The Great Request of Prayer

Judges 2:6–15 KJV 1900

And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land. And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim: And they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger. And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

We are going to see why the Apostle Paul is such a great example to us today. He was in prison in Rome when he wrote this letter to the Colossian church. At some point Epaphras had visited him, and felt the need to seek counsel and advise on how to handle the false teaching that had seeped into the church. 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.

This is why Paul is such a great example to follow, Paul had never visited the Colossian church. The congregation had never seen him face to face. He couldn’t go visit them now because of his imprisonment, what could he do? only two things:

He could write to them ( as often the case with Paul ) and encourage them with the word of God.

He could pray for them

Paul did both. the present passage covers his prayer.

Paul made three requests, all three requests are needed by every church and all believers.

Pay attention on how each of these three requests lead to a deeper experience with the Lord, a much stronger walk than most people experience.

We need to covet these three things diligently.

Request 1: v. 9 to know Gods will- to be filled with the knowledge of Gods will.

Request 2: v. 10 to walk worthy of Christ

Request 3: v. 11 to posses the power of God

V.9 Knowledge, Will, Understanding: the first request is to know God’d will. but read what scripture says, We are to be filled with the knowledge of His will. The will of God is to permeate our very being. ( define permeate ) Nothing is to flow through us nor out of us that is not of Gods will. Gods will encompasses our WHOLE LIFE!! It involves our very behavior and conduct, it reaches down to the depth of our imagination and thought. every thought is to be controlled by Gods will.

2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV 1900

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

We are to study Gods word to gain all the knowledge of His will.

this what Jesus was teaching the disciples in the disciples prayer

Matthew 6:10 KJV 1900

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

and then again in

john

John 4:34 KJV 1900

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Rom.

Romans 12:1–2 KJV 1900

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Results of knowing Gods will:

Wisdom

Spiritual understanding

1 Peter

1 Peter 2:2 KJV 1900

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

V. 10 Believer, Walk: The second great request is to walk worthy of Christ.

This is critical for the Christian believer.

this point needs to be preached and taught time and time again.

It is not enough to know Gods will.

it is not enough to posses wisdom: to posses the basic principle of life.

it is not even enough to posses understanding: to have the ability to apply the basic principles of life to every day living.

Knowing something, and having the ability to do something are important, but they involve head knowledge.

Getting all of that from here ( head) to here (heart ) is what makes the difference from just knowing the will of God, and living the will of God!!!!

The defining difference is its not how much you know about Gods will, but how much you obey!!!

Walk- Action, set our life toward Christ

Worthy- means to have weight, or weigh as much as something else.

Thought: our walk should weigh as much as the walk of Christ!!! We are to live a life just as worthy as the life of Christ.

Matthew 5:16 KJV 1900

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Mat. 5:

Hebrews 10:24 KJV 1900

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

1 Peter

1 Peter 2:12 KJV 1900

Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Your walk and your conduct should have the same weight

Results of walking worthy:

Being fruitful in every work

Increasing in the knowledge of God

1 john

1 John 1:7 KJV 1900

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

V. 11 Power: The third great request is for the power of God.

We secure his power through prayer.

Romans 12:12 KJV 1900

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Colossians 4:12 KJV 1900

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Conclusion:

Prayer Preceed’s Praise!!!!