How to grow as a Christian.

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Introduction

If you knew of a Church that was being threatened by false teachers how would you pray for them?

Would you pray that they would be filled with the knowledge of the Word of God?

This was the situation of the Church at Colosse and this was the prayer that Paul prayed

The Church at Colosse was founded by Epaphras and had seemed to be growing in the Lord.

But false teachers were trying to teach a heresy in the Church and so Epaphras travelled to Rome, where Paul was in prison, in order to get Paul’s advice on what to do.

As a result Paul wrote this letter to the Church and sent it to them. In the letter he deals with the heresy by teaching the truth. But at the beginning he prays for them.

It is this prayer that I want to look at this morning.

In this prayer we learn how the Christian can grow in their walk with God, how they can be strengthened by God’s power to endure trials with patience and joy and how they can live a life of thankfulness for their salvation.

These are all things that we as Christians should desire very strongly. I hope that we do desire them.

If you want to grow in your walk with the Lord, be strengthened by His power, and live a life of thankfulness towards God; then Paul’s prayer for the Colossians contains very important truths.

In this prayer we see Paul’s great desire for the Church at Colosse and then we see three things that will result if this desire is fulfilled. First we will look at what Paul’s great desire for the Church was.

I. Paul’s great desire- Knowledge of God’s Will

Verse 9 begins with Paul telling the believers at Colosse that since he heard from Epaphras about their salvation and their love in the Spirit, he has been praying for them regularly.

Look with me at v.9 “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you”.

The phrase “We do not cease to pray for you” doesn’t mean that he prayed without end, every second of the day. But Paul was saying that every time he prayed he made mention of the church at Colosse.

Paul obviously had a deep care and concern for the believers there.

App- Here Paul is an example to us. We too should have the Lord’s people on our hearts, so that we pray for them regularly. A deep care and concern for the well being of God’s children.

Paul tells the believers at Colosse that he prayers for them regularly and then he tells them his prayer for them. This is Paul’s great desire for them;

“and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”

In Paul’s prayer for the Colossians he asks that they would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will.

The word filled means to be fully and totally controlled by it. The word is passive which means that they can’t do it but that it must come from God. God must reveal this knowledge to the believers at Colosse.

The word Paul used for knowledge means deep understanding.

Knowledge of what? The knowledge of His will.

The knowledge of God’s will means simply- to know what God wants for them and what he wants them to do.

Where were the believers to find such knowledge? Where has God revealed His will?

Of course the answer is the Bible, the Word of God. God has revealed his will in the Scriptures.

says All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Paul wanted the believers at Colosse to be controlled by a deep understanding of God’s truth that He has revealed in the Scriptures.

Again and again the Word of God reveals the will of God.

God’s will is for people to be saved ,

God’s will is for those who are saved to be sanctified

God’s will is for believers to be thankful

Just to give a few examples.

So, Paul desires that the Colossians are controlled by a deep and thorough knowledge of God’s will, and then he says “in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”

By wisdom Paul means that they would be able gather this knowledge and by understanding Paul means that they would be able to put it into practice.

Its one thing being able to know what God wants but its another thing to apply it to your life by obedience.

Paul probably emphasised this need of knowledge because of apparent false teachers at the church of Colosse who were trying to lead people astray by claiming to have a special kind of knowledge.

Paul in his prayer reminds the believers that true knowledge is revealed by God, and that they can have this knowledge for themselves. It isn’t just given to a select few.

App- Just as the believers in Colosse needed to be filled with this deep knowledge of God’s will so do we.How do we get this knowledge?

Well the Bible tells us how.

First we must ask of God-James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

we must ask of God

Second we must study the Bible- “ The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

We must prayerfully study the scriptures and seek to apply them to our lives. We must find out what the Bible says and do it.

We must find God’s will revealed in the Scripture and obey it.

Of course we cannot do this unless we study the Word of God.

How is your study of the Scripture? Are you like the Bereans spoken of in the book of Acts who studied the Scriptures daily? Do you know the Scriptures? Or have you neglected the word of God?

