In 1985, my vision became seriously impaired. I could only read with great concentration, and then only with my Bible very close to my eyes. The specialist diagnosed me with keratoconus. This is a disease that thins the normally round cornea, bulges it into a cone shape and, in my case, leaving ripples in the cornea. This progressive disease causes distorted vision, depth perception problems, and light sensitivity. When this disease began and intensified, I feared I would become incapacitated, unable to minister or support my young family. Once word spread about my difficulty, believers from around the country began to call me with the encouraging words: “I’m praying for you.” It’s hard to express how much that meant to me and how thankful I am that God answered their prayers.
When the Apostle Paul opened his letter to the believers at Colossae, he encouraged them by saying he was: “praying always” for them (Colossians 1:3). Paul was, what we call today, “a prayer warrior.” He prayed regularly for the needs of other saints. He assured the believers at Ephesus that he would “cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers” (Ephesians 1:16). Paul reminds them again of his prayers over his concern that they would be discouraged by his persecutions. He writes: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father…that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory…” (Ephesians 3:14,16). When Paul was aware of a need in the life of other believers, his response was to hold them up to the throne of grace, asking God to intervene on their behalf. Knowing there were questions and concerns among new believers at Thessalonica about what happened to saints when they died before the Rapture, Paul again assures them of his prayers. He tells them he planned to come see them soon, and that he was “night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face…” (I Thessalonians 3:10). It must have been an encouragement to the believers at Colossae to know Paul was praying for them, and that he would “not cease to pray” for their needs (Colossians 1:9).
You, too, have likely been greatly encouraged by the assurance of someone praying for you in a time of real need. Now it is time for you to “pay it forward.” Spend some time now lifting up someone in prayer, and seek to become a real prayer warrior.