Colossians 1:9-11 – Paul’s Prayer – Bible study

Colossians 1:9-11 Pauls Prayer The book of Colossians is a short book, only 4 chapters long. The theme or purpose of the book is teach the Exaltation of Christ. Paul turned to that topic right after the verses we are looking at tonight. Our text verses are part of Pauls introduction and record his prayer for the Colossians. I do not when I noticed how much truth is contained in book introductions, but I am glad I did. Our text is still in the introduction of this book; that is, Paul is establishing a rapport with the church. The introduction is longer than normal for a book of this size, probably in part because Paul had not been to this city before. Notice in \#9\ "For this cause." Pauls cause was to help the Colossians. As Paul begins this letter, he will share with the readers his goals for them. What is interesting is that in these verses, Paul told his readers how to get to the place that God wanted them to be. I. \#9\ Pauls unceasing prayer. Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you. A. This is a phrase that Paul used several times. \#Ro 1:9. 1Thess 2:13, 1Thess 5:17, 2Ti 1:3\. B. To get Gods people where Paul knew they needed to be, Paul gave himself to praying for them. C. Most would say that a human being cannot pray without ceasing and I would agree. a. If at no other time, at least when you are asleep, you have to stop praying. b. It is also my belief that since the brain can only think of one thing at a time, whenever we earnestly concentrate on a thing, we have to stop praying. D. But when something is on your heart, that burden comes back as soon as your mind is free again. a. Paul must have trained his mind so that praying for others was his neutral position. (1) A true burden can change your minds neutral setting. (a) Few people drive manual transmissions anymore but in the days they did, it was not that unusual to knock the transmission into neutral for various reasons. (b) Neutral was where you put the transmission when it was not working in another gear. (2) We know that Paul had other activities to occupy himself with besides praying. (a) Paul had a ministry of preaching. (b) Paul had a ministry of writing. (c) No doubt Paul also entered into a lot of one-on- one conversations with others about their souls. (d) In addition, Paul also had the job of making tents. (3) But when Pauls mind was not occupied, it bounced back to praying for Christians, churches, and the lost. b. Where is our minds neutral? (1) Christians, we need to ask ourselves (a) "Where does our mind go when it is not on the problem at hand?" (b) "What is mental neutral for you?" (2) Consider where our mind idles. (a) bills, finances? (b) work? (c) hobbies? (3) Does your mind ever idle? When you get a free minute, is it your habit to fill it with something? music? television? texting? Facebook? a telephone call? (4) If your mind does not idle, when do you pray and think on God? (5) Im thinking that Pauls idle was praying. (a) This allowed him to pray whenever his mind was not occupied. (b) I believe that this is probably as close to praying without ceasing that we can come. II. \#9-11\ Pauls Desires Col 1:9 and to desire that ye might be A. Pauls Beatitudes – These are the things that Paul wanted the Christians to BE. 1. \#9\ That you be filled with the knowledge of Gods will. a. It was Pauls prayer that the Colossians would know what God wants. b. No Christian will ever be successful without knowing what God wants. c. How can I know what God wants? (1) Through the Word. (a) The Bible is like a compass. (b) It does not give the specifics but it points all Christians in the general direction that God wants them to go. (c) I knew a lady taking a road trip who got on the interstate going the wrong direction! But to make matters worse, she traveled for several hours in the wrong direction! Those who make that kind of mistake don’t need a map. They need a compass! (c) The Bible is the beginning place of finding the personal, will of God for your life; however, it will not take you to the specific place where God wants you to be. (2) Through the Holy Spirit. (a) The Holy Spirit is your personal GPS (step- by-step guidance) to get you to the exact spot in Gods will. (b) Without the work of the Holy Spirit, a Christian cannot get to the specifics of Gods will. (c) Other things can help open your ears to what God wants but these two are the only true Sources of knowledge. d. How does this work? (1) We study the Bible. (2) We pray, listening to the Holy Spirit. (3) We hone our ability to discern what the Holy Spirit wants us to do. 2. That you be filled with all wisdom. Col 1:9 that ye might be filled in all wisdom. a. Wisdom in a byproduct of knowing Gods will. b. That means wisdom comes from reading the Bible and praying while listening to the Holy Spirit. c. I describe wisdom as "seeing things as God sees things." (1) Our vision is world bound. (2) Being of this