A SPIRITUAL GROWTH PRAYER
COLOSSIANS 1:9-11
It seems rather amazing that in all of Paul’s prayers for believers and churches he never once asks God to heal anyone or take care of some physical or circumstantial problem. Every prayer targets the spiritual problem or need of the believer or believers. This ought to serve as an example of how we should pray for ourselves and for others.
The prayer recorded in verses 9-11 reveals Paul’s concern and petition on behalf of those exposed to false teaching. These people at Colossae needed prayer and specific petitions relative to the heresy which attacked Christianity. Within this prayer we will see some of the heresies’ issues, by virtue of requests Paul makes to the Lord. Chapter one records Paul’s prayer for this church. Chapter four is the request of Paul for prayer from this church. Prayer not only is required by God (1 Thess. 5:17), but this activity forms the outstretched hand to the Lord for what a believer really needs. It can be an expression of faith. Paul’s prayer for the Colossians certainly reveals a trust in the Lord and His ability.
In looking at this prayer we find two parts – a request and results. The request is fairly straight forward, while the results involve four signs which determine if one is experiencing the result. Als, in discussing the results, we will see the source of how one experiences these results in a growing fashion.
The apostle opens this section by telling the Colossians that “We give thanks to God…praying always for you…” (v. 3). Now in verse 9 he explains that “we have not ceased to pray for you….” The word “pray” is the general word for “prayer” which includes worship and intercession. Paul also uses the word “ask” which means “call for, crave, desire, and beg.” This communicates an earnest request for spiritual growth.
I. THE REQUEST THAT YOU BE CONTROLLED BY GOD’S WILL v. 9
Paul’s desire for the Colossians – “that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” The word “filled” is the verb form of “full or fullness.” This term carried special significance for the Gnostic as they argued that God, in His fullness, had all of the power and attributes of deity. Gnostics taught that Jesus Christ was an emanation from God and possessed only a portion of this “fullness.” Paul’s prayer asks God to “fill” believers with spiritual wisdom and understanding. The word means “to cram, to furnish, to perfect, to amply supply, to make complete, to accomplish, and to fulfill.”
The request asks for filling “…with the knowledge…,” a word for “precise and correct knowledge, full knowledge, and knowledge of things ethical and divine.” This term uses the Greek word “gnosis” and a prefix adding intensity. Also Paul modifies this request with two other additions helping in being controlled by God’s will – “spiritual wisdom and understanding.”
Robertson notes that “wisdom” relates to “general knowledge of principles,” while “under-standing” involves “specific decisions in particular cases.” “All spiritual” goes with both terms showing that the Holy Spirit of God must give this perception. 1 Corinthians 1-2 details how the Spirit gives understanding and illumination to the person who has been born again.
The apostle prays for these believers to experientially know the furnishing, accomplishing, and supply of the will of God. The “will of God” deals with moral, vocational, and eternal decrees and commands. Most believe that Paul’s meaning related to the moral more than any other aspect of God’s will. The term “will” occurs 64 times in the New Testament and not all of the usages relate to God’s will. Sometimes it refers to the will of man. Romans 12:1-2 reveals the total surrender of the servant of the Lord for using his spiritual gifts. These two verses show that surrender followed by the renewing of one’s mind leads to proving the will of God. Later, in Romans 15:32, Paul wanted to visit the church at Rome “by the will of God.” In this epistle his apostleship was “by the will of God,” a phrase he uses 5 other times in reference to his authority. The will of God involves our sanctification, specifically abstaining from sexual immorality (1 Thess. 4:3). 1 Thessalonians 5:18 commands believers to give thanks as part of God’s will. The will of God includes submitting to government according to 1 Peter 2:17. Peter also states that suffering for Christ should be according to the will of God (1 Pet. 3:17, 4:19). In a real sense, every command issued in the New Testament falls into the category of God’s will.
II. THE RESULT THAT YOU BE CONSISTENT IN GOD’S WALK v. 10-11
“So that” introduces the purpose clause for having been controlled with the full knowledge of God’s will. God wants knowledge to move into practice. You must know before you can apply that truth. The application is pictured with the word “walk.” Paul uses this term in Galatians 5:16 and five times in Ephesians to show the progressive and practical side of sanctification. He uses “walk” in Colossians three other times. In 2:6 it is used to describe how we live the Christian life. In 3:7 the word shows how we once lived as lost people. In 4:5 the term emphasizes our need to live with wisdom in dealing with unbelievers.
