Many people ask how they can pray better for missionaries. As I was reading in my personal devotions this morning, the following passage jumped out at me. This is not only how to pray for us as Missionaries but how we can pray for our fellow Christians in general.

Paul writes in the book of Colossians in chapter 1 verses 9-10:

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

He starts by saying that they “do not cease to pray” for the saints and faithful brethren at Colosse. He goes on to say that they are praying for and desiring that that they might be filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. We may know the direction that God wants us to go. We may know that God wants us to be a preacher, a missionary, serve in a ministry, etc. but are we “filled with the knowledge of his will” having all wisdom and spiritual understanding to daily walk the road that He wants us to walk.

Paul goes on to explain just what the knowledge of His will, all wisdom, and spiritual understanding is for.

“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

1. That we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. Do we walk worthy and please the Lord in all we do? Is our focus more on pleasing men then pleasing the Lord? So much of what we do many times in the ministry or in life is done because of what others may think about us. It is done for the pleasing of man instead of the pleasing of our Lord.
2. Being Fruitful in every good work. If we are filled with the knowledge of His will, all wisdom and spiritual understanding, and we are walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, then we can be fruitful in every good work. When are works are done to man or for self gain, they are in vain. May we be fruitful in every good work.
3. Increasing in the knowledge of God. This should be our daily desire. We have been put on this earth to serve and glorify our God. He has sacrificed His life, the life of His only begotten Son to give us salvation from the bondage of sin. He is our Savior. We should desire to increase in the knowledge of God.