For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:9-14 NASB
Paul’s intercession for the saints at Colossae gives us a great outline for our prayers today.
We are to pray for believers to be:
• Filled and strengthened: filled with the knowledge of His will so they may walk in a manner pleasing Him;
• Strengthened with His power for endurance and patience with joy.
It seems that the second prayer point is extremely pressing today. Iniquity abounds, the love of many grows cold while personal trials heat up. How we need to be strengthened with His power! Endurance and patience can only be accomplished through His glorious might.
In a way, endurance relates to our attitude towards God in the trials/will He has for our lives, while patience speaks to our attitude towards others, both of which need the backdrop of joy.
The Greek word for “strengthened” only appears here in the New Testament and means “to enable.” Thus, acquiring His power through prayer and the other spiritual disciplines enables us to joyfully endure the trials and to joyfully have patience with others.
When you are prepared for a task and have all the needed tools, there is no dread in its tenure and no drain in relationship—and the power of His might enables us to do same in our Christian walk.
