Each week during our small group Bible study, we intentionally set aside a few minutes near the end to take prayer requests from the group. Quite often, the names we write down on our prayer lists are those of people we don’t personally know and have never met before. Sometimes it also involves groups, like churches, specific ministries, and missionaries serving overseas.
Praying for people we don’t know can seem kind of awkward, because most of the time we’re not privy to the details and circumstances. But every believer in Christ has basic needs, which we can use as a practical and effective blueprint of how we can pray for them.
Paul had never been to the church in Colossae, but he had a connection. A man named Epaphras had listened to Paul’s preaching while he was in Ephesus. Moved by the Holy Spirit, Epaphras accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior, and then went back to his hometown of Colossae where he would go on to start a church there.
While visiting Paul in Rome during his imprisonment, Epaphras had made him aware of some Jewish and pagan heresies that were having an impression on some of the Colossian believers. So he made a trip to see Paul and asked him for some guidance.
Colossians is considered one of Paul’s “Prison Letters.” The primary reason for Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae was to warn them about false teaching. Paul goes on to tell them, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ” (2:8).
Paul’s usual warm and pleasant greeting in most all of his letters can be seen in his introductory remarks to the Colossians in the opening chapter. He notes how thankful he is for their steadfast devotion to Christ and their love for one another. And even though he has never personally met them, Paul makes it a point to tell them that they’re in good hands with Epaphras as their leader. Then Paul tells them that not only has he prayed for them, but that he hasn’t stopped praying for them.
I don’t know about you, but I find it challenging to continue praying for people I know, let alone people I’ve never met before in my life! But not Paul. Paul was always praying for his fellow Christians, and it didn’t matter where they were or what their connection to him might’ve been.
So… Let’s look at Paul’s prayer to these people he had never met before.
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. – Colossians 1:9-12
If we’re praying for others but don’t know exactly what to pray about, follow Paul’s pattern of prayer for the Colossians. It will prove to be a solid guide to follow, whether we know them or not.
When we pray, we can request that they:
- Understand God’s will.
- Gain spiritual wisdom.
- Honor and please God.
- Bear good fruit.
- Grow in the knowledge of God.
- Be strengthened with God’s glorious power.
- Have great endurance and patience.
- Be filled with joy.
- Give thanks always.
God doesn’t require us to know others before praying for them, or that our prayers be eloquent or impressive. In fact, some of the most effective prayers are those that are unrehearsed and come from a sincere place in our hearts; a desire to see others grow in their knowledge of God, and to experience His protection and promises.
One of the most selfless things we will ever do is take some time to sincerely pray that God will be near to those we’ve never met.
Former Blackout Artist 