Delight in the Lord

So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:9-14

From the text, Paul’s prayer for Christians in Colosse is for their continued spiritual growth. By doing this, he is instructing believers as to what should be important in the life of believers. The prayer offered was an example of corporate prayer. Believers are meant to pray with one another. To neglect this fact is to miss the blessing promised, because there are some things men will not receive unless they ask for them (Luke 11:9–11). Corporate as well as private times of prayer demonstrate life and maturity in a believer. Though intercessory prayer is very demanding, it is very rewarding for it helps believers to grow in their commitment to praying with and for others. Paul prays that they would be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. He prays that Christians in Colosse will possess the real thing, not in part, but in fullness. Walking in the will of God leads to a fruitful spirituality. Our aim should be to please Christ, not out of duty, but as the fruit of our love for him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Only in the strength of Christ can believers be faithful to their heavenly calling; therefore they need to be strengthened with the Lord’s “glorious power.” There is divine supernatural power which God provides to enable the believer to be faithful and endure until the end. Lastly, Paul prays that believers find delight in living their lives for God’s glory. We do this because of our inheritance to which He made us qualified to share with other believers. God also “rescued us from the kingdom of darkness.” We also delight in God because He “purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” Believers have passed from death to life; from alienation to acceptance; from despair to hope; from danger to safety; from uncertainty to peace. When we delight in the Lord, we pray not only for our own good but also for the good of others.

Blessings