“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” —Ephesians 3:20-21

The Living God is great, good, and glorious. In light of the gloriousness of who He is, I am convicted by how small, myopic and circumstantial my prayers can be. The nature of my prayer is directly connected to my view of God. Small view of God = small requests. Big view of God = big requests.

Continually, daily—and in fact, hourly—I need my heart and mind to be reminded of the greatness and glory of God and for prayer to align and be in accordance with the greatness of who He is.

We know God is rich in mercy, steadfast in his love, altogether kind, perfectly good and rightfully just (Psalm 145).

Through Christ Jesus we have life and have access to the throne of grace and can come to the king as a child comes to his father.

Wonderfully astounding!!!

In light of all that is true in the gospel hope we have in Christ, how then should we pray? What would be befitting of our prayer?

The Scriptures are overflowingly full of how we ought to pray (Matthew 6; Ephesians 1:15-23; Ephesians 3:14-21), and I want to offer a few ways to pray for those in our lives who have yet to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.

Pray for boldness – Paul, who was in prison for proclaiming the Gospel, asked the church in Ephesus to pray that he would have boldness in the proclamation of the Gospel and that words would given to him as he proclaimed (Ephesians 6:19-20). We must likewise pray for utterance from God and boldness. Broken-hearted boldness that loves people enough to proclaim the hope of the gospel to them.

Pray for others specifically by name – Those who do not yet know Christ Jesus need to be prayed for specifically by name. The Lord loves to answer prayer and we need to be a praying for others by name. Maybe this is a co-worker, maybe a close neighbor or maybe a family member. Let us be found faithful praying for them by name.

Pray with endurance – We must be perseverant and endure in prayer, even if the answers don’t come quickly. One of the most encouraging stories of faith you could read in modern history is of the life of George Müller. He was a man devoted to the Lord, constant in prayer and lingered long to behold God by opening his Bible and seeking the Lord. The Lord used him to care for over 10,000 orphans in his lifetime. A.T. Pierson, in his biography George Müller of Bristol: His Life of Prayer and Faith, recounts his endurance and perseverance:

“George Müller was an unwearied intercessor. No delay discouraged him. This is seen particularly in the case of individuals for whose conversion or special guidance into the paths of full obedience he prayed. On his prayer list were the names of some for whom he had besought God, daily, by name, for one, two, three, four, six, ten years before the answer was given. The year just before his death, he to the write of two parties for whose reconciliation to God he had prayed, day by day, for over sixty years, and who had not yet to his knowledge turned unto God: and he significantly added, “I have not a doubt that I shall meet them both in heaven; for my Heavenly Father would not lay upon my heart a burden of prayer for them for all these years, if He had not concerning them purposes of mercy.” (p.302)

What a testimony of perseverance and endurance. O that we would be those who live and pray boldly knowing that the Lord is at work and works through the prayers of his people! Our God is mighty to save. Remember again that if you are a Christian, Jesus saved you and reconciled you for His glory and praise. Let us be perseverant in prayer for others who are yet to be rescued from their life of sin and rebellion against God and brought into the kingdom! Jesus is at work in you and through you through the power of His Spirit.