Colossians 4:12 [Paul wrote a letter to Colossians group]
NCV: Epaphras, a servant of Jesus Christ, from your group, also greets you. He always prays for you that you will grow to be spiritually mature and have everything God wants for you. KJV: Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayer, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
Labor Fervently.
Do you want to know how to pray like Epaphras? Epaphras labor fervently in prayer. It looked like it wasn’t a lazy prayer. It wasn’t a short prayer. It wasn’t a one time prayer. Epaphras prayed like he was touching a ‘hot coal’ prayer to God. Epaphras reminded himself to pray for Colossians Christians very often. Epaphras felt one with the new born babe in Christ as if he was holding the spiritual baby Christians before the Lord. Epaphras had a heart-felt prayer for God to touch their lives and help them to grow spiritually mature and what God wants for them to have. Epaphras labored means he worked hard, he struggled, he wrestled and he had strong pleading in prayers for them. He used his voice to express his prayers to God. Epaphras knew the power of darkness and that Satan was a roaring lion seeking to destroy the spiritual baby Christians. This was why Epaphras “always laboring fervently in prayers for Colossians.” Paul wanted the group to know and to be encouraged that they had someone praying for them.
Have you ever met someone who would pray like Epaphras? We could be like Epaphras who pray fervently. Fervently mean showing warmth of feeling; very earnestly; strong pleading; hot and glowing. Imagine a Deaf group who would be like Epaphras? Boy! That would be something, wouldn’t it? Let’s pray for more ‘Epaphras’ among the Deaf Churches. Amen!
