“For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you remembering you in my prayers” Ephesians 1:15, 16

This past Sunday I preached on powerful prayer noting that in the verses above and those that follow in Ephesians 1, the apostle Paul shows that he makes it a point to practice powerful prayer. In verses 15 and 16 he gives ample reason for us to pray powerful prayers. In verse 17 he shows us the right recipient of our powerful prayers (the source of the power). And in verses 17b-21, he discloses the content of powerful prayers.

I recently read this definition of prayer: prayer is calling out to God to pour out the Holy Spirit upon us that his word would be made effective in our hearts. This is from the excellent book on the ministry of the church, The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne. The power of prayer is found in the one doing the praying when the Holy Spirit is present there. The power of prayer is found in the recipient of the prayers, the triune God. The power of prayer is found in the content of the prayer when they prayer is in line with Scripture (“thy will be done on earth…”).

I look forward to growing in the practice of powerful prayer and I look with great anticipation for the results of praying powerful prayer.