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

False teachers were threatening the church at Colosse and Paul’s prayer was that they would have a full knowledge of God’s will. No doubt, one reason was so that they would not be deceived.

There is a lot of false teaching today and many Christians cannot spot the error. Why? Because they aren’t familiar with the Word of God. They don’t know their Bibles.

But not only will the Christian be able to stand against error if they are filled with the knowledge of God’s will. They will also grow in fruitfulness and in their personal knowledge of God, they will be strengthened by God’s power to be able endure trials with joy and they will live lives of thankfulness to God for their salvation.

This what Paul tells the Colossians is the result of being filled with such knowledge.

There are three results- Growth, Strength and Thankfulness.

We will look at them in the order given in Paul’s prayer. The first result of being filled with the knowledge of God’s will. Growth.

The first result. Growth

II. First result- Growth

Paul tells the Colossians that the first result is growth. Growth in Christian service and growth in a personal knowledge of God.

Look with me at verse 10, Paul says “that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

Paul starts by saying he wants them to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will so that they “may walk worthy of the Lord”.

The word walk comes from the OT.

“Enoch walked with God...” God says to Abraham “I am, almighty God; walk before me and be blameless.”

It has to do with the daily life of the person, their conduct, the way they live.

The phrase “Worthy of the Lord” means of equal weight.

By this Paul means that they may live their daily lives in such a way that reflects their position in Jesus Christ and what He has done for them.

A parallel verse may be when Paul says to Timothy, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Next Paul expands on this with the phrase “Fully pleasing him”.

No doubt, this phrase adds to the one before. Paul desires that in walking worthy of the Lord they would fully please him by their conduct.

Next Paul goes on to speak about how they will do this. By their growth as Christians.

He mentions their growth in Christian service- being fruitful in every good work.

He mentions their growth in personal knowledge of God- increasing in the knowledge of God. The two of course go hand in hand.

First Paul mentions their growth in their Christian service.

“Being fruitful in every good work” This could be translated “bearing fruit in every good work”

So what does Paul mean by bearing fruit?

Often in the New Testament bearing fruit can be a result of evangelism. When people are saved by faith in Christ as a result of the churches evangelism they are said to be bearing fruit.

One example in the New Testament is when Paul writes to the Church at Rome. He says to them; “Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.”

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Paul wanted to go and preach the gospel at Rome so that people would be saved under his preaching just like in other places.

Fruit is also used in the New Testament to speak of Christian behaviour. In Galatians we have the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The Lord Jesus told his disciples that with out abiding in him they cannot bear fruit. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

Paul tells the Colossians that being filled with the knowledge of God’s will results in them being fruitful in every good work.

Everything they do in the name of Christ will reap rewards. God will be glorified, which Jesus says is a result of fruit bearing in .

Everything they do in the name of Christ will reap rewards. God will be glorified, which Jesus says is a result of fruit bearing in .

App- Can we describe our Christian lives as fruitful? Do we have the fruits of the Spirit in our day to day activities? Do we see fruit in our attempts to witness for the Lord? Paul says that being filled with knowledge of God’s will is what is needed to be fruitful in every good work.

Next Paul speaks about growth in personal knowledge of God.

He says “increasing in the knowledge of God”

Knowing the will of God, from the study of the scripture results in being fruitful and increase in your personal relationship with God.

The knowledge spoken of here by Paul is not a head knowledge but an experiential, personal, relational knowledge of the living God. Paul says that this is the result of being filled with the knowledge of God’s will.

Knowing the will of God and being controlled by it, from the study and application of the Scripture results in being fruitful and increasing in your personal relationship with God.

Most probably, the false teachers who were trying to trouble the church at Colosse were teaching that they had to follow certain rules and ceremonies in order to get this kind of personal knowledge of God.

Paul says no. If you want this personal knowledge of God, you must know his will revealed in the scripture and you must do it. Of course Paul is speaking to Christians.

If a non believer wanted to have a personal knowledge of God Paul’s first answer would be to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

App- Are you here this morning and you do not know God? Do you want to know the One who created you?

If you do then you must turn from your sin, which has separated you from Him and believe in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ who died upon the cross to pay for sin and rose again from the dead three days later.

