"Prayer... For All Saints"

When praying for myself and fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, I ask God to work according to several primary applications of His Spirit and Truth.

1.  Confirmation - that we will know wherein we are walking in genuine faith and obedience, and that we would not be deterred from the paths of godliness on which we are rightly walking.  "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake" (Psalm 23:3).

2.  Enhancement - that we will grow in our walk along such paths, as the Apostle Peter commanded, "Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (II Peter 3:18).  Regardless of how faithfully we may be fulfilling some aspect of God's will, there is always room to "increase more and more" (I Thessalonians 4:10).

3.  Addition - that we will see, understand and apply new truths about the Lord Jesus that we have yet to discover.  He is an infinite Being, and as such, will always be shining forth with glories heretofore unknown.  "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33).

4.  Reproof - that we will be shown any pattern of thought, belief, attitude, word, action or relating to God and others that is not faithful to Scripture.  "Cleanse Thou me from secret faults" (Psalm 19:12).

5.  Correction - that we will humbly and faithfully set our feet on the correct paths of godliness after having been reproved.  "My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of His correction: for whom the LORD loveth He correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth" (Proverbs 3:11-12).

    Most importantly, I ask that all be done in the light of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He is both the standard to which we aspire, and the source by which we attain to such aspiration.  "Walk, even as He walked... I will dwell in them, and walk in them" (I John 2:6; II Corinthians 6:16).

    Believers are given blessed privilege to benefit each other by approaching our Heavenly Father on each other's behalf.  As we ask God to confirm, enhance, add, reprove and correct, He reveals the Lord Jesus by the working of the Holy Spirit, and we experience the joy of knowing that we play a vital role in our brothers and sisters' walk in God's grace and truth.

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."

(Ephesians 6:18)