Praying for Opportunities to Share God's Love Effectively
Praying for opportunities to share God's love effectively involves seeking divine assistance to open doors for proclaiming the Christian message and to ensure that such efforts are fruitful. The Apostle Paul frequently requested prayers from believers for his ministry, demonstrating the importance of intercession in evangelism [1, 3, 8, 11].
One key aspect of this prayer is asking God to "open a door for the word" [1]. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul specifically asks for prayer that he might speak "the mystery of Christ" clearly, even while imprisoned [1]. This suggests a request not only for access to people but also for the ability to articulate the message effectively. Similarly, in Philemon, Paul prays that the "fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing that is in us for Christ" [2]. This implies a desire for believers' shared faith to be a potent force in making Christ known and understood.
The practice of prayer itself is understood as "converse with God," a direct address to the divine, which can be oral or mental, constant or occasional [5]. It presupposes a belief in God's personality and his willingness to interact with humanity [5]. Believers are encouraged to "draw near with boldness to the throne of grace" to receive mercy and find grace for help [4]. Access to God in prayer is understood to be through Christ and by the Holy Spirit, obtained through faith [6].
The New Testament epistles show Paul consistently asking for prayer from various Christian communities. For instance, he urged the Romans to "strive together with me in your prayers to God for me" [3]. Matthew Henry notes that Paul, despite being a prominent apostle, sought the prayers of even the "meanest Christians," highlighting the value of fervent prayer from the righteous [8]. This mutual prayer is seen as a sign of reciprocal love and a way to maintain the "communion of saints" [7, 8, 11]. Such prayers are not only for the ministers themselves but also for the effectiveness of their message and the spiritual growth of those they serve [12].
Beyond opening doors, praying for effective sharing of God's love also encompasses a desire for increased love among believers, which can then be extended to others. Adam Clarke, in his commentary on Galatians, emphasizes the importance of seizing opportunities to "sow the good seed" and to manifest love freely to all, especially to those within the "household of faith" [9]. He also notes the importance of increasing and abounding in love for one another, as seen in his commentary on 1 Thessalonians, suggesting that this internal love strengthens the community's capacity to share God's love externally [10].
Sources
- Colossians “praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds; -- Colossians 4:3”
- Philemon “Philemon 1:6 (LEB) — I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective in the knowledge of every good thing that is in us for Christ.”
- Romans “Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, -- Romans 15:30”
- Hebrews “Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need. -- Hebrews 4:16”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Access to God — Is of God -- Ps 65:4. Is by Christ -- Joh 10:7, 9; 14:6; Ro 5:2; Eph 2:13; 3:12; Heb 7:9, 25; 10:19; 1Pe 3:18. Is by the Holy Spirit -- Eph 2:18. Obtained through faith -- Ac 14:27; Ro 5:2; Eph 3:12; Heb 11:6. Follows upon reconciliation to God -- Col 1:21,22. In Prayer -- See Prayer. De 4:7; Mt 6:6; 1Pe 1:17. In his temple -- Ps 15:1; 27:4; 43:3; 65:4. To obtain mercy and grace -- Heb 4:16. A privilege of saints -- De 4:7; Ps 15:1; 23:6; 24:3,4. Saints have, with confidence -- Eph 3:12; Heb 4:16; 10:19,20. Vouchsafed to repenting sinners -- See Repen”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Communion of Saints — According to the prayer of Christ -- Joh 17:20,21. Is with God. -- 1Jo 1:3. Saints in heaven. -- Heb 12:22-24. Each other. -- Ga 2:9; 1Jo 1:3,7. God marks, with his approval -- Mal 3:16. Christ is present in -- Mt 18:20. In public and social worship -- Ps 34:3; 55:14; Ac 1:14; Heb 10:25. In the Lord's supper -- 1Co 10:17. In holy conversation -- Mal 3:16. In prayer for each other -- 2Co 1:11; Eph 6:18. In exhortation -- Col 3:16; Heb 10:25. In mutual comfort and edification -- 1Th 4:18; 5:11. In mutual sympathy and kindness -- Ro 12:15; Eph 4:32”
- Romans (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Romans 15:30: Here we have, I. St. Paul's desire of a share in the prayers of the Romans for him, expressed very earnestly, Rom 15:30-32. Though Paul was a great apostle, yet he begged the prayers of the meanest Christians, not here only, but in several other of the epistles. He had prayed much for them, and this he desires as the return of his kindness. Interchanging prayers is an excellent token of the interchanging of loves. Paul speaks like one that knew himself, and would hereby teach us how to value the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous. How careful should we be ”
- Galatians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Galatians 6:10: As we have - opportunity - While it is the time of sowing let us sow the good seed; and let our love be, as the love of Christ is, free, manifested to all. Let us help all who need help according to the uttermost of our power; but let the first objects of our regards be those who are of the household of faith - the members of the Church of Christ, who form one family, of which Jesus Christ is the head. Those have the first claims on our attention, but all others have their claims also, and therefore we should do good unto all.”
- 1 Thessalonians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Thessalonians 3:12: Make you to increase and abound in love - They had already love to each other, so as to unite them in one Christian body; and he prays that they may have an increase and an abundance of it; that they might feel the same love to each other which he felt for them all.”
- 2 Thessalonians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 2 Thessalonians 3:1: In these words observe, I. The apostle desires the prayers of his friends: Finally, brethren, pray for us, Th2 3:1. He always remembered them in his prayers, and would not have them forget him and his fellow-labourers, but bear them on their hearts at the throne of grace. Note, 1. This is one way by which the communion of saints is kept us, not only by their praying together, or with one another, but by their praying for one another when they are absent one from another. And thus those who are at great distance may meet together at the throne of grace; and”
- Philippians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Philippians 1:9: These verses contain the prayers he put up for them. Paul often let his friends know what it was he begged of God for them, that they might know what to beg for themselves and be directed in their own prayers, and that they might be encouraged to hope they should receive from God the quickening, strengthening, everlasting, comforting grace, which so powerful an intercessor as Paul asked of God for them. It is an encouragement to us to know that we are prayed for by our friends, who, we have reason to think, have an interest at the throne of grace. It was inten”