Jesus Christ is the only way to have this personal relationship with God.

Jesus said in “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.”

But for those of us are trusting in Christ, Paul tells us by way of this prayer that by being filled with the knowledge of God’s will, we will be fruitful in our Christian service and will increase in the knowledge of God, we will know God more.

The first result of being filled with the knowledge of God’s will is Growth. This would be more than enough for us to want to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will but yet there is more.

The second result. Strength.

III. Second result- Strength.

In verse 11 the Apostle Paul continues his prayer and says;

“ strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;”

Paul here is saying that being filled with the knowledge of God’s will also leads to being strengthened by God’s power so that the Colossian believers can face trials with patience and joy.

The first phrase of this verse is very emphatic. Paul is really trying to emphasise how great this strength from God is. He uses three different words that have to do with power. Strengthened, might, and power.

The one who is filled with the knowledge of God’s will, will be strengthened with all might, according to God’s glorious power.

This strength comes to the believer through the work of the Holy Spirit who indwells them.

His glorious power is described in as the same power that raised Christ from the dead.

What is the purpose of this strength that is given by God’s glorious power?

It was so the believers at Colosse could endure trails with patience and joy.

Paul says “for all patience and longsuffering with joy.”

The word patience has to do with enduring difficult and trying circumstances.

The word longsuffering has less to do with circumstances and more to do with people who provoke you and cause you pain.

The word with joy reminds the believers that God doesn’t give them strength to endure trials and tribulation with gritted teeth, holding on tight until its all over. No God’s power enables them to endure suffering with joy.

We see a great example of this in the book of Acts when the Apostles were taken and beaten for preaching Christ and then sent away with strict orders not to preach the Gospel this was their reaction;

“So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”

App- When we face trials from difficult circumstances or from difficult people how do we respond? Are we ready to throw in the towel? or do we know of this patience and longsuffering with joy?

Somethings seem as though it would be impossible to endure with patience and longsuffering with joy, but that’s why we need to be strengthened with all might by the glorious power of God.

Paul tells the Christians at Colosse that such supernatural strength is a result of being filled with the knowledge of God’s will, which of course has been revealed to us primarily in the Scriptures.

Do you need this strength? Maybe you are going through trials right now. Paul says you need to be filled with the knowledge of the Word of God.

What are the results of being filled with the knowledge of God’s will?

First. Growth

Second. Strength

The final one is just as important as the previous ones.

Thirdly and finally, Thankfulness

IV. Third result- Thankfulness

Look we me at verse 12, here the Apostle Paul builds upon what he has already said. He says;

“giving thanks to the Father”

Then he lists three reasons for which the Church at Colosse should be thankful. We will look at them in a moment but if we were to sum up these final three verses we could say; ‘giving thanks to God for salvation’.

Being filled with the knowledge of God’s will results in us being thankful to God for our salvation.

We must notice first that Paul says ‘giving thanks to the Father.’

Many people think that it was Christ who saved us and he died to appease his angry Father. The Son came to save us from the Father.

But as Paul suggests here, that cannot be further from the truth. We are actually to thank the Father for our salvation as well as Christ.

The Bible teaches that the entire God head was involved in our salvation. Every person of the Trinity had a role to play in us being saved. The Father planned our salvation before the foundation of the world, He chose us in the Son and then sent Him to fulfil His purpose.

The Son sent by the Father came to earth and died upon the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, three days later He rose again from the dead.

he Son sent by the Father came to earth and died upon the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, three days later He rose again from the dead. The Holy Spirit is then sent by the Father and the Son in order to apply this salvation to those who believe.

The Holy Spirit is then sent by the Father and the Son in order to apply this salvation to those who believe.

So Paul desires the Colossian believers would give thanks to the Father and then lists three reasons why.

First Paul says “Who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

The word qualify means to make sufficient or to enable. Paul here is saying that God has given them what they need in order to be part of His kingdom.

How has God qualified them? He has made them righteous in His sight.

Before he did that they were very unqualified. The Bible describes people without Christ as; dead in sin , enemies of God , Children of wrath .

