As a rule it is not the best thing to talk about your personal devotional life in any great detail. It goes beyond the semi-private into the really private. It is far more personally important than talking about an unfinished business deal. It is infinitely more sacred than the confidence between lawyer or a doctor and his client. And probably, if you knew about my private devotions, you’d find something there that didn’t suit you. It is best to keep our personal devotional life between the Lord and ourselves. But Paul breaks that rule for the purpose of our instruction. For Paul, the apostle, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, to tell us about his conversations with God, would do us all a lot more good than for any of us to talk about ours.
In this prayer he basically tells us that he is never satisfied. After praising God for these Colossian people and certain things in their lives, he wants more. It is not more for himself that he’s after, but more of the things of God for them. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” He wants more of the power of Christ IN their lives. But it’s not a one-sided thing; he wants more THROUGH their lives as well. Personally, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” He wants to do more for the One who saved him, and he wants the same for us. “After all He’s done for me, how can I do less than give Him my best and live for Him completely, after all He’s done for me.” Paul wants more from us, and he wants more of the Lord for us.
For example, he want them to be FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
Knowledge of what? Paul was always perfectly practical. He doesn’t pray that they be filled with knowledge of anything secular. A knowledge of physics or the Classics of English literature are not without their merit. But such things cannot hold a candle to the knowledge of God. Ecclesiastical or church history is not as important as knowledge of the Lord. In fact, even knowledge of the contents of the Bible can’t hold a candle to knowing Christ.
Early on in Jesus’ High Priestly prayer in John 17 He said, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” Can there be anything more important than that? Think about the decisive words of Jeremiah 9:23-24 – “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”
It is imperative that Christians strive to progress in their spiritual minds as well as their hearts. Think of an auto mechanic, working at a dealership, who refuses to be schooled on the new models. Every year the auto makers make changes which they believe improve their products. The mechanic who was an expert in 2006 may only be fit to park the 2016 models. It doesn’t matter if he still loves that particular brand of car – it’s got to be more than just a matter of the heart. Although the Lord changes not – although perfection cannot be improved – it is because of that perfection that we cannot be satisfied with our infinitely-less than perfect knowledge. But in what areas do Americans want to expand their minds – even Christian Americans? Society wants better microscopes, bigger telescopes, and deeper scientific submarines. We want to know what makes the Sun boil and of what the planet Pluto is made. We are more interested in the winner of World Series than the series of events in the Tribulation.
And there is Paul praying that we might grow in our knowledge of the Lord. We ought understand that even the Holy Spirit groans under that same burden for us. But a godly desire also is definitely not enough to accomplish this work in us. Along with the desire of Paul, there must be the desire on our own part. And besides our desire, must be the practical steps to do something about it. If any of you know that you lack wisdom, and want to do something about it, ask of God, “who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not.” And then while you are in the midst of that prayer, start the hard part – work, work, work. That means study of Word with its essential prerequisite: drawing nigh unto God. I heard of a school which advertized with the slogan – “Free knowledge, bring your own container.” Without a canteen, or some sort of bottle, it is hard to carry water very far. And unless we engage our hearts and minds, we are going to carry the knowledge of God no farther. Do remember the widow and her son to whom Elisha applied for food? All she had was a tiny bit of oil for her cooking and other needs – her knowledge of Jehovah was limited. The prophet told her to collect all the empty vessels and jars that she could. And all that they gathered were eventually filled. I’m afraid that some of our minds are just little baby food jars instead of big drums waiting to be filled.
Paul’s second prayer request for these people was a WALK WORTHY OF THE LORD.
This follows the first request like the carriage after the horse. Knowing without doing is like plowing without planting. It’s like spending 10 years in Medical school and then becoming a truck driver.
Walk worthy of the Lord. You claim be a Christian, a child of God, then willingly or not you are wearing His uniform. You are on a journey under the banner of Jehovah. God expects, and Paul prays, that you be a good representative of the Lord. But how the Lord must weep over some of our lives.
Jehovah wants us to walk into the harvest fields and fill our arms with spiritual fruit. What kind of fruit? The Lord wants a full cornucopia of the fruit of the Spirit. He wants to see a worthly life in our finances, in our love of the saints, and in our interest in the fallen. He wants to see in us a yearning for the blessing of God on the work of the ministry. He wants to see love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and patience. Paul prays that we would be recognizable as the saints of the Lord.
Paul also prayed for a FILLING WITH SPIRITUAL POWER.
Most Christians these days have wish-bones instead of back-bones. Looking at my own heart, I know that I am naturally timid. I think that I might make a good monk, if Baptists had monks, and if it weren’t required that I leave my wife. After twenty-five years, I have no trouble preaching Bible doctrine to you. But one reason that I don’t go running off to preach in Bible conferences is that it’s contrary to my inner nature.
We’ve all got a bunch of stiff spiritual opposition which requires correction and defeat. We have the opposition of our own inner selves, the old Adam, the old nature. Paul testified of its strength in Romans 7. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” And then we have the advances of Satan. As weakened as he is, he still can master us with ease. That is if we give him half a chance. Then the world has incredible power and hold over the child of God. Then there are things like the fear of man, and the laws of the land that are contrary to the things of God.
I have never had much interest in manly, but inhuman art of pugilism – amateur or professional boxing. My only curiosity is in what drives those men to mutilate themselves like that. Why? I have noticed that at end of a round, there usually several men that run to the side of each fighter. I must assume that those are the boxer’s trainers and helpers. I’ve been told that the best boxers have the best trainers and coaches. I think of Paul in the same sort of way. He’s a coach, trainer and motivator in the battle for spiritual supremacy. But in this case the real opponent is our own sinful flesh.
We need the strength of the Lord for the defense of our testimony and spiritual fellowship. We also require offensive strength as well. We are in a battle for souls, a battle for knowledge, a battle for the glory of the Saviour. It was Paul’s prayer that we want to be victorious, and then go on towards it.
Then Paul mentions that he was praying about the Colossian’s THANKSGIVING.
Thanksgiving may be one of humanities most beautiful characteristics. Perhaps because it is one of our rarest characteristics. It is not what is found in our pockets that makes us thankful, but what resides in our hearts. And that is why its not too common or really genuine. As secular creatures it is creature comforts which tickle our fancies more than internal things like peace and joy.
Christian, isn’t there always something for which we can be thankful? We don’t have time to analyze what Paul says in the rest of this chapter. But they are all things about which we can and should be rejoicing and praising the Lord. “Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.”
And remember that one of those things which God has done is to encourage other people to pray for you. The apostle was praying for the people of Colosse. And you have people praying for you as well. What a wonderful thing that is.