The Christ Oriented Life Part 1: Focus

Colossians 4:2–4 NASB 2020

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way that I ought to proclaim it.

Intro

Tension

Truth

I. A life oriented around Christ begins with a focus on prayer.

“Devote yourselves to prayer” (Col 4:2)

The word used here for devote is the Greek word προσκαρτερεῖτε. This word means to persist in prayer. It is in the present, active, imperative tense. This means that it is something we are to always be doing, not passively but actively and that it must be done.

Prayer is not to be merely a part of what we do, but to encompass all that we do. It is not to be at the peripheral edge of our day, but at the center of our day.

Ephesians 6:18 ESV

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,

Prayer has been often overcomplicated, but it is simply the act of being in communication with God.

Are you a believer? If so, then you have the Holy Spirit of God living in you and if you have the Holy Spirit in you, then you have the ability to approach God’s throne through Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:13 NASB 2020

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Every Christian has the same Holy Spirit, and all of the same Holy Spirit. There are not greater and lesser Christians. We are all in equal standing before Christ. It is true that some believers experience the Holy Spirit’s power in greater measure than others, but that same power is available to all. We can and should seek a greater measure of the Spirit’s filling in our lives.

This is a part of our prayer life, yet few Christians ever do this. How many of us regularly ask Christ to give us more of the Holy Spirit’s power, His gifts, and grace to live holy lives? Are we in pursuit of the presence of God in our daily lives?

Hebrews 4:14–16 ESV

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Communication involves both listening and speaking.

What is your current pattern of communicating with God?

We cannot expect to be lead by a God whom we do not know.

If we want to be lead by Christ rather than by the ideas of this world, then we must choose to prioritize communication with God in our daily lives.

We are always going to be most influenced by the primary voices we let speak into us and this is why Christ must be the primary voice speaking into us at all times.

John 6:68 NASB 2020

Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.

Most of us who claim Christ have a mental understanding that life is in Christ alone, but practically we often live as if life is in other places.

So how do we need to reorient our time each day so that we live according to what we know about Christ, that life is in Him alone?

II. Our prayer is not to be passive, but alert.

This word we translate as “alert” is the same word Paul used in Ephesians 6:18. It is also the word Jesus used in Mark 13 relating to his second coming.

Mark 13:32–37 NASB 2020

But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. “Watch out, stay alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is. It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert. Therefore, stay alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—so that he does not come suddenly and find you asleep. What I say to you I say to all: ‘Stay alert!’ ”

The same intensity with which we look forward to the coming kingdom of Christ on earth, is the intensity we are called to have in our daily prayer.

Do we realize that every time we pray, we are approaching the God of the universe?

We dream of heaven when heaven is available to us at all times through Christ.

When we truly realize what prayer is, and that in prayer we join the concert of the council of heaven as we commune with the Father, perhaps we won’t approach it in a sleepy, secondary sort of way.

This alertness is to be accompanied with a eucharistic disposition.

Again we see the greek word eucharisto here, which means to give thanks. So prayer is to be at the center of our lives, we are to be alert in it, and it should be worshipful.

III. Our prayer is missional.

Colossians 4:3–4 ESV

At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

Isn’t it incredible that Paul asked for prayer for his mission? Paul understood that the church has a very critical and special role to play in the world through prayer. The prayers of the saints have the power to help advance the mission of Christ around the world.

Our prayer has the potential to change the world. Let’s not take that lightly. Paul knew that he may be serving far from the Colossians, but that their prayer from across the world could punch holes in the darkness in order to make way for light to come in.

I am convinced that once of the reasons why darkness has overshadowed America and the west is a church that does not make prayer a priority outside of Sunday gatherings.

This is also why we are weak in evangelism, why we don’t see many miracles, why revival tarries, and why we are often on the retreat rather than on the offensive in our culture.

We lack power because we don’t pray. We don’t prioritize time with God, nor do we take seriously our role in pushing darkness back to where it belongs through prayer.

We are to pray for one another in the church, that Christ will maximize his power and his purpose in our lives.

We are to pray that the Holy Spirit will open doors for gospel work through the ministry of the church and through the missionaries sent out from her.

We are to pray for gospel preaching, that it will be communicated clearly and deeply into the hearts of those who need to hear it.

Apply

Be: How will we prioritize resting in Christ and communing with him each day?

Become: What is one action step you can take this week to pursue prayer and not be passive in it?

Do: If Jesus were you, how would he approach prayer? Meditate on that this week and allow his example to transform the way you live.