Spirit–led Prayer: Part Two (Col. 1:9–14) Series

We must humble ourselves by coming to God in prayer and asking for his grace. That is how we learn God’s will through his Word. We come to him dependently because we realize our incapability.

3. In order to be filled by God’s will, we must be dependent upon mature believers.

This is a God–given resource to help each one of us know his Word. However, it is often neglected. Look at what Paul taught in Ephesians 4:11–13:

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

God gives pastors and teachers to help us reach a unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God. Godly pastors and teachers are gifts to the church and we must take advantage of them. We do that by sitting under the local pastors and small group leaders God has given us, but we also do it through godly books and commentators. It will often be these people that God uses to lead us or others into the knowledge of his will.

Some people will say that all we need is the Holy Spirit. Yes, that’s true. But, the Holy Spirit commonly speaks through gifted teachers to help us better understand God’s Word and his will for our life. That’s essentially what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:21: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don't need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don't need you!”’

Yes, there is a dependence we should have upon one another. We should avail ourselves by asking questions and doing research because these mature believers have been given to us for that reason. If we ignore our relationship with mature believers, we may find that we lack the knowledge of God’s will in our lives, which undoubtedly at some point will reap consequences on our lives or the lives of others.

4. In order to be filled by God’s will, we must study the Word of God.

Certainly, there is no substitute for one’s individual study of Scripture. We must work hard in studying the Word of God. Listen to what Paul said to Timothy: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

“Do your best” can be translated as “be diligent,” and the KJV translates it as “study.” How does a person receive the approval of God? He does his best; he is diligent in studying the Word of God so he can correctly handle it.

I think when we go before the judgment seat of Christ, many will not be approved (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10). They won’t be approved because they weren’t diligent. They didn’t do their best. They didn’t study to know God’s will for their marriage, for their career, or for their children. For most Christians, the word “study” in conjunction with the Word of God isn’t even in their vocabulary.