Delightfully Praying

If My People Pray  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Introduction

I hope this study on prayer has been encouraging to you. The opportunity that prayer gives us as believers is like nothing else except God’s gift of salvation. To know we can communicate with the Creator and Sustainer of all life is something we cannot take for granted. There is great privilege in prayer. Many religions make prayer a requirement and it goes from a privilege to a procedure. It becomes something required and ritualistic. However, in Christianity, we can show that prayer is a wonderful privilege and a fantastic opportunity.
Jeremiah 33:3 NIV84
‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
We have seen in this study that with the privilege of prayer, we can also be persistent. We seen the example of Hannah and how she “poured out her soul to the Lord” as described in 1 Samuel 1:15. We also so the persistence of prayer described in the parable Jesus taught of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1 and following. There is a privilege to be persistent and the result of such is powerful.
James 5:16 NIV84
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
In this series we have talked about directionally praying, determinedly praying, dangerously praying, and delicately praying. However, there is one other area of prayer that I have found most intriguing and that is delightfully praying. There should be so much joy overflowing from the Christian that when one prays, it should be a delightful experience. Let me explain further by sharing with you this passage of scripture for today’s message. As a bit of background, this is part of the introduction of Paul’s letter to the Church at Colosse. Paul had learned that there were false teachers in this church that had removed Jesus from the gospel teaching and perverted the way that people could be redeemed. Yet, Paul and Timothy write a letter to this church that points to the centrality of Jesus as redeemer, as creator and as revealer. They begin this letter talking about what happens when they pray for this church.
Colossians 1:3–6 NIV84
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.
If you can read that passage without smiling and feeling the warmth that it brings, you should really examine where you are in life. This is an example of delightfully praying. Paul gives us three areas that bring him delight when praying for the church at Colosse. These are all based on what they have heard. Remember, their mode of communication was through story telling and these letters.
Paul starts out by saying “we always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.” That had to be stated with a smile. Can you see the delight that come with that prayer? Do you pray for folks and begin that prayer by thanking God for them? This was a pattern of Paul as we wrote many of the churches to which he ministered. He did so with delight.
The word delight means “a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment.” Paul implies here that this delight he seems to have comes from three distinct areas of the Christian life: faith, love, and hope. These are the three marks of a Christian. They should always be evident in their lives and should be so obvious in every believer that it resonates loud and clear. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “These flowers should yield so sweet a perfume that their fragrance may be perceived by those who have never gazed on them.” So what exactly did Paul mean in his prayer outlining the Colossians faith, love, and hope? Let me share with you what I see in this passage that makes for a delightful prayer.

Delightfully Praying in Faith (vs. 3-4)

Paul says, “we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus.” If Paul was writing about you, what would have he heard about your faith? There are many things that could be true of one’s faith but Paul makes it clear in this passage the fact of faith, the foundation of faith, and the face of faith.
In establishing the fact of faith, Paul makes it clear that he has “heard of your faith in Christ Jesus.” This is not a religion but faith in Christ.
Romans 10:9 NIV84
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Who is Jesus and how does He relate to God? Paul in verse 3 makes it known that Jesus is the Son of God. If you remember your Biblical history, Paul was a Pharisee by the name of Saul. He had an understanding of God. Through his Judaism, he knew God as the Father of Israel. However, on the Road to Damascus, Saul encountered God he had worshiped all along who made Himself known to Saul as Christ or the Messiah. Saul had seen Christ as an imposter and was adamant about persecuting all who saw Him as the Christ. We know this from several Biblical references and in the testimony of Paul himself:
Acts 22:6–7 NIV84
“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
Read all of Acts 22 to see more of Paul’s testimony of his conversion experience. The point I am making here is that Paul, who used to be Saul, established his faith as a relationship with Jesus and not just a bunch of religious rituals.
The fact of his faith definitely began the foundation of his faith. His emphasis became the Sovereignty of God and the divine status of Christ. This is evident in Paul’s writings.
Romans 10:13 NIV84
for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
1 Corinthians 8:5–6 NIV84
For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
Philippians 2:9–11 NIV84
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
This faith is not just something that is read about, it is a faith that is personal. We have the fact of faith that leads to the foundation of faith which leads to personification of that faith. When we express our faith, we give faith a face.
We are known for what we believe by what we do.
James 2:18 NIV84
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
A factual and foundational faith that has a face will produce actions based on love. Paul goes on to establish this by saying not only have we heard about your faith but we have heard about your love. What do people hear about your love? Part of delightfully praying is doing so in love.

Delightfully Praying in Love (vs. 4-5)

Faith in Jesus Christ is carried out by producing love that is inclusive for others. The false teachers of Colosse were teaching that faith was not about love but about being sworn into a secret knowledge and having lots of happy feelings. Paul says that the real fruit of faith is love.
Galatians 5:6 NIV84
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV84
We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Delightfully praying is a labor of love that comes from the Lord! It is the love of the Lord that Paul is implying that the Church of Colosse has for all the saints. The emphasis is that there is love for all the saints, not just a select few. It is easily to love the love or those who love you. Genuine Christianity is evident when we share a love that lifts and builds up. Love is praying for another’s best interest and taking whatever action is necessary to make sure that you can help.
Hebrews 13:1 NIV84
Keep on loving each other as brothers.
When we love the way that God loves us we will delightfully pray for others. We will lift them to the throne of grace and will will lift them in encouragement. Paul does this so beautifully in this passage. Theologian N.T. Wright wrote, “Love is not restricted to those with whom one has a natural affinity, but which extends to all the saints.”
Delightfully praying in love is also a love that leans. Jesus appointed the 72 to go out in twos to minister to others as we see in Luke 10:1. We will do well to come alongside and delightfully pray in love by telling one another we can lean on each other.
I really like how Romans 12:9-13 reinforce this idea, especially in the New Living Translation.
Romans 12:9–13 NLT
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
We can do this assuredly because we know that deal with a love that lasts.
Psalm 103:17 NIV84
But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—

Delightfully Praying in Hope (vs. 5-6)

We can delightfully pray in faith and in love, but notice in verse 5 where faith and love comes from: it “springs from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven.”
This heavenly hope is the basis for saintly service. Christians demonstrate practical service toward each other. Hope that springs means it comes forth and is not stagnant. One writer stated that hope is the bridge of Christian existence to the description of how the new life came about.
This hope is steadfast as the pronouncement of the gospel. God personifies hope of the gospel in Christ.
God proclaims hope of the gospel because of Christ.
God propels the hope of the gospel through Christ.
We see the hope of the gospel in verse 6 becoming like a plant that bears fruit and grows. This is the same as what Jesus talked about in the parable of Mark 4 as the seed growing and bearing fruit. This is delightful!
The gospel is not only for the salvation of the lost but for the regular spiritual growth of the saved. We can be assured also because hope is founded on the gospel, it is secure and sure. It withstands any false teaching and even today continues to bear fruit all over the world.
Hebrews 6:19–20 NIV84
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
When we pray it is a privilege to do so.
When we pray for others, it should bring great delight because of what God can do in their lives.
When we pray for others, we are fueling the Gospel to be carried out into all the world.
When we pray for others, God is glorified, honored and worshiped.
When we pray for others in the Name of Jesus, we are given access to the Holy of holies, and God Himself hears our prayers.
That, gives me great delight!
Application
Who can you thank God for because of the gospel work they have done in your life?
How can you help continue that work?
Journal about how you can delightfully pray.
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