Colossians – Week 7
October 24 – Colossians
Colossians 4:2, Devote yourselves to prayer…
Paul knew the richness and the glory of having an engaging prayer life with God the Father through the Son and Holy Spirit. The Son intercedes on our behalf and opens the way for our prayers to be heard. The Spirit prays on our behalf with groans so deep only God can comprehend them. What powerful prayer partners we have!
The Apostle Paul spoke often about prayer because he knew it was his lifeline. It was what put breath into his soul and encouraged him to keep proclaiming the good news even when he faced pressure, persecution, and prison. On another occasion he said,
Ephesians 6:18, And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…
The early church was a dynamic movement fueled by constant prayer. After Jesus’ ascension, the apostles went to Jerusalem and,
Acts 1:14, They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
After the church was born on Pentecost, we read that,
Acts 2:42, They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Paul uses the word “devote” which has the meaning: “to join, adhere to; to be ready; to give attention, be faithful; give full time, to persevere, and endure.” It is a comprehensive word that details how our lives should be engulfed with God, and in particular, a continual conversation with God. Our full-time work is prayer. Each day, every day, we are to have, not just a prayer time and place as important as that is, but a prayer life. So, whether we are at home, work, or school we can keep our conversation going.
God loves to hear from us as often as we want to speak to Him. He loves to hear our praise and our concerns. Prayer is the portal into God’s holy presence and eternal power. It is the practice that speaks into our hearts the full assurance of His love. Just as we communicate often with our best friend, we desire to do so with God.
We might schedule different times throughout the day to cue us to remember to pray. We could set alerts on our phone or at prescribed times each day we can pray a psalm, the Lord’s Prayer, or our own heartfelt prayer. May we joyfully do our full-time work of prayer!
Memory Verse: Colossians 4:2, Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Question(s) to consider: What does full-time prayer look like for you? What will you do to devote yourself to such a prayer life?
October 25 – Colossians
Colossians 4:2, Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
As we become full-time people of prayer, we will become more alert and sensitive to the movement of God in the world. We will see things we have not seen previously. We will make new discoveries about ourselves, our world, and our relationship with Jesus.
It will, also, cause us to be alert to the ways the Enemy seeks to attack and destroy the Body of Christ. We can never let our guard down. We must especially be careful when we have experienced success or when we are going through low moments and difficult times. Satan knows we are most vulnerable when we think we have won and overcome or when we are less energized and demoralized.
That’s why Paul also said,
Romans 12:12, Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
It was in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus Himself went to pray and watch for His impending arrest that He asked His disciples to do the same.
Mark 15:37-38, Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
“Being watchful” literally means to stay awake. Being full-time people of prayer will empower us to be spiritually alert at all times. As Spirit-filled praying followers of Jesus, we will ever be on the lookout, alive in the fullest sense, not becoming careless or spiritually dull as we continue our walk with Christ.
The Apostle Peter gives us a similar message in,
1 Peter 5:8, Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Paul adds to this teaching for us to be thankful. This is the sixth time in this short letter he mentions this. Thanksgiving resounded in Paul’s heart at all times. Paul knew the power of thanksgiving and how it provides the most positive place from which we can best encounter life.
Whatever our prayer is, whatever we are going through, Paul says make sure you have a heart and mind filled full of gratitude for who God is and what God has done, is doing, and will do.
Memory Verse: Colossians 4:2, Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Question(s) to consider: What does “being watchful” look like for you? How does prayer help you to do so? For what are you especially thankful today?
October 26 – Colossians
Colossians 4:3, And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message,
Since Paul is seemingly immortalized in Scripture through his work and writings, it is easy to think that being a follower of Jesus was easy for him. Because he was regarded as a super-apostle, surely, he did not need help. Instead, what we find in his writings is that he often asks for prayer for himself and others.
Paul told how such prayer from others provided real help and hope.
