Colossians - Part 8

PPaul’s Prayer For Us

Meeting Purpose

Discuss Colossians 1:9-14, focusing on Paul's prayer and its application to modern Christian life.

Key Takeaways

-             Paul's prayer emphasizes being filled with knowledge of God's will, spiritual wisdom, and understanding to combat false teachings and live a worthy life

-             Our behavior as Christians is based on what we know to be true, highlighting the importance of sound theology and spiritual insight

-             Prayer should be God-centered, not self-centered, and our first inclination in all situations

-             Recognizing our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats can help us live a more fruitful Christian life

Topics

Paul's Prayer in Colossians 1:9-14

-             Broken down into key components:

   1. Praying continually for believers

   2. Being filled with knowledge of God's will, spiritual wisdom, and understanding

   3. Walking in a manner worthy of the Lord

   4. Bearing fruit in every good work

   5. Increasing in the knowledge of God

   6. Being strengthened for endurance and patience

   7. Giving thanks to the Father

Dealing with False Teachings

-             Colossians faced corruption from Gnostics and Judaizers

-             Modern Christians face numerous theological and doctrinal challenges

-             Importance of going back to Scripture and developing spiritual insight

-             Caution against relying solely on academic knowledge or arguing skills

Prayer and Its Challenges

-             Discussion of Paul David Tripp's perspective on prayer

-             Recognizing the tendency for prayer to become self-centered or ritualistic

-             Importance of awe and recognition of who we're addressing in prayer

Consequences of Corrupted Thinking

-             Discouragement, depression, feeling abandoned due to unanswered prayers

-             Questioning God's goodness during hardships

-             Taking matters into our own hands out of impatience

SWOT Analysis for Christian Life

-             Strengths: Inheritance in heaven, God's sovereignty, Christ as intermediary

-             Weaknesses: Desires of the flesh, desire for control, lack of spiritual discernment

-             Opportunities: Scripture study, prayer, fellowship, discipleship

-             Threats: Busyness, excessive focus on work or entertainment

Next Steps

-             Prioritize prayer as the first response in all situations

-             Seek spiritual wisdom and understanding through prayer and Scripture study

-             Focus on living a worthy life that bears fruit and faces trials with endurance

-             Engage in discipleship, both teaching and learning from others

-             Regularly assess personal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in Christian life