Prayers That Change Us

We've all heard teachings, read books, and spent time learning how to pray. I can remember discussions about whether or not our prayers actually change God's mind, or if we're just simply coming into line with what God had already willed -- I went to a predominantly Arminian Bible college and a hyper-Calvinist seminary, so I had plenty of exposure to both extremes.

But nearly everyone agrees that prayer changes us. As we cultivate a life of prayer -- a two-way communication between us and God -- we become different than we once were. Our sense of expectancy changes, as does our dawning realization that the line between the natural and the supernatural was only in our minds. Praying to forgive enemies (Matthew 6:12) and those who have despitefully used us (Luke 6:28), frees us from the tyranny of bitterness and anger.

What kind of prayers do leaders of churches regularly pray for their congregations? Or home groups? Or simple churches? What kind of difference would the content of those prayers cause in the hearts of the leaders themselves?

St. Paul says the following to the followers of Jesus in Ephesus (Ephesians 1:15-20):

"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers."

Sounds like Paul was actually excited by what he was hearing about these Ephesians.

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."

The word "wisdom" is the Greek word sophia, which means "supreme intelligence, such as belongs to God". The word Apokalupsis, which is translated as "revelation", is equally audacious: "a disclosure of truth, instruction concerning things before unknown; manifestation, appearance". Paul is praying that the Ephesians would be given incredible wisdom and insight to know God better. Would the answer to this prayer put Paul out of a job?

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,"

That the "eyes of your heart" -- diavnoia, "the mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring" -- would be able to grasp the implications of the hope -- elpis; "joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation" -- that we have.

"and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead..."

Dunamis, the "inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature; power for performing miracles", available to us? What would we do with that kind of power? How can a leader of Paul's stature seriously want others to understand the implications of having such a hope, and that they have such power available to them?

What if those who have been gifted with leadership would pray this kind of a prayer for the people they are in community with (in whatever context)?

What kind of changes would happen in the people being prayed for?

What kind of heart attitude would be cultivated in the one praying these prayers?