Paul further describes this walk as that which should be in a “manner worthy of the Lord.” “Manner worthy” occurs six times in the New Testament and four of those usages relate to one’s walk. Ephesians 4:1, Philippians 1:27, Colossians 1:10, and 1 Thessalonians 2:12 use this word. It means “appropriate, comparable, or equal weight.” Our walk should be proportionate to who the Lord is and what He has done for us. The fact that Paul uses the word “walk” shows that if it is worthy of the Lord it must be consistent and persistent. The apostle also lists the signs of a worthy walk and its source.
A. The Signs of a Worthy Walk v. 10-11
Four signs show up in the life of one who walks worthily of the Lord.
1. A Walk of Focus “…to please Him in all respects….”
By focus we mean two things. First, the primary concern of one walking worthily is that he pleases the Lord. His focus is on the Lord’s evaluation, not man’s. This person cares not what man thinks about his actions as long as he knows God approves them. This believer does not seek after acceptance from men. Because of the overwhelming sense of knowing God’s will he desires to fulfill it for the Lord’s pleasure.
Also, focus involves the issue of who we look to in our walk. The focus of the child of God must continually be upon the Lord. In other words we walk by faith in the Lord, not trusting ourselves, circumstances, or others. Hebrews 11:6 states that without faith is impossible to please God. For us to please God in our walk requires continual dependence upon the Lord.
2. A Walk of Fruit “…bearing fruit in every good work….”
The phrase “bearing fruit” occurs in eight passages in the New Testament. Four of those occur in the gospels regarding the parable of the four types of soul, with only the good soil “bearing fruit.” Romans 7:4 describes our union with Christ as the basis forbearing fruit. In verse 5 of Romans 7 Paul uses the term to refer to how sin produced fruit for death. Earlier in Colossians 1:6 Paul explains that the gospel “bears fruit.” Now he uses it in reference to our walking worthy.
Jesus used the parable of the vine and the branches to illustrate bearing fruit. The words used there are separated while the term here is a compound of the two words used in John 15. One who walks worthy of the Lord is the believer who abides in Christ. Abiding in the Lord means depending upon Him as the source of fruit bearing.
3. A Walk of Fortification “…strengthened with all power according to His glorious might….”
The word “strengthened” is the term for dynamite in a verb form. The word “power” is the noun form of the same. So in a sense we could say, “Dynamically empowered with dynamite power.” The term “might” is a term only used of God’s ability and power. According to the Lord’s ability He empowers us with dynamite power. One who walks worthy possesses and partakes of the power of God. His life reveals victory stability and abundance because of the Lord’s ability operative in his life.
4. A Walk of Fortitude “…unto all steadfastness and patience with joy….”
Two different Greek words are used to speak of this fortitude. The first word “steadfastness,” is the term “hupomene,” which means “to abide under trials with joy.” This word reveals how one responds to circumstances, while the next term, “patience” is one’s response to people. “Patience” is the term “makrothumia” which is typically translated, “longsuffering.” This word shows one’s ability to put up with another person in love. The text indicates that “joyously” goes with patience, and not with the next verse.
The worthy walk of a saint shows itself in how we respond to circumstances and people. Even if faced with unpleasant situations and unkind people, the saint walking worthy of the Lord will endure both with a joyful attitude.
B. The Source of a Worthy Walk v. 10 “…and increasing in the knowledge of God….”
The little word “in” should be translated “by means of” showing that our growth in our walk and the various signs of this walk occur by knowing the Lord. This word “knowledge” is the same as from verse 9, a “full experiential knowledge.” Continuing to walk worthy, to grow in the Lord, and manifest the evidences in a greater degree rests solely on our intimacy with the Lord. The more we know of Him directly affects our walk. This removes walking worthy from the realm of mechanics or some formula and moves into a relationship.
We could illustrate it this way. When you married your spouse you wanted to please him or her. You did not do acts of service from a law or ritual, but based on love. That service grows as you continue to know your spouse more and more. As we discover the wonders of our Savior our love and walk will grow in every way.
Do you want to grow in the Lord? This prayer is a practical start for spiritual growth. Can you pray this to the Lord for yourself and others?
