Moments in the life of a Pastor

Walking with God


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9. Pleasing, Powerful Prayer – Part 5 

Colossians 1:9-14 

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

  • Enjoy – “with joy”

This is not just enduring, a stoic, stiff upper lip life, but enjoying, one filled with joy and thanks. This is thriving not just surviving. Paul is talking about praying for people’s attitudes, why? Our attitude impacts nearly every aspect of our lives. It influences our behavior, our ability to learn, our contentment, and relationships with God and others. A joyful attitude is different from happiness, Joy is internal and based on Christ, happiness is external and based on circumstances. Joy is built on the eternal, the sure foundation of Salvation, happiness is built on the temporary, the sure foundation of sand. Don’t just pray, practice, if you want your family to give thanks and to be joyful you have to model it. As you spend an increasing amount of time praying for others, you will find that your attitude toward people will change and you will become more compassionate. Are you tired of pushing the vacuum do you need to get plugged in to a real relationship with Jesus?

4. PERSPECTIVE Vs 12-14

    Now Paul comes full circle – your perception (your understanding) will affect your perspective. Have you ever noticed how much we complain? Why because we focus on the problems not the promises. Paul chose to focus on the future promises not the present problems and he reminds us that:

    1. Partakers – “the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

    Not just the future promises but the fulfilment of promises:

    • Provision – Here are 4 blessings you can put in your box. 

    •                Rescued – delivered us from the power of darkness

    •                Removed – conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love

    •                Redeemed – whom we have redemption through His blood

    •                Right with God – the forgiveness of sins


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    8. Pleasing, Powerful Prayer – Part 4

    Colossians 1:9-14

    “For this reason, since the day we heard about you,we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his willthrough all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father,who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

    3. POWER Vs 11

    Paul prayed for others to experience God’s power, and the power he was speaking of was of the Holy Spirit.

    ILLUSTRATION – Vacuum – make a cleaner mess have someone come clean it up and part way through pull the plug have them try in their power.

    Like us, a vacuum cleaner was created with certain inherent abilities, it has a specific purpose. But if it’s not plugged in and receiving power, it’s useless. It depends on another source to make it effective and if you pull the plug, it’s worthless. We’re like that, without the power from our Source, the Spirit we’re not effective. When we really understand this, we begin to see ourselves for who we are with all our limitations and we realize how dependent on God we really are. Paul reminds us that we need God’s power because life has problems. 

    A.        Endure – “for all patience and longsuffering”

    We need his power to be patient and endure in the problems, to hang in there. Notice His power is not given simply according to our need, but according to God’s supply, according to His glorious might. Today we spend more time praying about our problems than God’s power. What if what we really need isn’t the removal of our problems but the revelation of God’s power in our problems? Today we crave solutions more than the Savior. In 2 Kings 6:17 When Elisha was surrounded by the enemy army and his servant was panicking what did Elisha pray for? God to remove the problem or reveal His power? “And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” God’s power enables us to show strength in the face of adversity, patience during trials, and endurance to finish the race He has laid out for us. Are you equipped to go the distance? Do you have the patience to wait on God for the answer or do you try to solve the problem yourself first? When God does give you the answer, are you able to patiently wait for God to make it happen or do you give up and try to solve it yourself?