“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Col. 4:12 KJV).
Do your prayers have impact? Do your prayers make a difference? It is the fervent prayer that has the greatest impact and makes a difference in people’s lives.
When you see the word laboring, you think of work, someone putting forth tremendous effort. Epaphras is laboring fervently for you in prayers. Now I am going to tell you prayer is work.
Praying for other people is work for you to do. Your flesh doesn’t want to do it. Your flesh wants to eat or do something else. My flesh didn’t want to pray at first. But my flesh has been trained to just go along with my spirit.
So, this man is laboring fervently for you in prayers. He is working at this. Why is he praying? He is praying so that you may stand perfect and complete in all of the will of God. He is fervently taking on praying for the church at Colossi so this body of believers becomes a church without spot or wrinkle and filled with all the will of God, to perform the will of God.
Fervent prayer is anointed prayer. You can pray fervently. You can labor in prayer that God’s perfect will be completed in your church and in all the church of the Lord Jesus Christ all over the world.
You can pray that the saints become fully matured. Now this is what I pray lots of times for you. I am praying that you do stand perfect and mature and that God’s perfect will be manifested in you. It is one of my standard prayers for you.
God’s perfect will is that you preach the gospel and fulfill your ministry in whatever sector you are called to. Also, His perfect will is that you be healed, and walk in divine health. His perfect will is that you have so much that you make the unbeliever jealous because you are so blessed financially.
His perfect will is that your children turn out to be, not only model citizens, but great men and women in the kingdom of God. His perfect will is that you not die prematurely, but that you live long and prosper in all things.
Well, you need to pray this right now. Particularly, take the time to pray for the church. As we see in our text, Epaphras is working at prayer. He is praying fervently. It is an example of how to pray for others. Your prayers work. So don’t let a day go by that you do not pray for your city, your nation and for the world.
Scripture Reference: 1 Timothy 2:1-3
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Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).