Praying for Open Doors
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The Call to Prayer
The Call to Prayer
Before Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit empowered the work of the church, the group of 120 followers of Christ were devoted to prayer. Since before the work of Christ through the church started the church was devoted to prayer.
14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.
In Colossians Paul encourages from the beginning of his letter to the end, that the believers continue to devote themselves to prayer. In chapter 1 the prayer is that the church would know the will of God. In chapter 4 we are encouraged to be devoted to prayer, that God would open doors for the gospel that is changing lives around the world.
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, 4 so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should.
Brothers and sisters today we are challenged to be like the early church and be devoted to prayer. We are encouraged to be alert in it with thanksgiving. We are to pray that God will open doors to share the gospel of Christ that is changing lives around the world. Pray that gospel will be communicated graciously and clearly. As we wrap up Colossians may this be our prayer today for Leicester church of the Nazarene.
Praying for Open Doors
Praying for Open Doors
-Early church devoted to prayer
-Acts 2:42-47
42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
The early church met together in each others homes and were devoted to prayer. The Colossian church was part of this early house church movement. The letter was supposed to be handed off to the church in Laodicea which met in Nympha’s house. This early church house movement was devoted to prayer.
The closure of the body of the letter builds on the fundamentals of the believer’s life in Christ. This section begins with a direct apostolic command: Devote yourselves to prayer. This command addresses the whole community
Great movements of the church happen because the church is devoted to prayer. The Holy Spirit fell with fire on the first group of 120 people devoted to prayer. The great evangelist Billy Graham’s story starts with a group of believers devoted to prayer. If we want God to move in our community we must be devoted to prayer.
The greek word used for prayer is an all inclusive term for prayer. It doesn’t determine how we must pray, whether its, intercessory, confession, adoration or petition. We are instructed to pray. As we begin to know God’s will, we will know what method of prayer is needed. God is open to those who devote themselves to prayer.
37 He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? 38 Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Being watchful and thankful in prayer describes how prayer supports us as we confront life’s temptations in a fallen world. As the Colossian church faces the temptation of competing gospels, watchful prayer is where they know God’s will, and their line of defense against temptation.
Watchful prayer is directed in hopeful anticipation of the coming of Christ. But it is also directed against the attacks of false teaching in Colossae.
Open Doors for the Gospel
Paul has two prayer requests for the church.
That God would open doors for him to share the gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ.
That it would be communicated clearly.
Paul invites the colossians to participate in the mission of God as they pray for him, that God would open doors, to proclaim the mystery of Christ. That he would proclaim the message with the clarity needed .
In verse 5 Paul shifts to how we should live among those who are not yet believers. Most would see this as a shift from instructions on how to pray to instructions on how to live. If we are truly devoted to watchful prayer, then our prayers don’t end in our prayer closets, or in our prayer meetings. They continue through how we live our lives in reflection of Christ.
Paul’s prayer request was for God to open doors. Brothers and sisters as we live holy lives that reflect Christ, the visible image of the invisible God, the way we live should allow God to open doors.
God provides specific opportunities in which to minister in their non-Christian environment. Outsiders (see 1 Cor 5:12–13; 1 Thess 4:12) will be reluctant to accept the claims of the gospel if Christians fail to live up to their own ethical teaching.
6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.
Just as salt enhances the flavor of food, so the spoken word needs to be enhanced by the speaker
Verse six gives insight in how we the church and Paul need to communicate the gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ, that is transforming lives around the world.
Their confidence lies in the revelation the apostle has received from God. Now they must demonstrate in word and deed how this gospel has transformed their lives. Only in this way will their lives demonstrate the authenticity the gospel extends to humanity.
Devoting ourselves to Prayer.
Devoting ourselves to Prayer.
A church devoted to prayer has sparked every great move of God. That spark began at Pentecost and continues today.
Paul uses the imagery of an open door.
The apostle urges his readers to pray that God will provide him with an opportunity to continue his proclamation of the gospel throughout the world. He uses the imagery of an open door to dispel any thought that his message called for secrecy. The door provides a means of entry as well as a means of exit. Without an open door, the gospel is restricted and unable to reach beyond its imposed limitations.
As Leicester Church of the Nazarene is devoted to prayer lets pray that God would open doors for us to proclaim the gospel. Let’s pray that we would communicate it with the grace and salt necessary. Let’s pray that the very way we live holy lives, would open doors for others to embrace the gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ that is transforming lives around the world.
What have we learned on this journey through Colossians. 1) To devote ourselves to prayer. Paul and begins and ends this letter with the encouragement to pray. 2) The gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ is going out all over the world and transforming lives. 3) Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. 4) As God’s holy people, saved by grace we are called live like Christ. We do this by continuing to grow in our faith, and allowing the Holy Spirit to continue the transforming work of Christ. 5) We pray for the open door, that God would give us many opportunities to share Christ.