• Well, in that light we will be looking at a prayer for them from Paul tonight.
• We do not have to be close to someone to help them with their spiritual wellbeing.
• We can even secure blessings from God for them without speaking to them.
• The powerful means we have is prayer.
• Paul knew that the prayers of others are important for his ministery
• He mentions it a few times.
• 2 Cor 1:11, Phil 1:19, Philem 22
• It is then no surprise to find the new testament teaching us to pray for one another in numerous scriptures.
• Eph 6:18, 1 Tim 2:1, Heb. 13:18
• In fact, all through the Bible we have examples of Godly people praying for each other.
o Job prayed for his friends (Job 42:10)
o Moses prayed for Aaron (Deut. 9:20) and for Miriam (Num. 12:13)
o Samuel prayed for Israel (1 Sam 7:5&9)
o David prayed for Solomon (1 Chron 29:18-19)
o Hezekiah prayed for Judah (2 Kings 19:14-19)
o Isaiah prayed for the people of God (Isa 63:15-64:12)
o Daniel prayed for Israel (Dan 9:3-19)
o Jesus prayed for His disciples (John 17:9-24)
o The Jerusalem church prayed for Peter’s release (Acts 12:5)
o Paul prayed for Christians (Rom 1:9-10, Eph 1:16-19)
o Epaphras prayed for the Colossians (Col 4:12)
o Other people praying (2 Sam 24:17, Ezek 9:8, Neh. 1:4-11)
• Because prayer is so important Paul starts this letter with a prayer.
• His prayer has two distinctive parts, petition (v 9-11) and praise (v 12-14)
THE PETITION
• Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
• For this cause – Paul is referring to the good report he got from Epaphras
• Most of our prayers are normally filled with supplications for those who are struggling in some way
• For some reason we tend to forget to pray for those with whom it is going well.
• These are exactly the ones we should be praying for the most.
• Satan is likely to attack those who are closer to the Lord more, because they can be used by God more effectively.
• Every time Paul heard good things about a church he was moved to pray for them
• To pray for people we have to be aware of their needs
• Our love for God will cause us to pray continuously, and our love for people will give us reason to pray
might be filled with the knowledge of His will
• Greek word for filled is plēroō - it means to be completely filled or controlled by.
• Paul prayed for them to be controlled by knowledge
• The normal Greek word for knowledge is gnosis, but Paul adds epi which makes it a thorough and deep kind of knowledge.
• Knowledge is the central theme in Paul’s writings.
• He mentions it in all his letters
• Moral values in our society are all based on human opinions, there are no more absolutes
• For the Christian, the Word offers absolutes
• Knowledge of doctrinal absolutes is the foundation for Christian living.
• Most of Paul’s letters start with doctrinal knowledge and then goes to practical living
o Romans 1-11 = doctrinal, 12 – 16 = practical
o Galatians 1-4 = doctrinal, 5-6 = practical
o Ephesians 1-3 = doctrinal, 4-6 = practical
• Philippians and Colossians are also split up like this.
• We have to work at being knowledgeable people, read and study scripture
• The Word warns us against a lack of knowledge
• Prov. 19:2, Isa 5:13, Hos. 4:6, Eph 4:13-14
• How do we get this knowledge.
• We have to desire this knowledge Hos. 6:3
• We must rely on the Holy Spirit
• It is through Him that we know the things God reveal to us 1 Cor 2:10-12
• We must study the word, it is the Word that makes us adequately equipped for every good work 2 Tim 3:16-17
• Paul prays here for the filling of the knowledge of His will
• God’s will is no secret, except to those who do not study the word.
• Examples
o It is God’s desire that a person. be saved – 1 Tim 2:4, 2 Pet 3:9
o After that person is saved it is God’s will that they be filled with the Spirit- Eph 5:17-18
o After that, sanctification is the will of God – 1 Thes 4:3
o Suffering may be God’s will for us – 1 Pet 4:19
o Giving thank is God’s will – 1 Thes 5:17
• You can only know God’s will if you study God’s word
• Having knowledge of God’s word will control our minds, which is the foundation for self-control
• Knowledge of God’s word will lead to all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
• Good bible study will result in knowledge of God’s will
• Knowledge will result into understanding general things about Godly behavior
• With that understanding will come wisdom into how to apply this behavior to situations
THE RESULTS
Col 1:10-11 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; (11) Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
• Here Paul lists 5 purposes that are fulfilled by such spiritual knowledge.
