Colossians 1:9-14
We are continuing our study in the Book of Colossians. We started this study last week, beginning in Colossians Chapter 1 and we looked at the first 8 verses. Paul writes this letter to a church he has never met or seen before. A local church planter by the name of Ephaphras pastor’s this church and he often visits Paul in prison, and as we learned last week, this is one of the Prison Epistles.
So, from Prison, Paul hears about these believers in Colossi, and he hears what God is doing and some of the challenges they face by Ephaphras. Paul writes to encourage them in the Lord, and maybe even to correct some things that probably needed to be corrected. But his main purpose is to Root this Church, that is made up of 1st generation believers in Jesus Christ and how being Rooted in Christ can carry us through the tough seasons of our lives.
When times get tough, we need to be rooted, so that we can make sense of the struggles and rough times we face in the world. We also learned that we need to have Roots both Deep and Wide! Because God not only expects us to have Deep roots, He expects us to go wide in our relationships with others. Have we gone wide in our prayer lives, not only for the people we can see, but also those we can’t see? And as we sang last week, we don’t want to go “Deep and Deep,” but we want to go “Deep and Wide.” Pray more, love more, reach more!
Finally, last week we discovered that TRUE GRACE IS A GRACE THAT IS ROOTED IN TRUTH. Just as God has called us out of the Darkness to walk in the Light, He has given us the Grace to walk in His Truth!
My granddaughter shared with me a couple of weeks ago a message I preached from this passage back in May titled “Pray for One Another.” I hope to show you this morning how God’s word is fresh and new every morning! We will only look at 5 verses – 9-14, and beginning in verse 9, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, (So this is a continuing thing. Paul, and the friends who are visiting him in prison are frequently lifting this church in prayer) and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 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; 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” I’m glad thank God this morning I AM FORGIVEN!
How many of you have ever had someone come up to you and say, “I’m praying for you,” and in the back of your mind you were thinking, and I don’t mean to sound unchristian, but in the back of your mind you were thinking, “I hope they don’t pray for me” – cause you just don’t know what they are praying for. I mean there are just some people I’m just not sure I want them talking to the LORD on my behalf.
Then on the other side of that, you think to yourself, “I wonder what they are praying for? What did they actually say to God about me?” Especially when you get that surprise prayers, who come up, put their hand on your shoulder and whisper, “I’m praying for you.” And you think to yourself, “Ut Oh, what did I do now? What are they seeing that I’m not seeing?”
The truth is, the content of people’s prayers on our behalf usually don’t come across our ears. But in Colossians Chapter 1 and verse 3, Paul tells this church that he is praying for them, and now in verses 9-14, Paul is telling them what he is praying about. So, Paul is giving them insight into exactly what he is petitioning God to do on their behalf. Which is encouraging to us, because it shows us a pattern of how we can pray for each other and pray for those that we have not met.
Keep in mind, the church at Colosse were under persecution for their faith. Paul and these men were praying for a group of people who were outcasts because they had decided to follow Jesus. They are praying for a group of people who did not understand how to stand in the face of all the obstacles they were up against, in the face of persecution of this 1st Century Church.
Paul is writing to Root them in Christ, and to share with them the Truth of WHO God is. So, Paul is going to pray a FOUR PART PRAYER over them.
PRAY FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S WILL (v9)
The first is found in verse 9, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”
A Prayer for Discernment – “filled with the knowledge of His will”
The first part of Paul’s prayer, we find him going to God, on behalf of these believers of Colossi, so that they would understand and know God’s will for them in the midst of what is going on around them.
Written more eloquently, “Knowledge of God’s will is knowing and being able to discern what God is up to in what you are going through.”
I think as believers, we have all been through seasons of life where we recognize that God is Sovereign and He is in control, and so we had a sense of what was going on. However, having eyes to see what God is doing in challenging times can be very difficult.
So, Paul is saying, “In my prayer for you: in your suffering, in your obstacles, in your valley, My prayer is that you will be able to see what God is doing.” Isn’t that a great prayer?
How many of you, in the season that we are in, would like to be able to see what what God is doing, not just Know that God is sovereign and in control, but to actually see what He’s doing? To actually, see:
- To actually His hand is at work.
- To actually see the fruit.
- To actually see His power in my life.
How many of you would love to see God at work in the midst of your circumstance? This is what Paul is praying for. I have to tell you, I’ve struggled a lot over my lifetime with trying to discern what God was up to in the midst of what I’ve gone through.
Paul reveals that true spiritual maturity begins with a mind shaped by God’s desires rather than our own. To be filled means to be dominated or controlled by something. Paul longs for the Colossians to be governed by a deep, experiential knowledge of what God wants. This is more than information—it is illumination. He prays they would grasp God’s purposes so clearly that His will becomes the guiding compass of their lives. A PRAYER OF DISCERNMENT
A Plea for Direction (The are the keys to Knowledge)– “in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”
Knowledge must be accompanied by wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to apply truth to life, while “spiritual understanding” refers to insight given by the Holy Spirit for navigating the complexities of daily decisions. Paul prays for believers to have divine direction—not worldly cleverness but Spirit-taught judgment. The Christian life requires both knowing the truth and perceiving how to live it.
