Chico Alliance Church
“Effective Prayer”
I. Paul exhibits effective prayer
A. Paul offers thanksgiving to the Father
1. Focus of thanksgiving – the Father
2. Frequency – continual
3. Factor (occasion) of thanksgiving – Belief of the Colossians
Sequence of events
Epaphras Shared the Gospel
Colossians received the Gospel
Colossians responded to the Gospel
Epaphras shared the Colossian’s faith with Paul
Paul is inspired to give thanks and pray for the Colossians
B. Paul offers petition for the Colossians
First, Paul repeats the factor or catalyst for his petition.
Second, Paul repeats the frequency of his petition
1. The Petition – may they be filled with a knowledge of God’s will
“Filled with the knowledge of God’s will” Point time passive verb Paul asks that something fill them not that they fill themselves. This is a word used of manning a ship.
to be controlled or filled Paul is asking that the members of this congregation be controlled and manned by something. Paul’s prayer is that every aspect of the lives of these believers be controlled and directed by something outside of themselves.
What is it that Paul wants them to be filled with? “Knowledge of God’s will”
This word knowledge refers to knowledge gained by experience. This is an intensified form of the word that indicates a full knowledge or complete knowledge. This is not just any knowledge, it is knowledge of God’s will. This knowledge of God’s will is accompanied by a spiritual wisdom and understanding. It is one thing to know facts about God or what God desires, it is quite another thing to see how it all applies to the spiritual dimension of life. Thus Paul adds “in all spiritual wisdom and understanding”. This element is vital because it is the trigger for all the other effects contained in his prayer for these people. What Paul is asking God on behalf of these believers is that they commit to and be directed and controlled by God. He wants them to be absorbed and overflowing with a desire to be servants of God standing in line continually waiting to receive their instructions for the day.
How different from today’s teaching that God just waits to serve us.
He waits to grant your every desire. Yes God will give you the desires of your heart but don’t jerk that verse away from its context. The first part talks about delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. If you are delighting yourself in the Lord what are the desires of your heart? The LORD. Paul longs that these Christians be absorbed with pleasing God. It is one of the characteristics of a heart after God. The Holy Spirit in Ephesians urges us to try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
Paul modeled this kind of life. He was willing to give up all personal affirmation and acclaim that he might know Christ and be found displaying the life of Christ, the resurrection life. Everything else was considered trash next to knowing Christ. Jesus of course was the perfect example of this principle.
“My food is to do the will of Him who sent me.”
“I came to do your will O God.”
“Father please let this cup pass nevertheless not my will but yours.”
“I did all that the Father asked me do.”
All along the way the Father affirmed the Son.
“This is my dearly loved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
He became obedient even unto death and therefore God has highly exalted Him.
Paul prays that these Christians would be like that. He longs that they too be consumed with and controlled by what God wants, His purposes on this earth, His desires.
What does God want?
God’s will for our life does not so much related to where, but how and who and what. He is much more interested in character development and relationship to Him than places. Too often we get hung up on the incidental and miss the important. Thessalonians 4 makes it clear. “This is the will of God…abstain from sexual immorality.” Later in the same letter Paul instructs us to pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Any direct command in Scripture pretty much indicates what God desires of us. The great commandment and the great commission pretty much sum up God will for us.
Love the Lord your God. Love you neighbor. Make disciples. Paul wants these issues to permeate these believers’ hearts and heads. I have not ceased to ask they you all may be controlled and driven in your life by a complete first hand experiential knowledge of God’s will and ways.
How does this take place?
Well, it is a passive verb, it is something that God does. Our part is to surrender to what we hear and read in His word. It is a willingness to let God’s plan and purposes dictate what we do with out time and resources.
It is the same concept found in many other places. Ephesians communicates a similar concept. “Do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is and do not be numbed out by external things but be “filled” permeated, controlled by the Holy Spirit.”
How does this work practically?
