Col 4.12,13 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.
Epaphras is described by the apostle Paul as a servant of Christ. Please note that his fervent prayer life for others is a manifestation of serving Christ. But the kind of praying that is fervent. This recalls the passage in James that mentions the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man that avails much. Beloved, do we realize that when we pray for one another and with one another, that is one of the many ways that we get to serve Jesus Christ?
Many of God’s people do not feel like they are serving Christ unless they are a preacher or worship leader, or some other visible type of ministry. Not so. In fact, it is the prayers of the saints that are the means that God uses to strengthen and direct His church. Fervent prayer is fueled by a zeal for The Lord and a love for others. Note that Epaphras’ prayer was that the saints would stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. Pray that right now for your spouse. Your children. Your parents. You pastors. Your coworkers. God will sort out what that means as far as they are concerned. That is my prayer for each and every one of you who read this devotional today. Indeed, serving Christ with fervent praying is the kind of zeal that the church desperately needs.
Father, please birth within our souls a zeal for your glory and honor that is manifested by Spirit filled, fervent prayers for Your church today, in Jesus glorious Name.