Spiritual Wisdom is different than worldly wisdom. Spiritual Wisdom is rooted in “the fear of the Lord.” Proverbs 9:10. This “fear of the Lord” is not a frightful fear, but it is a reverent fear.
Let me illustrate reverent fear. A couple of weeks ago, we took a ride up to Ceasar’s Head (see the image). Looking out over that vast domain, you can’t help but recognize the beauty of all that God has created. But the reverent aspect comes into to play in that with one huge gust of wind, or one catastrophic movement of the earth – we’d could be gone. Or, just too close to the edge on one of those rocks and hit an icy spot – you’d be gone. That is reverent fear.
PRAY TO WALK WORTHY OF GOD’S WILL (v. 10)
A Worthy Walk – “that you might walk worthy of the Lord”
Here the emphasis shifts from knowing to doing. Knowledge of God’s will must lead to a lifestyle that reflects His character. A worthy walk is one that is consistent with the nature of Christ, honoring Him in priorities, choices, attitudes, and relationships. To “walk worthy” is to conduct one’s life in such a way that Christ is not misrepresented but magnified.
A Worshipful Work – “being fruitful in every good work”
A worthy walk produces visible fruit. Paul envisions believers yielding spiritual results, acts of obedience, deeds of compassion, gospel witness, and faithful service. Fruitful living is the outward expression of inward transformation. Our works do not save us, but they reveal the life of Christ growing within us. Matthew 4:19, Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you – FISHER’S OF MEN.” God’s desire for my life and for your life is that we obey a simple command to not only be disciples, but be disciples that are making disciples, who will make dsciples.
A Widening Wisdom – “increasing in the knowledge of God”
The more we obey God, the more we know Him. Obedience opens the door to deeper revelation. Spiritual growth is not static; it is a continual deepening relationship. Paul sees knowledge as relational, knowing God better through fellowship, worship, Scripture, and surrender. This increasing knowledge fuels further obedience, creating a cycle of growth.
PRAY FOR THE POWER OF GOD’S WILL (v. 11)
Strengthened with His Might – “strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power”
The Christian life cannot be lived in human strength. Paul prays for them to receive divine empowerment, strength that flows from God’s own glory. This is not a small measure of help; it is strength “according to” God’s power, meaning in proportion to the infinite resources of heaven. Dr. Jerry Falwell said, “Believers are not called to be ordinary, we are called to be extraordinary.” That’s what it means to be “strengthened with all might.”
Steadfast in Hardship – “unto all patience”
This divine strength is given for perseverance. “Patience” refers to endurance under difficult circumstances—the ability to remain unmoved and faithful when life is heavy. God does not always remove trials, but He empowers His people to remain steadfast through them. Spiritual strength enables us to stay the course with courage. The writer of Hebrews says, “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”
Serene in Heart – “and longsuffering with joyfulness”
Longsuffering is endurance toward difficult people, responding with grace rather than resentment. But Paul adds an unexpected element: joyfulness. Only the Spirit can produce joy in adversity. Christian joy is not based on circumstances but on confidence in God’s presence and promises. Spirit-given strength creates a settled joy even in seasons of struggle.
PRAY WITH PRAISE AS A PARTAKER OF GOD’S WILL (v. 12–14)
The Gift of a Glorious Inheritance – “made us meet to be partakers”
Paul turns from prayer to praise. God has “qualified” us, made us fit, to share in the inheritance reserved for His saints. No believer earns this inheritance; God Himself prepares us through the righteousness of Christ. The Father has turned former rebels into rightful heirs of eternal glory.
The Grace of a Great Deliverance – “delivered us from the power of darkness”
God has called us out of the spiritual bondage that held us captive to darkness, into the Light of His forgiving Grace. He has rescued us, snatched us from the grip of Satan’s domain. This is not a partial escape but a full pardon. The believer is no longer under the tyranny of evil but has been liberated by divine intervention.
The Granting of a Gracious Dominion – “translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son”
Salvation is not only deliverance from something but entrance into something. God has transferred us from darkness to the kingdom of Christ. We now live under the rule, reign, and redemptive care of the Son. This kingdom is marked by love, grace, and truth, the opposite of the former domain of darkness.
The Gain of a Guaranteed Redemption – “in whom we have redemption… the forgiveness of sins”
In Christ, we possess redemption—freedom purchased through His blood. Redemption means release from sin’s penalty and slavery. Forgiveness wipes the record clean, removing every accusation against us. This blessing is not future but present: we have redemption. The believer stands forgiven, freed, and fully accepted in God’s Dear Son – Jesus Christ.
Fighting for My Pea Patch 