It is a daily awareness and willingness that our every activity and decisions finds its foundation in the purposes of God. How will this develop or demonstrate dynamic relationship with God and show my love for Him? How will this cause me to better develop and demonstrate love for others? How will this draw others into deeper relationship with Christ?
To be filled or “manned” by the will of God is to keep God’s purposes foremost in our thoughts. It ought to be the continual cry of our heart for one another and ourselves and even for people in churches we may not have ever met face to face.
2. The Product – a worthy walk
The expected Result of surrender to God’s will for our life.
What can we expect if we surrender to the purposes of God? The first step to walking is yielding. Paul in the rest of this passage outlines for us the chain of events that occurs once we decide each moment of the day to surrender to God’s will rather than our own. It results then in obedience to that will. It results in a lifestyle, a way of life a progress that is worthy of the one we serve. We must surrender to God’s purposes whether as a church or a family or a business. We must be purpose driven and directed and controlled. Only then can we walk worthy. God said, if you love me you would keep my commandments. If you really want to honor me, and demonstrate you love me, do what I ask you to do. The one who says they love God and yet do not do what pleases Him is deceive. Thus Paul explains here that a life committed to the purposes of God rather than for themselves is a life that is worthy of the Lord.
“pleases God in all respects”
Don’t divorce your weekday life from your Sunday life. Don’t separate your church life from your home life. A worthy walk pleases God in ALL respects, in every area of life.
“bears fruit in every good work”
“increases in the knowledge of God”
This creates a fascinating spiral effect. As we increase then in the knowledge of God and his will and surrender to that will we grow in our walk.
3. The Power – His glorious might
The ability to do this is the internal working of the Holy Spirit who provides not only the direction but also the energy to continue. It is a power that is equivalent to His glorious might. It is the word “dunamis”, Explosive power. It is a present passive verb indicating continual work done to us by someone else. This strengthening comes form God. It only comes when we are committed to arranging our life according to His purposes and willing to now only know His will but DO it. Then we are strengthened in the inner man with His glorious might. The very same power that raised Jesus from the dead.
The key to that is a surrender to arrange our life according to the purposes of God, to be filled with knowledge of His will. The key to that for any group of people I believe is intercessory prayer that God will bring it about in our midst.
4. The Purpose – attain steadfastness and patience
What is the ultimate end of all this strengthening? the attaining of all steadfastness and endurance.”
“Steadfastness” the word for remain coupled with the preposition under. Thus the resulting concept is to remain under, keep
“patience” actually a better translation is longsuffering which is make up of two words. The word for anger and the word long.
long anger which is to keep from blowing up and reacting to life and its problems. This glorious empowering which comes when we commit to know and do God’s will has as its ultimate purpose the ability to keep on the path and like it. When we pray for power from on high too often it is desired for the wrong reasons. This glorious might is provided that we might keep in the fight with a great attitude.
5. The motivation
How is all this possible? What possible motivation could want me to give up my agenda and arrange my entire life around God’s purposes? It is the realization of what God has done for us and will do for us in the future. The Father “qualified us” made us meet, met the requirements, point time verb. The Father made us worthy to share in the inheritance of the saints. There is no greater motivation!
CONCLUSION
First, are we praying such things for our congregation and other Christians? Are we praying? It is the source of growth! It is the foundation of the church.
Second, God asks us to make a definitive decision about who is going to be in charge, whose drum we will march to, according to whose agenda we will arrange every aspect of our life. Such a monumental decision that runs contrary to fallen human flesh is marvelously motivated by the fact that the Father who made us also has done a work in us that makes us a his children with all the privileges and inheritance of sons of God. Once that decision is made, we will then enjoy the fruit of being filled with the knowledge of his will.
A worthy walk that pleases God and bears fruit and grows in the knowledge of God, is strengthened with glorious might able to hang in their with a good attitude overflowing with joyful thanksgiving. Do we want that? It starts with praying for one another. Try praying this prayer for others several times this week.
