Colossians 4:2-9(4)

Ministry of speech

Words have power. A judge can speak a few words and pardon or condemn. A doctor can speak a few words and a patient rejoices or despairs. Whether it is written or spoken. Words are powerful!

Constitution= 7591 words Bible = 7,000

The power of speech is a gift from God, and it is design to be used the way God ordained it.

James 3 compares the tongue to a bridle and a rudder, a fire and a poisonous animal, a fruitful tree and a fountain.

These three pairs of pictures teach us that the tongue has the power to direct,the power to destroy and the power to delight. The tongue is but a little member in our bodies, but it can accomplish great things for good or for evil.

4 important ministries of speech:

Praying (4:2-3a)

Prayer and worship are perhaps the highest uses of the gift of speech. Paul frequently asked for prayer. Even though, he was an apostle, writing letters for correction, growth and encouragement.

If a great Christian like Paul felt like he needed prayer for support, how much more do we need need this kind of spiritual help?

lets look at the characteristics of a satisfying and spiritual life.

a. Faithful: Vs 2 “Continue in prayer” this means “Be steadfast in your prayer life: be devoted; don’t quit”

Acts 1:14 “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”

Acts 2:46 “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,”

Too many of us pray occasionally, when a crisis arises. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “pray without ceasing,” should be our approach. This doesn’t mean walk around mumbling prayers all the time. It speaks more to the constant fellowship with God. Prayer should be as normal as breathing.

God enjoys answering our prayer! Sometimes he delays answers in order to grow our faith and devotion. Sometimes because He has a purpose that requires His timing, not ours.

Delays are not denials

As we “continue” in prayer, our hearts prepare for the answer God ill bring. We find ourselves growing in grace, even before His answer comes.

b. Watchful: We must be awake and alert as we pray. “watch and pray” is a common theme through the bible.

Nehemiah is an early example of this principle during the rebuilding of the wall. Nehemiah 4:9 “And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.”

Jesus used the phrase in (Mark 13:33: 14:38). Paul used it in (Ephesians 6:18 “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”

Psalm 141:2 “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!”

Real prayer demands spiritual energy and alertness, and this comes only from the Holy Spirit of God. Routine prayers are unanswered prayers.

c. Thankful: “Watch in the same with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is an important ingredient in successful praying. (Philippians 4:6 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

If all we do is ask, and never thank God for His gifts, we are selfish. Sincere gratitude to God is one of the best ways to put fervor into our praying.

There is always so much to be thankful for! Paul emphasizes thanksgiving throughout this letter. (1:3, 12; 2:7; 3:15,17; 4:2)

d. Purposeful: “Praying also for us” (vs 3).

Too often our prayers are vague and general. “Lord, bless the church members”. How much better would it be to pray for each member and their specific needs?

By doing so, we can show gratitude as God answers each specific prayer. it is an exercise of faith to pray individually and specifically.

“the purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth”

Prayer is not a matter of telling God what to do or what to give. Prayer is asking God for that which He wants to do and give.

1 John 5:14–15 “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

As we read the Word and fellowship with our father, we discover His will and then boldly ask Him to do what He has planned.

“Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of His willingness.” -Richard Trench

Yes, it is possible to pray in our hearts and never use the gift of speech 1 Samuel 1:13 “Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman.” but we are using words even if we don’t say them audibly. True prayer must first come from the heart, whether the words are spoken or not.

Paul’s prison prayers some of the finest examples in the bible:

Phil. 1:9-11; Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-21; Col.1:9-12

Colossians 1:9–12 ESV

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

2. Proclaiming the Word (4:3b-4)

Paul did not ask for prison doors to be opened, but that doors of ministry might be opened 1 Corinthians 16:9 “for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”

Acts 14:27 “And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”

In all Paul’s prison prayers, his concern was not for personal safety or material help, but for spiritual character and blessing.

Paul was imprisoned because of the “mystery of Christ,” which related to the Gentiles (Eph.3:1-13).The mystery involved God’s purpose for the Gentiles in relation to Israel; In the church Jews and Gentiles are one (Eph. 2:11-22). Also Paul's arrest in the Jewish temple (Acts 21:18-22:30). Notice that the Jews listened until Paul spoke the word “Gentiles”. Paul’s concern for the Gentiles, and his ministry to them landed him in Jail.

The Jews bigotry wanted to force the Gentiles into a lower position (Acts 15:1ff). This extreme legalistic party wanted the Gentiles to become Jews ceremonially before they could become Christians. The council decided in favor of Paul & Barnabas but the legalistic party continued to oppose Paul and his ministry. They chose the “air of superiority” over the good news of Jesus Christ.

Yet, Paul is asking God to help him do the very thing that had caused his arrest. He had no intention of giving up his ministry or changing his message.

When John Bunyan was arrested for preaching illegally. He was told that he would be released if he promised to stop preaching. he said,

“If I am out of prison today, I will preach the gospel again tomorrow, by the help of God.”

So, how could Paul share the mystery of Christ when he was a prisoner?