Pleading for Reformation: The Prayers of Paul

Here are some of the prayers that Paul records for the churches and individuals he writes to:
Philippians 1:9-11
1 Thess. 3:9-13
Colossians 1:9-14
Ephesians 1:15-19
Ephesians 3:14-21
Romans 10:1
Romans 15:5-6
Romans 15:13
Romans 15:30-33
2 Thess. 1:11-12
2 Thess. 2:16-17
Philemon 4-7

We have studied these prayers on Wednesday nights at Christ Baptist seeking to grow in our corporate prayer life. It has been an amazing study. As I quickly reflected on all we have learned, I came up with this list:

What do we learn from Paul’s prayers?:

-Paul most often identifies evidences of grace in the people he is praying for. He uses these evidences as reasons to thank God for them.
-Paul often bases his prayers in the character of God. They are all God-centered.
-Paul often prays for God to do things that are commanded elsewhere.
-Paul often prays for God to take something already evident and increase it.
-Paul only prays for spiritual realities.
-Paul often prays for knowledge or understanding of something.
-The ultimate end of Paul’s prayer is often said to be the glory of God.
-Paul must have always been praying for churches and friends.

DA Carson has a great book on Paul's prayers titled, A Call to Spiritual Reformation.