world, it is difficult to see anything beyond our limited view. (3) God wants us to look beyond the limited view of this world and see the eternal, timeless view that He sees. 3. That you be filled with spiritual understanding. Col 1:9 that ye might be filled in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; a. Spiritual understanding is also a byproduct of knowing Gods will. b. That means that it also comes by studying the Bible, praying while listening to the Holy Spirit, and honing your skills at discernment. c. Understanding is the ability to see the relationship between cause and effect. (1) If you DO an action, there is a REACTION. (2) The ability to connect our actions to their reactions is understanding. (a) This is a lost art. (b) If you spend more money than you have, you will be in debt and be under pressure. (c) If you make decisions with limited wisdom and understanding, you are going to make a lot mistakes. d. SPIRITUAL understanding is the ability to see the relationship between cause and effect in SPIRITUAL matters. (1) Tithe (a) Tithe and even though you have less money, God will bless your finances. (b) Dont tithe and even though you have more money, God will not bless your finances. (2) Worship (a) Worship and even though you have less time, God will allow you to accomplish more. (b) Dont worship and even though you have more time, you will accomplish less. B. Pauls Actions – These are the things that Paul wanted the Christians to do. 1. \#10\ That you might walk worthy of the Lord. a. The desire of Paul and the Lord is that Christians would live in a manner consistent with what Christ had done for them. b. The Christian life is normally described as a walk. (1) Too many Christians get hung up on our past and our future. (2) None of us can undo our past and none of us can control our future. (3) The Christian life is only about right now, the step you are taking right c. If you will take the appropriate step NOW, you will end at the appropriate destination THEN. (1) Remember that Christ died for you. That will take care of your past. (2) Ask yourself, "What would Jesus have me do?" then do it. That will take care of your future. 2. \#10\ That you would be fruitful in every good work. a. While we are not proponents of the "prosperity gospel" as it is proclaimed in certain pulpits today, God does what to bless what His people do. (1) God wants to bless what we do for Him. Why would God give us a ministry and then deprive us of His help? (2) God wants to bless what we do for our family. God created the home and wants it to succeed. (3) God wants to bless our finances. He may not want us to be "rich in the world’s sight" but it is not the will of God that any Christian be stressed and oppressed due to bills or needs. (4) I believe God wants to bless us physically. I know God gives some a cross to bear, but I believe that with the weight of the cross comes addition grace to bear it. b. Sadly, most Christians do not understand that these blessings all come in the context of being filled with knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual understanding. (1) Building your life beyond the will of God will never bring blessings. (2) Blessings come when we get back to the Bible, praying, listening to the Holy Spirit, and discerning what God wants us to do. (3) If you want Gods blessings, you must do it Gods way. 3. \#10\ That you would increase in the knowledge of God. a. \#9\ Paul was praying the Christians would increase in the knowledge of Gods will. b. Here, he is praying that they would increase in the knowledge of God. (1) The first is getting to know what God wants. (2) The second is getting to know God. c. God does not just want us to know about Him. He wants us to know Him. 4. \#11\ That you would be strengthened with might, power, patience, and longsuffering. a. These items seem to balance the Christian life. (1) One set, might and power, hint at the authority or power of the Christian to FORCE the world into subjection to God. (2) The other set, patience and longsuffering with joy, hint at the ENDURANCE needed in the Christian life to tolerate what the world might force upon us. b. And such is the Christian life. (1) We are constantly battling. (2) Sometimes, it seems Gods will for us to effect the world for change; and sometimes it seems that we are forced to endure what the world wills on us. (3) As the old expression goes, "Sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you." c. Hence, we need both the POWER attributes and the ENDURANCE attributes to be a strong Christian in this age. (1) We need courage enough to advance the cause of Christ when so directed. (2) We need strength enough to withstand the scourge of this world when God wills it. So what was Pauls goal for the church at Colossi? The same as ours should be for ourselves and the same as Gods is for us; that we would seek a wise, discerning spirit which would direct us in godly and faithful paths.