A WORTHY WALK
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing
• A mind controlled by wisdom, understanding and knowledge of the Word produces a walk worthy of the Lord
• It seems impossible to do, but scripture demands it
• 1 Thes 2:12, Eph 4:1, Phil 1:27
• God does not just leave it to ourselves to try and do this
• Gal 2:20
• Christ dwells in us in the form of the Holy Spirit who enables us
• Paul prayed for the Ephesians – Eph 3:16-17
• What is a worthy walk?
o Walk in humility Eph 4:1-3
o Walk in purity Rom 13:13
o Walk in contentedness 1 Cor 7:17
o Walk by faith 2 Cor 5:7
o Walk in good works Eph 2:10
o Walk different from the world Eph 4:17-32
o Walk in love Eph 5:2
o Walk in light Eph 5:8
o Walk in wisdom Eph 5:15
o Walk in truth 3 John 3-4
• Those are just a few of the “walks” found in scripture – study the Word and you will find the rest
A FRUITFUL LIFE
being fruitful in every good work
• Fruitfulness is another result of knowledge
• Fruit is the by-product of righteousness and the mark of every true Christian
• John 15:8, Rom 7:4
• We have to abide in Christ to be able to bear fruit – John 15:4-5
• Fruit comes from wisdom, knowledge – James 3:17
• 2 Pet 1:5-8 states that we have to work hard and continuously to bear fruit
GROWTH
and increasing in the knowledge of God
• This is a third result of knowledge – growth
• Knowledge of the word causes growth 1 Pet 2:2
• Spiritual growth causes a deeper love for God’s word
• Spiritual growth causes greater obedience 1 John 2:3-5
• Spiritual growth cuases larger faith – 2 Thes 1:3
• Spiritual growth causes genuine love to grow – Phil 1:9
STRENGTH
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power
• The word dunamoumenoi indicated a continuous strengthening.
• It is from God, it is limitless, and performed by the Holy Spirit in us and through us
• Acts 1:8 Eph 3:16, Rom 15:13
• This power is available to the Christian who is filled with the knowledge of God’s word
ENDURANCE
unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
• Knowledge leads to endurance
• Knowing the promises in the Word gives the Christian the strength to endure all trials and tribulations
• Not enduring with pain and frowning faces, but joyfully.
• Paul knew that if he prayed for them for knowledge, they would live lives full of fruit and worthy of the Lord.
• This first part was Paul’s petition, now we move to the thanksgiving
Col 1:12-14 giving thanks to the Father, who has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. (13) For He has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son; (14) in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins.
• We have to give thanks
• Phil 4:6, 1 Tim 2:1, Col 4:2
• We so easily pray give give give, but we forget to thank
• God so often answer our prayers that we start expecting it
• Rom 1:21 says that the unbeliever does not give thanks
• Before Jesus handed out the bread and fish he gave thanks – John 6:11
• Before raising Lazarus from the dead he gave thanks – John 11:41
• Rev 7:11 tells us that the angels give thanks
PAUL GAVE THANKS FOR THE INHERITANCE
giving thanks to the Father, who has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light
• Father – this is proof that we were adopted into the family of God
• Therefore we are partakers of the inheritance
• that “meet to be” means God has qualified us, empowered us to receive it.
• It was not our doing
• We have looked at this inheritance before
• It includes eternal life, quality of life (Gal 2:20) the earth (Mat 5:5) all the promises of God(Heb. 6:12)
• When do we get this inheritance – we have it already ( Rom8:16-17)
• Who does it belong to – saints in light – only those who have been saved
PAUL GAVE THANKS FOR DELIVERANCE
For He has delivered us from the power of darkness
• Delivered is the Greek word ruomai and means to be rescued or drawn to oneself
• God drew us to Himself when He rescued us from satan’s darkness
• Jesus crushed this power of darkness on the cross
• Christians do not have to be scared of it because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world
PAUL GAVE THANKS FOR TRANFERENCE
and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son; (14) in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins.
• Translated means to be removed from the darkness and placed into the light
• Redemption means to be freed by a ransom that was paid
• Through Christ’s death, God forgave our sins, gave us an inheritance, delivered us from the power of darkness, and cleaned us from our sin, which allows us into heaven.
• This should cause us to give thanks continually when we speak to God
• Let us change the way we pray, let us make a bigger issue of thanksgiving
• Let us clear a space in our diaries to start studying the word, let there be no distractions
• Let us pray for others, especially those with whom it is going well spiritually.
No comments:
Post a Comment