Wrestling in Prayer

"He (Epaphras) is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for you that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis" (Colossians 4:13-14).

There is a place in the Spirit where we wrestle for others until they are brought into and established in the Perfect Will that our Heavenly Father has for them.

Epaphras, who had planted the church in his hometown of Colossae, (Colossians 1:7, and most probably had also established the churches in the neighboring towns of Laodicea and Hierapolis), had then returned to be with Paul (in Ephesus). Aware that the Colossian church had come under the influence of a false teacher, (as described and addressed by Paul in Colossians 1:15 – 2:23), Epaphras was on his knees wrestling in prayer for his friends in the newly established Colossian church.

Although Paul describes this Field of "Wrestling Prayer" as work we shall, like Epaphras, willingly give ourselves to it with determination because of our love for Jesus Christ and our love for those we are so deeply concerned for. With determination, we shall stand before our Father’s Throne in dedicated and persistent intercession until those we love, "stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured."

The women and men who Wrestle in Prayer prevail before the Throne of God as they stand in the Authority the Father has given them as His Adopted Children, Royal Priests in His Temple, Chosen, those who have received mercy (1 Peter 2:9-10). The persistent Prayer from their lips is not "Bless my mission", but "Thy Kingdom come". The gates of hell shall not withstand the Church that prays in the Spirit the Prayer of Faith. And we are that Church! There is no "Plan B", so hold your ground until Christ’s Victory is established.

Sometimes these prayers are answered quickly, at other times the answer may be delayed a long time. Paul constantly asked to be able to preach the Gospel in Rome (Romans 1:9-10) but it was literally decades before God answered his Prayer.

You and I can learn to Wrestle in Prayer like Paul did.