And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. Colossians 1:9-12

If you’re like me, you can get “stuck” when you pray. The words won’t come easily or you don’t know how to pray in a given situation. These few verses are powerful when you have someone in mind and pray for that person by name with these verses. Even if you were to dissect it and pray for the person “from comma to comma”, it would be an incredibly strong blessing on that person.

For instance, how I would have loved to have someone praying that I would “grow in the knowledge of God” as a new Believer. Or how about that I would “bear fruit in every good work?” Being able to “please God in every way” seems like a laudable goal to pray for someone.

So, why is this more powerful than merely praying your own words? First, it helps you to focus. As you’re praying through this, you are picturing in your mind’s eye what it would look like if this person “grew in the knowledge of God” for example. Second, it’s the Word of God. What can be more potent than praying the Word of God over someone?