How Should I Pray for . . . Others? (A Study of Colossians 1:9-14) Part 11 (Conclusion)

We’ve looked at the seven specific requests that Paul makes on behalf of the Colossian believers in Colossians 1. We see how committed he was to interceding for them. If you are at all like me, you need to grow in your praying for others.

Paul’s strategic commitment to pray for them is in 1:9 as he says “we have not stopped praying for you . . . we continually ask God to fill you . . .”  The specific content of his prayer in verses 9-12 includes the following requests: that they would be filled with a knowledge of God’s will (v. 9), that they would live a life worthy of the Lord (v. 10), that they would bear fruit in every good work (v. 10), that they would grow in the knowledge of God (v. 10), that they would get strong in living out the Christian life (v. 11), that they would endure when life gets rough (v. 11), and that they would live joyfully with a thankful heart (v. 12).

But how does Paul conclude his prayer?  After seeing —

I. His Strategic Commitment to Praying for Others (v. 9) and

II. Paul’s Specific Content in His Praying for Others (vv. 9-12)

may I suggest we see —

III. Paul’s Satisfying Conclusion in His Praying for Others (vv. 12-14)

Paul mentions four amazing actions which God has taken on our behalf:

A.  He has qualified us to share in His inheritance (v. 12)

B.  He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness (v. 13)

C.  He has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves (v. 13) and

D.  He has redeemed us and given us the forgiveness of sins (v. 13).

What a fantastic summary of salvation!  We have been qualified, rescued, transferred, and redeemed!  If you’re not (at least emotionally) jumping up and down in joy right now, check your pulse.  You might be dead.  Or you need another cup of coffee.

We will resist the temptation to post on each of these four incredible actions by God on our behalf, but let’s think about them for a few minutes in this concluding post.  He has qualified us.  We were completely unable to qualify ourselves.  He has rescued us.  We were drowning in our sin and He gave His life to save us.  He has transferred us.  He “brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.”  We’ve been moved out of darkness into His kingdom of light!   He has redeemed us by forgiving our sins.  The thrice-holy God took care of my sin problem!

What a satisfying summary of what we enjoy as believers.  And those truths ought to motivate me and you to pray, I mean, to seriously pray, for others.  [I just prayed for someone I love to realize those four amazing actions of God on their behalf.  Your turn].