2 Corinthians 1:8-11, We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
Paul revealed how great their vulnerability was and was confident that their deliverance had been because of God’s grace in response to the prayers of God’s people. Paul went on to say that their hope was set on the fact that God would continue to deliver them as others continue to pray for them. What if they had not prayed? What if we do not pray for one another?
Paul urged Jesus’ followers everywhere to keep on praying for themselves and others. He had experienced the powerful results of prayer and wanted all of God’s people to experience the same. So, he says it again,
Ephesians 6:18, And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Coming back to our Colossians’ verse, Paul asked that they would pray specifically for them to have an opportunity to share and advance the gospel message. He asked this not only for himself, but for his ministry partners who served with him.
As Paul found himself jailed for his faith, he did not want that to be a limiting factor for those who were either imprisoned with him or were there to care for him. He knew God was greater than their circumstances and deeply desired for additional opportunities to share and advance the gospel. Are we praying for ourselves and others for the same opportunity?
Memory Verse: Colossians 4:2, Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Question(s) to consider: Do you ask for prayer from others? Do you pray for the Lord’s people?
October 27 – Colossians
Colossians 4:3, And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
The second half of the verse that we began yesterday explains further why Paul asks for prayer for them. It is so that they would have opportunity to preach the gospel message which is the mystery of Christ. Paul reminds us that he is in jail because of this very message.
If I were in jail, I would be asking for prayer, but I would be asking others to pray that I could be released. Paul does not ask for that. He has a much higher purpose, and it is not about his comfort.
Paul understands how crucial this gospel message is so he was willing to suffer on its behalf. He did not want his circumstances to stop him and others from getting this life-giving word out to the world.
Earlier in the letter, Paul described what the mystery of Christ is.
Colossians 1:26-27, the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
And again in,
Colossians 2:2-3, My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
The mystery is God’s plan of redemption for creation and how it will be accomplished. The understanding of this mystery must be revealed by God. Christ Himself is the mystery unveiled. We cannot know God in all of His glory or His purposes without Jesus.
This mystery also includes God’s plan to save the Gentiles to whom God appointed Paul a primary missionary. Both Jew and Gentile alike come to know and experience the fullness of God in the same way- Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Paul was so passionate about this message because he knew it was the only message by which persons could come into a relationship with God and have the hope of eternal life.
Memory Verse: Colossians 4:2, Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Question(s) to consider: How much passion do we have for sharing the mystery of Christ?
Do we get the biblical truth that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life?
October 28 – Colossians
Colossians 4:4, Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.
Paul asks specifically that the Colossians would also pray for him. He was fully aware of his weakness and frailty. He was not so proud that he could ask for help. Sometimes, that request was for material help to support him while in prison or for a specific task like bringing a coat to him. However, most often he asked for the churches to pray for him.
We find another example in,
Ephesians 6:19-20, Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Paul’s main concern is that he will be an effective communicator of the gospel. He desires to proclaim the message clearly so that people will understand and have the best opportunity to respond. He asks for boldness so that he will be fearless in making the message of salvation known to all who will listen.
Even though he is already in prison demonstrating his boldness, he still asks for such a fearless faith that will compel him to preach the truth with the power of God.
What about us? Do we ask others to pray for us? It takes humility and vulnerability to do so. It recognizes that we have need, that we do not have it all together, that we need some kind of real help. Such a plea positions us where we belong among the great saints of Scripture and the church who made such pleas.
What do we ask for others to pray? A physical need? A relational need? An emotional need? Great! God wants to totally impact our lives in every imaginable way.
However, do we ever ask for prayers that we will be spiritually well and whole? Do we ask for others to pray with us to overcome a sin, to increase in the fruit of the Spirit, to become more diligent in prayer or reading and reflecting on Scripture? What about asking others to pray that we will be more effective in demonstrating our faith so that we can have an effective witness?
I ask you to pray for me to have such a positive and winsome witness in the midst of any and all circumstances I might find myself.
Memory Verse: Colossians 4:2, Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Question(s) to consider: What is your request for prayer? Who will you ask?