The Pathway to Kingdom Living: Colossians 1:9-13
“9) 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, 10) 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; 11) strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12) giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. Colossians 1:9-12
Are you ready for some deep truth? Paul prayed for believers. He asked God to do a profound work in them. He wanted them to know God’s will with spiritual wisdom and understanding. This is beyond the wisdom of the world or natural wisdom. This is the wisdom imparted by the Spirit of God. (See 1 Corinthians 2:1-16)
This is the starting point of walking worthy of the Lord and pleasing Him in everything we do. At some point the believer stops living for self and starts living for God and others. The result is bearing fruit in every good work and constantly increasing in the knowledge of God.
Do not forget that the wisdom and ways of God are foolishness to the unsaved. (See 1 Corinthians 1:18-31) Don’t expect them to share your values or understand your motivations and priorities as you draw closer to God. They most likely have a totally different world view. That’s ok, we do not live to gain the worlds approval. We live to gain Gods approval.
Then Paul comes back in verse 11 to pray for inner strength that is measured by God’s might. The prayers of Paul recorded in Ephesians 1:15-23 and 3:14-21 helps unpack the depth of this request. Paul is praying for total inner transformation within believers. These are anything but shallow prayers. He yearned for a deep work of the Holy Spirit in the life of every Christian that resulted in them becoming mighty in Spirit.
The end result recorded in Colossians 1:11-12 is steadfastness, patience and thankfulness as God ushers us into sharing in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. The next verse says that God “delivered us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son.” Paul was praying for believers to experientially enter into the daily reality of kingdom life. This is very different from the old life driven by the flesh. Walking in the Spirit is the pathway that leads to kingdom living.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
