004 Colossians 1:9-11

004 /Pauls prayer request

Intro: Paul was in prison in Rome when writing the Colossian believers. never visiting Colosse he heard of the false teaching that had seeped into the church. How could he help he was in jail.

Paul was in prison in Rome when writing the Colossian believers. At some point he had been visited by Epaphras, the pastor of the great Colossian church. Apparently Epaphras had felt a need for some counsel and advice on how to handle the false teaching that had seeped into the church. Paul, God’s chosen apostle to the Gentiles, was the natural person to turn to for advice. This is the purpose for the letter to the Colossians: to encourage the church and its believers to get rid of the false teaching and to continue on with Christ.

Remember: Paul had never visited the Colossian church. The believers had never seen him face to face, and he was unable to visit them now because of being in prison. They needed him, for the false teaching was extremely dangerous and the very ministry of the church was threatened. Being in prison and unable to reach them, what could he do? Only two things:

⇒ He could write them and share the Word of God in a letter.

⇒ He could pray for them.

Paul did both. The present passage covers his prayer: what he asked God to do for the Colossian believers. He asked three things;

All three requests are needed by every church and all believers, in particular those who face false teaching. Note how these three requests lead to a deeper experience with the Lord, a much stronger walk than most believers experience. Every believer should covet these three things and covet them diligently.

1. Request 1: to know God’s will—to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will (v. 9).

2. Request 2: to walk worthy of Christ (v. 10).

3. Request 3: to possess the power of God (v. 11).

I. v. 1:9 the first request is to know God’s will. But note exactly what Scripture says: we are to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will.

A. being filled with the knowledge of His will

the first great request is to know God’s will. But note exactly what Scripture says: we are to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will

everything that we do, say and think must be in God’s will

ii. what is being talked about is not God’s will for a particular thing nor for a few things

iii. What is being talked about is the whole scope of life. God’s will involves all of life, everything we do every moment of every day

iv. God’s will for us involves our very behavior and conduct; it even reaches down into the depth of imagination and thought. Imagine! every thought is to be controlled by God’s will.

v. God tells us how to live life, and what He tells us is His will. Therefore, we are to study what God has said. We are to study God’s Word: learn and gain all the knowledge we can about His will—about how to live. We are to study and learn until

God’s will for us involves our very behavior and conduct; it even reaches down into the depth of imagination and thought. Imagine! Even every thought is to be controlled by God’s will.

God tells us how to live life, and what He tells us is His will. Therefore, we are to study what God has said. We are to study God’s Word: learn and gain all the knowledge we can about His will—about how to live. We are to study and learn until

B. to know wisdom and spiritual understanding

taking the knowledge of God’s Word and applying it to our lives

Paul is writing because of the false teaching

Paul’s prayer was they would see what was being taught was wrong and to reject it.

People may say others are doing it

II. v. 10 Believers walk

Paul’s prayed that they would be filled with God’s will, spiritual understanding and wisdom so they would walk worthy of the Lord.

A. Knowing something and having the ability to do something are very important, but they involve only head knowledge. The critical point is putting what we know into practice. We are to live out the will of God; we are to practice and do the will of God. Knowing the will of God is of no value until we have committed our lives to do it.

B. We are to walk to please the God

Knowing something and having the ability to do something are very important, but they involve only head knowledge. The critical point is putting what we know into practice. We are to live out the will of God; we are to practice and do the will of God. Knowing the will of God is of no value until we have committed our lives to do it.

1. We must be fruitful in every good work;

We must be fruitful in every good work; that is, we must do every good work. Note the word “every.” Everything that God says is to be done. Dealing with God is just like dealing with anyone. No person is pleased when we do only half of what he says. To please anyone we have to do all that he says. How much more true with God! If we are to please Him, we must do every good work and we must do it fruitfully, bearing as much fruit as possible.

a. that is, we must do every good work. Note the word “every.” Everything that God says is to be done. Dealing with God is just like dealing with anyone. No person is pleased when we do only half of what he says. To please anyone we have to do all that he says. How much more true with God! If we are to please Him, we must do every good work and we must do it fruitfully, bearing as much fruit as possible.

2. We must grow in the knowledge of God. Note a critical question: How do we get to know God—how do we gain a personal knowledge and relationship with God?

We must grow in the knowledge of God. Note a critical question: How do we get to know God—how do we gain a personal knowledge and relationship with God?

⇒ We do not know God just because we know about God. Just knowing the Word of God does not mean that we know God Himself—not in a personal and intimate way.

Himself—not in a personal and intimate way.

- Note exactly what the verse says: “that ye might walk worthy of the Lord … increasing in the knowledge of God.” The way we get to know God is the same way we get to know anyone. We walk with them: associate, fellowship, and share with them. So it is with God, and the more we walk with Him, the more we increase in the knowledge of Him.

III. the third request is for the power of God. God’s power is an absolute essential for the believer. This is easily seen by asking two questions.

⇒ What good is it if the believer knows God’s will, but he does not have the power to do God’s will?

⇒ How can the believer walk worthy of Christ if he does not have the power to walk worthy?

A. Many in the world believe that man has the strength within himself to become spiritually strong; that it is a matter of the will and discipline; that man can apply himself and conquer the circumstances of life. And, to some degree, this is true. But man’s flesh fails in three critical areas.

Many in the world believe that man has the strength within himself to become spiritually strong; that it is a matter of the will and discipline; that man can apply himself and conquer the circumstances of life. And, to some degree, this is true. But man’s flesh fails in three critical areas.

⇒ The flesh cannot become perfect, neither can it do anything about perfection.

No matter what we do or how much we try our flesh cannot please please God, because God is perfect.

does, it is still unacceptable to God. Why? Because God is perfect, and being perfect, God can accept only perfection.

⇒ The flesh cannot conquer death. No matter what the flesh does, it all ends up as dead matter. One thing is certain: death has no part with God.

⇒ The flesh cannot conquer death. No matter what the flesh does, it all ends up as dead matter. One thing is certain: death has no part with God.

⇒ The flesh cannot do what this verse says: it cannot be patient and longsuffering against all the trials and temptations of life and be joyful at the same time.

It is for these three reasons that we need the power of God. Man’s power can overcome some of the problems of life, but his power cannot overcome all the problems, especially the three mentioned.

⇒ Only God’s power can make us acceptable (perfect) before Him.

⇒ Only God’s power can conquer death, that is, raise us up to live eternally.

⇒ Only God’s power can infuse enough strength in us to make us endure any and all trials with a spirit of joyfulness.

Imagine some of the trials we have to face: disease, accident, poverty, loss, death. There is no way for the flesh to work up a joyful spirit through some of the traumas of life. But God has the power, the power …

• to give us understanding and peace

• to strengthen and settle us

• to give us hope and security

Where does such power come from? From God. And we secure His power through prayer. This is the point of this great request of Paul. Now, note the results of God’s power.

a. God’s power gives us a spirit of patience (hupomonen): endurance, fortitude, steadfastness, constancy, perseverance. The word patience is not passive; it is active. It is not the spirit that just sits back and puts up with the trials of life, taking whatever may come.

Three things God’s power gives us

Patience to endure

Longsuffering

And joy