A Powerful Model for Praying for Others: Colossians 1:9-14

By: Sarah Geringer

Do you want to pray for others in a powerful way? We have a great model to follow in Colossians 1:9-14 NIV. Yesterday I had a phone call from a friend who needed a prayer of encouragement right then and there. I wanted to base this prayer on Scripture, so I said, "Let's see what the verse of the day is at biblegateway.com." A verse from Colossians 1 came up, and I looked at it in context. There I found this wonderful prayer, which I prayed over her via phone. You can pray this powerful prayer for others too, speaking it over them live or in private.

Scriptural Prayer Prompts

Let's look at these verses one at a time, and pull prayer prompts from each one:

Verse 9

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives.

  • Pray as often as possible for your person.
  • Ask God to give them wisdom, understanding and the knowledge of his will through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Verse 10

10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

  • Ask God to give your person the desire to please the Lord in the way they live, both in private and before others.
  • Pray that they will have the desire to bear the fruits of the Spirit and gain knowledge of God through careful study of his Word.

Verse 11

11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.

  • We all need more endurance and patience in all of our daily trials, whether big or small.
  • Ask God to give your person greater measures of these virtues.
  • Also ask for them to have strength through his power, and that they will rely on him when they feel weak or inadequate.

Verse 12

12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.

  • Pray that your person will be filled with joy and thanksgiving.
  • Pray that they will develop a closer relationship with their heavenly Father, and that they will know their true identity in Christ, sealed in the heavenly realms.

Verses 13-14

13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

  • Ask God to protect your person from Satan's schemes, deceit and temptations.
  • Pray that they will follow the Light of the World in all they do.
  • Pray that your person will choose to rest in the grace that comes through forgiveness, and know that they are rescued from the power of sin and death through Jesus' resurrection.

Praying Scripture over others is a powerful way to bless them. I hope this meditation on Colossians 1:9-14 will inspire you to pray for someone today!