But God in His mercy through the finished work of Jesus Christ has made them righteous. They have been justified. God has qualified them.

They could not qualify themselves. But God in his rich grace has done for them what they could not do. God provided an atonement of sin, and he clothed them in a righteousness which was not their own. They were not sufficient of themselves. But God made them sufficient.

What did he qualify them for?

To be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

The language used here comes from the Old Testament when the Israelites were possessing the land of Canaan. Each one was allotted a piece of the inheritance. That is the imagery behind this verse.

But the inheritance spoken of is a lot greater. The inheritance that the believers have is referred to as the inheritance of the saints in the light. This inheritance is speaking about eternal life. This inheritance is in the New Jerusalem. It ultimately is speaking about heaven.

App-

Of course what is true of them is true of us here today who believe in Christ. God has qualified us to be partakers of this great inheritance as well. Not because of anything good in us but because of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But if you are here this morning and Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Saviour then you have no part in this inheritance. You will not get a look in.

But if you turn to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith that will all change. If you humble yourself before God and call upon the Lord Jesus to cleanse you from your sin. God will qualify you as well.

The first reason for thanksgiving was their qualification by God.

The second reason for thanksgiving given by Paul is that God has delivered them.

Paul continues and says “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,”

The language used here is from warfare and speaks of a people being taken from one land to another. God had delivered or rescued the believers from the power of darkness.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The phrase power of darkness refers to the power of the devil.

says that the devil traps people and takes them captive to do his will.

But here Paul reminds the believers that God has rescued them from the dictatorship of the devil. God has bound the strong man and plundered all his goods.

God has delivered the believers from the devil and conveyed them into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

The word conveyed there means to transfer, to move from on place to another. God has transferred the believers to the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Now they are under his authority, now they are subjects of his kingdom. Which is good news because He loved them and gave himself for them. While they were yet sinners Christ died for them. Its good to be under the authority of a loving King who would lay down his life for you.

We must ask but when did all of this take place. The moment a person is born again this deliverance takes place.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

App- It must be said again that whats true of them is true of us. This has happened to us too. We were once under the power of the devil but we have been delivered by God and now are in the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

But if you are here this morning and you have not been born again by God’s Holy Spirit then this is not true of you.

You are still under the power of the devil. Its the devil that you are serving. You are still under the power of darkness.

But as I said a moment ago that could all change if you come to Christ. Turn from your sin and believe in Jesus Christ and God will deliver you from the power of darkness and transfer you to the Kingdom of His Son.

The third and final reason for thanks giving given by Paul is there in verse 14;

The third and final reason for thanks giving given by Paul is there in verse 14;

Look with me at what it says “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

The believers at Colosse should give thanks to the Father because in Christ they have redemption and forgiveness of sins.

The word redemption there comes from the slave market and basically means to deliver by payment of a ransom in order to secure freedom. This is what Christ had done for them. The Bible tells us that He did this with his own precious blood.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

“knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”

Paul goes on and he says as a result of this redemption they have the forgiveness of sins.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

No more will their sin be counted against them. The bad things that they had done, that were going to face them at the judgement, the evil deeds that was bringing God’s just wrath upon them. They had all been forgiven, remembered no more.

They could sing along with King David “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

App- If you are a believer this morning all of this is true of you as well.

We have much to be thankful for. This thanksgiving Paul says is a result of being filled with the knowledge of God’s will. When we are reminded of all that God has done for us in Christ its very easy to be thankful.

Conclusion

So how can the Christian grow in their walk with the Lord, being fruitful in Christian service and increasing in their knowledge of God?

How can the Christian be strengthened by God’s glorious power to endure trials with patience and joy?

How can the Christian live a life of thankfulness towards God?

Paul gives the answer;

They must be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

The believer must be soaked in the word of God which is God’s self revelation to man. The believer must know the Scriptures and apply them to their lives.

The believer must be like the Bereans in the book of Acts who studied the Scriptures daily.

This is what must happen

The question is; is this true in your life?

If not...

Will you seek to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will by the careful, regular study of the Word of God?

Will you prioritise your reading of the Bible?

Your growth as a Christian depends upon it.

Let us pray