of Christ, such that our joy is made complete; that our hearts’ desire for Him overflows with thankfulness; that we abound in hope by faith; and that we have patience and perseverance so as not to be discouraged when facing challenges. Amen.

C. Receiving God's love silences all other voices, lies, and traffic in our souls.

Zeph 3:17 “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.””

Ps 131:2 “Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

D. receiving the love of God cast out all fear, specifically the fear of whether we are accepted.

1jn 4:18 “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

The love of God manifests itself through His unwavering dedication and capability to bring us into existence with unconditional love at the forefront.