Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving….

Prayer is a spiritual force. It is also a discipline geared towards drawing us closer to God. Praying with thanksgiving is one of the essential aspects of prayer that involves expressing gratitude to God for all His blessings and active grace that is upon us.

In Colossians 4:2 we are encourage to pray earnestly being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Paul began by saying, “Continue in prayer….” This word “continue” is translated from the Greek combination of the words pros and kartereo. The words carry the idea of close, up-front, intimate contact with someone else; and also to be strong, to be stout, to bear up, to have fortitude, or to be steadfast. When these two words are compounded, as they are in Colossians 4:2, the new word depicts a strong, solid, “never-give-up type”. Elijah prayed seven times for rain – 1 kings 18:41-44. Therefore, by using the word proskartereo, Paul was emphatically urging us to do three things as we wait for God to answer our prayers:

Be fully attentive in prayer.

Be tenacious in the Spirit.

Be determined and never give up until you have obtained the answer to your prayers.

We engage these three things in prayer with thanksgiving. There will undoubtedly be times in your life when the answers to your prayers won’t come quickly. However, God requires you to stay spiritually strong — pushing forward and continuously engaging in robust prayer until you see what you are believing Him for come to fruition. If you are tenaciously determined to continue in prayer, you will receive the answers you seek – James 5:17-18

Prayer in our context describes a wish, a desire, or a vow. When this word was originally used in Scripture it depicts a person who makes a vow to God because of a need or desire in his life. This person is so desperate for an answer that he promises to give something of great value to God in exchange for a favorable answer to his prayer. Prayer therefore, brings out two things – It tells us that prayer should bring us face to face with God; and Secondly, the word conveys that sacrifice is a vital component of prayer. When you come before the Lord, you must be willing to surrender yourself and make any changes in your life that God might require of you, God wants you to meet Him face to face and surrender every area of your life to Him. In return, He promises that you will receive the answers you seek.

Praying with thanksgiving means we pray in Faith. You must pray believing you have receive the answer before you see the answer (Mark 11:24). In John 11:41- 42, when Jesus approached the tomb where Lazarus had been laid to rest, he said “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. And I know that you always hear me….”

Once you pray in faith and begin to make the changes God requires of you, you need to stay vigilant and watch for the answers to your prayers to show up!

 

PASTOR ABRAHAM GEORGE