How to Pray Like an Apostle
Being a Contender
“Contender ready!” Does that sound familiar? If it does, you probably watched the Gladiators TV show in its heyday in the 1990s. We used to watch it as a family. The pugil sticks were my favourite event, being a test of tenacity, strength and balance. The Contenders were people who pitted their strength and skill against professional athletes — the Gladiators who had imposing names like Cobra, Hunter and Wolf. Before every event the referee would call out “Contender ready! Gladiator ready!” It wasn’t so much a question, more an expectation. The apostle Paul considered himself to be a contender. How about you?
What follows is an extract from my new book:
He [that is our Lord Jesus] is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. (Colossians 1:28–2:1 NIV)
Here we have Paul telling the Colossians (and us) that he is a contender. But he is not a contender in passing; contending is not a hobby for him. He makes it clear that he is a full-on, full-time, 100% all-in contender. He wanted the Colossians to know how hard he was contending, how strenuously he was contending, with all the strength given to him. It all sounds rather serious, doesn’t it? If contending was such an important part of the apostle Paul’s life, then perhaps it should be an important part of our lives too. So, let’s look at three questions:
1. WHAT does it mean be a contender?
2. WHO are we to contend for and why?
3. HOW do we contend?
What Does it Mean to be a Contender?
First of all, the Greek word used for “contend” here is agōnízomai (from agṓn, which means “conflict/struggle.” It is where we get the English word, “agonize” from). It means to struggle or strive, like someone competing in an intense athletic contest or warfare. In other words, to contend means to compete! Now when I read the word “compete”, that really got my attention because I love competition. If someone were to say to you, “Let’s have a competition,” how would that make you feel? I would be like a dog who’s just heard the word “walkies”. My ears would prick up. I’d get all excited, my tongue would hang out and I’d pester you until we started. But I suspect that not everyone feels the same as me, in fact I know they don’t. To some the word competition leaves them cold; they want to walk in the other direction; they’re just not interested. It’s strange I know, I personally can’t understand it, but such people do exist. I know because I’m married to one.
So, whether you like the word or not, to contend means to be in an intense competition, or struggle with someone — but in competition for what? The “what” can make a huge difference to our attitude to competition. Even my wife will compete if she cares enough about what’s at stake. We all will.
Who are We to Contend for and Why?
I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. (Colossians 2:1 NIV)
So Paul was competing for the Colossians, “for those at Laodicea and for all who had not met him personally”. And, since none of us have met the apostle Paul, then in a way he was competing for us too. But why? Well, he tells us:
…so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. (Colossians 1:28 NIV)
Now this is where we have to face an important truth because, no matter how you and I feel about competition and contending, the truth is, the Christian life is an intense competition. Neither we nor those that we love and care for will grow into mature Christians without an intense struggle. Christians are born, but disciples are made, “Go and MAKE disciples…” Jesus said, and what Paul reveals to us here is that making disciples is hard work.
But why? Why should becoming more like Jesus be such a battle? It is because we are engaged in a tug of war against three opponents: the world, the flesh and the devil:
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. (Ephesians 2:1–3 NIV)
The world around us wants to squeeze us into its mould, and because the world is fallen it is opposed to God. So we are immersed in an environment that is bombarding us with ungodly messages and temptations. If we want to become more like Jesus then we will need to compete against the world.
The flesh is our own human nature which is sinful and flawed; our nature is spring loaded to live our way and not God’s. So if we want to become more like Jesus we will need to compete against the flesh.
The devil is “the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” The devil is a liar who is absolutely opposed to the will of God and is seeking to destroy all that is good and godly in the world. So if we want to become more like Jesus we will need to compete against the devil. The world, the devil and his evil forces are so active against the kingdom of God that Paul says:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12 NIV)
So if you don’t think that you are in a competition or you don’t want to compete you have already lost because your enemy will prevent you and those you love from reaching maturity in Christ. He will keep you from becoming the person that God created you to be. But do not fear:
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4 NIV)
How Do We Contend?
This is the most important question, and especially in Paul’s case, because how do you contend for people you have never met? You pray for them. Later in Colossians Paul says:
Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He 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 him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. (Colossians 4:12–13 NIV)
The word used for “wrestling” here is agōnízomai again, the same word that is used for “contend”. So this is what I think is happening here — Paul is in chains in Rome. Epaphras having become a Christian probably through Paul’s ministry in Ephesus goes back to his home in Colossae and preaches the gospel there. Somehow Epaphras finishes up with Paul in Rome and tells Paul all about the Colossians and what God has been doing in them. Paul also sees how Epaphras continually wrestles in prayer for them. On hearing about them and seeing Epaphras’ devotion to them Paul also becomes burdened to pray for them, which is why Paul says earlier in his letter:
Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you (Colossians 1:9 NIV)
The only way that Paul could contend for the Colossians was to pray for them!
That was Paul the apostle, but what about us? Well in Colossians 4:2 Paul gives us this instruction:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
When we devote ourselves to something, we continue to do it intensely and faithfully, even when it hurts. Paul reaches across the millennia and implores us, “Make prayer a priority! Don’t stop, never give up!”
So here is my question to you — who has God laid on your heart?
It might be friends and family; it might be work colleagues. Equally, like the apostle Paul, it might be people that you have never met. It might be a section of society, or people living in a particular area or nation. If God has placed an individual or group of people on your heart then you can be sure that he wants you to contend for them in prayer.
My second question to myself and to you is this — will you? Will you persist in prayer for them, will you compete for them against the world, the flesh and the devil?
The more informed and specific we can make our prayers the better. But if we really want to do some serious damage to the enemy of our souls, and see the kingdom of God forcefully advance, we can use the kind of strategic prayers that the apostle Paul used when he was contending for others:
· Ask God to fill them “with the knowledge of his will” (Colossians 1:9 NIV).
· Ask that they “may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10 NIV).
· Ask that “out of his glorious riches God may strengthen them with power through his Spirit” (Ephesians 3:16 NIV).
· Ask that they, “being rooted and established in love, may have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that they may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17–19 NIV).
Contending in prayer is not easy, like any other competition, it takes: practise, discipline and devotion. As Paul says:
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:25–27 NIV)
But contending is not just a solitary endeavour. The early Church knew how to contend together. Acts 1:14 says, “They all joined together constantly in prayer.” Do you contend with others? In contender speak — do you need to up your game? The world needs it; our Lord commands it; the love of God deserves it.
When the story of this life is told, after Jesus returns, there will be many surprises and one of the revelations will be how great in the kingdom of God are those who contend in prayer. Will you be a contender? Contender — are you ready?
This was an extract from my new book:
I hope you found it helpful.
