The best thing you can do for your group is be on your knees, praying for them. Paul records a prayer in every one of his letters. Not only does he value prayer, but he is modeling for us how to pray for our group. He genuinely cares for his disciples. James 5:16 says, "…the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective". We desire to lead our group to become fully committed followers of Christ. That will not happen without prayer. You can't effectively talk to your group about God until you have talked to God about your group. Jesus prayed for the disciples, Paul prayed for his disciples, and we need to pray for our disciples.
Below is a prayer from Paul to the disciples in Colossae. If you want to learn how to pray for your disciples (or loved ones), follow Paul's example.
Colossians 1:9-12 (CSB): 9 For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, 10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.
- Ask God to help your men to know God's will for their lives. (1:9)
- Ask God to give your men wisdom and understanding. (1:9)
- Pray that their lives will honor and please the Lord. (1:10)
- Pray that their lives will produce every kind of good fruit. (1:10)
- Pray that your men will know God more and more. (1:10)
- Ask God to give them strength for endurance and patience. (1:11)
- Ask God to fill them with Joy. (1:11)
- Pray that they would be grateful for all God has done. (1:12)
Here are a couple more prayers from Paul:
- Ephesians 1:17-19
- Ephesians 3:16-19
- Philippians 1:9-11
