Devote yourself to prayer...

2 "Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 "At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, 4 "so that I may make it known as I should. 5 "Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” ()

Here’s the concluding exhortation gives directions about being diligent in prayer and graciously proclaiming the gospel to others.

Paul seeks an open door to spread the gospel and urges them to seize opportunities to defend the gospel effectively.

Paul says in v2, “Devote yourselves to prayer...”

The word “Devote” means to continue to do something with intense effort, despite difficulty

It has the idea of being firm and resolved to pray, to persevere in prayer. To attach oneself to prayer.

Believers ought to give heed to their prayers, seeking to guard and to protect the duty of prayer so as not to neglect it but to continue in it.

The point, then, is not that believers should pray with intensity when they pray but that they should pray habitually and with perseverance.

Paul says in v2 to “stay alert in it”. To be vigilant. That there would be a continuous alertness and readiness to it.

This “stay alert” is a mindfulness of threatening dangers which, with conscious earnestness and an alert mind, keeps it from all drowsiness and all slackening in the energy of faith and conduct (; , , ; ; ).

Read .

If we don’t set a good watch upon our hearts, we will become forgetful and careless in our way of life.

This allows the enemy to gain footing and eventually overthrow us!

Those lamps are only going to give off the light if it has oil and a trimmed wick. (re-read v7-8).

The foolish didn’t have oil! And if the oil is forgotten the flame soon burns out.

Little by little the shadows begin to creep in upon it.

Same with our souls, if our souls are negligent, the Holy Spirit goes out from it little by little, until is has grown out quite cold.

Then the enemy devours the soul’s purpose, and wickedness puts an end to it.

The devil does not sleep, nor is the flesh yet dead; therefore, you must never cease your preparation for battle, because on the right and on the left are enemies who never rest.

Ritzema, E., & Brant, R. (Eds.). (2013). 300 quotations for preachers from the Medieval church. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon D. Exhortation to Prayer and Christian Witness (4:2–6)

The point, then, is not that believers should pray with intensity when they pray but that they should pray habitually and with perseverance.

Believers ought to give heed to their prayers, seeking to guard and to protect the duty of prayer so as not to neglect it but to continue in it.

Beeke, J. R., Barrett, M. P. V., & Bilkes, G. M. (Eds.). (2014). The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (p. 1732). Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books.