Effective Prayer

For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven't stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of The Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God. Colossians 1:9,10

A couple of things jump out at me: 
Paul and those with him, did not cease to pray for the Colossians. I cannot say my prayer life is so diligent, as much as I intend to pray for others diligently there are so many I lose track. 
The essence of Paul's prayer was that the Colossians would have the knowledge of Christ's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding so that they would walk worthily of The Lord, fully pleasing to Him and bearing fruit and what's more that they would grown in the knowledge of God. 

What an excellent prayer. When we pull it apart it is an empowering, lifting up prayer.

Further into the book we discover that the Colossians had been under the attack of false teaching, being lured away to false doctrines. Paul's prayer did not speak of deliverance from darkness but lifted them above the darkness and empowered them to live as they were meant to.

By praying like he did Paul ignored the 'power' of the enemy and empowered the saints with the power of The Lord almighty. A much more effective prayer. He literally snatched the saints from under the darkness and translated them above to the power of God.

When we pray we have to first shake off the intimidation of the enemy and get into faith and take off, soaring above the lies. Praying empowering prayer works. I have employed them. Especially when someone is doing something annoying, rather than speak about the annoying behaviour and allowing it to get to me I step above it to the result The Lord wants in that person's life. (I don't always get it right, I do get annoyed but endeavour to keep in faith).

Rise above e darkness and get into faith, you will enjoy the results! Amen!

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