Yes, I Pray With the Apostle Paul

I now realize that praying with Paul is something I can do! How would you like to be in a prayer group with the Apostle Paul?

Ready to level-up your prayer life? This is the first in a series exploring how we can agree in prayer with the great Apostle. First, some core truths …

See yourself in a new way—you are a royal priest

Let’s start with identity.

There’s so much to our identity in Christ. To progress in prayer, we need to know this … as we come to Christ, we come as living stones to align with the living Cornerstone.

“And coming to Him as to a living stone … you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5).

We are built into something new and supernatural — a spiritual house.

Jesus Smart

Understanding our identity in Christ is so important. As you come to Christ, your identity is transformed—you are much more than just an individual going to “heaven” some day. You are a king and priest beginning now! Begin to function in your potential.

Obedience, giving thanks, praise, and prayer are some of the ways we offer “spiritual sacrifices” to God. A “royal priest” is both a king and priest! You can enter into true worship and prayer …. and then reign in life!

“Those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).

So the first truth to highlight is the royal priesthood. Our prayer life is sourced in priestly ministry and kingly authority. Appreciating our new dentity is vital.

How to pray the Scriptures — 11 min audio interview with John Piper

In Christ, I’ve come to something much bigger than I’ve known!

Truth is layered and revelation builds toward greater revelation.

There’s another interesting truth to realize. It’s not just about our “personal relationship with Christ.” As good as that is, it’s not enough. We have now come to something much larger in Christ.

“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22-24).

This has really expanded my perspective!

Jesus Smart

Prayers are eternal. They are set before the Throne of God as incense (Psalm 141:2, Revelation 5:8). Millions of believers have prayed the prayers contained in Scripture. There is tremendous power in agreeing with these prayers. In a real sense, we become prayer partners with the Apostle Paul, Daniel, Jesus himself, and others. Pray these prayers in the first person!

praying with paul
I’ve come to the “spirits of the righteous made perfect” … amazingly, as I come to Christ, I now relate in some extraordinary way to Noah, Abraham, Daniel, Peter, Paul, and a host of others.

I’m connected to the Apostle Paul in Christ. So are you.

You see, there’s a real sense in which I’m connected to Paul. We are members of the same Body of Christ both in heaven and earth. It’s timeless, including Christians who have passed from earth to heaven.

Paul and other witnesses are watching the race of faith we run!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith … let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith …” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT).

Praying with Paul

We’ll explore  and engage prayers from Paul’s letters in the New Testament. I believe these Spirit-breathed, apostolic prayers rise to an extraordinary level! The Scriptures are the expressed thoughts of God. Praying the Word is always powerful.

See Level Up Your Internal State With Scripture

These prayers captured in the New Testament are still alive before the Throne of God.

Paul originally prayed these prayers. Millions of Christians since the first generation Church have prayed them. And we can pray them today! We can stream our prayer life with the Apostle Paul.

We can do this with others in the Scriptures, too … like Peter, Daniel, and the Psalmists. Consider that Jesus lives to make intercession for us. We can look into the Gospels and pray with Jesus. Like the Lord’s Prayer. Or Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17.

So will you pray with the great Apostle Paul? Be challenged to engage the prayers highlighted in this series. Pray them for 30 or 60 days. Journal your reflections. See what happens!

I believe you’ll see powerful results!

See related articles below.


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on earth as in heaven, prayer


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