I just did a lot of Bible reading on spiritual growth.
There are many areas in which God's Word encourages us to grow: in love, in grace, in knowledge (wisdom, understanding, learning, etc.), in charity, in favor with God and man, in our Spiritual gifts, in unity... and the list goes on. Many of these urgings are in the context of the Apostle Paul writing to a church and telling them that he has been praying for them...
for example, 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, "Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones."
One example of this REALLY stuck out to me: Colossians 4:12, "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."
WOW! Wouldn't it be great to have someone who was always wrestling in prayer for you?
Apparently Paul and Silvanus and Timothy thought so as they close the first letter the the Thessalonians, "Brothers, pray for us!" (5:25)
Pray for me! Pray for each other!
