Intercession

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Scripture
 
Col. 1:9   For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Observation

This is Paul’s prayer of intercession for the Colossian believers. He recognizes the great needs in their lives and continually lifts them up in prayer. The major needs include knowledge of God’s will. In every facet of life a believer should be seeking God’s direction and Paul knew how invaluable this would be to these new believers. When following the movement of God’s Holy Spirit the believer would lead a life worthy of the Lord. Christ would be pleased because when the believer follows God’s leading, and fruit will result.

Every believer is to grow spiritually and this includes in the knowledge of God. This isn’t just head knowledge, but it’s heart knowledge. In other words — we are to get to know Christ at a very intimate level.

Paul knows that life won’t be easy for these Christ-followers. Therefore he prays that they will be strengthen so that they will be able to endure the things that they face. They are to be strengthened with supernatural power that comes from the Lord, and this power gives the strength to be patient and to endure the difficulties, all while having a good attitude!

This good attitude is possible because we have been adopted into God’s holy family. As children of God we are transformed by the presence of Christ in our lives, therefore we participate with our Holy God, ever transformed into God’s image. The light of Christ is reflected in those who are in a face to face relationship with our holy and loving God.

The holy relationship has pulled us from the world of darkness and into holy light. The holy light leads us into kingdom living as people who have been freed from all of our past.

 Paul’s prayer of intercession should lead us to a heart of thanksgiving and gratitude for we are also receivers of this prayer. We may live transformed lives as a result of knowing Christ.

Application

Let’s pass on this prayer of intercession, using it as a model for our prayer lives. We are called to intercede and give of ourselves for the sake of others. What would happen if we prayed this prayer daily for our family members, or those whom God has laid on our hearts?

Jesus spent time praying and fasting during his Lenten journey. I believe he interceded for all of us during those difficult days. May we take this season as a time to intentionally pray for others.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the faithfulness of Paul, and so many others who have gone before us. Amen.


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