Get Ready To Pray!
Recently, the Spirit of God said to me, “I have good news for you to share with God’s people!” At this divine proclamation, my spirit leapt with holy expectation. I was even more encouraged by the words God then declared: “I am preparing to answer Paul’s prayer recorded in Colossians!”
Study this outstanding prayer in Colossians 1:6-12 (Amplified Bible):
“…which has come to you. Indeed, in the whole world [that Gospel] is bearing fruit and still is growing [by its own inherent power], even as it has done among yourselves ever since the day you first heard and came to know and understand the grace of God in truth. [You came to know the grace or undeserved favor of God in reality, deeply and clearly and thoroughly, becoming accurately and intimately acquainted with it.]
“You so learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ in our stead and as our representative and yours.
“Also he has informed us of your love in the [Holy] Spirit.
“For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things ? that you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, [acquaintance, and recognition].
“[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy, giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light.”
Beloved, this prayer is going to be fulfilled ? soon and very soon ? but we must join with Paul and pray fervently, contending for these promises to be fulfilled in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. We must pray like never before!
Prayer Agenda: Nine Promises for Nine Breakthroughs
What exactly is going to happen when we pray? Here are the nine promises of this most amazing prayer of Colossians 1. We will:
1. Be filled with the deep and clear knowledge of God’s will.
2. Have all spiritual wisdom concerning the ways and purposes of God.
3. Understand and discern spiritual things.
4. Walk and live in a manner pleasing to the Lord.
5. Bear fruit in every good work.
6. Steadily grow and increase in the knowledge of God.
7. Be invigorated and strengthened with all power.
8. Exercise endurance and patience with joy.
9. Give thanks to the Father, having been qualified for our inheritance.
Let us ask, seek, knock, and keep on asking, seeking, and knocking for every one of these prayers to be fulfilled. Let us press on in prayer, praying through, to be filled with His Spirit, given all wisdom and discernment, empowered to walk and bear fruit to please the Lord, to grow and increase, to exercise endurance and patience, and to be invigorated and strengthened with all power.
Why do we need this invigorating power? So we may advance God’s Kingdom into every aspect of society and every corner of the earth!
Prayer Strategy: Believe and Stand Strong!
It is imperative, beloved, that we not only pray but also take a strong stand as we pray. This stand takes place on the battlefield of the mind. We must make up our minds, make a quality decision, and draw a line in the sand, declaring, as Martin Luther declared, “Here I stand!”
In other words, we must decide not to continue to stumble about in the confusion that seems to gridlock Believers as well as unbelievers in this culture. Rather, we must walk with God-given goals, God-given aims and God-given divine purpose ? not our own goals and aims. We are not to be vague, thoughtless, confused or distracted during these end-time days; on the contrary, we can and must discover the Lord’s certain guidance every moment of the day, every day of the week.
In Ephesians 5:15-17 (Amplified Bible), Paul offers us a most severe warning:
“Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.
“Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is.”
When we take heed, rebuke the enemies of confusion, doubt and self-reliance, and take hold of God’s promises by faith, praying earnestly as Paul prayed in Colossians 1, we can rest assured that God’s continual guidance and provision are certain truths in our lives: We will be invigorated and strengthened.
Prayer’s Enemy: The Carnal Mind
We may be book-smart, business-savvy, culturally-sophisticated, well-heeled, well-traveled or well-versed, but our carnal reasoning and natural understanding are simply not good enough. In fact, “the mind of the flesh…is death.” Romans 8:6-8 (Amplified Bible) states:
“Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].
“[That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God’s Law; indeed it cannot.
“So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him.”
As we pray, believe, and stand strong, we must determine in our hearts to cast off every weight and pull down every high thing, every thought, and imagination that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (see 2 Corinthians 10:5) and choose to follow the ways of God, no matter what, no matter the cost. God promises us that, as we pray, believe, and take our strong stand, we will be invigorated and strengthened and receive our breakthrough!
Prayer’s Result: Christ Our Wisdom
In Nehemiah 9:20, the Lord promises:
“You also gave Your good spirit to instruct them, and withheld not Your manna from them, and gave water for their thirst” (AMP).
In Psalm 32:8, the Lord again makes this promise of guidance: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” The Holy Spirit, the Revealer of genuine truth, the upright Guide, will give clear direction as we seek Him and wait upon His guidance. Consider John 16:13:
“But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]” (AMP).
This last phrase is extremely significant for today: “…and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].” The entire world seems to be seeking this revelation, asking, “What does the future hold?” As followers of Christ the King, we have the answer, and that is the overcoming victory in and through our blessed Lord Jesus Christ (see Romans 8:37).
Christ Himself, living within us, is the wisdom that God is offering to us. God will direct us as we yield and follow, refusing to lean on our own human understanding but standing on His Word instead.
Dear Believer, pray, pray some more, and stand strong ? and you will see breakthrough and be invigorated and strengthened to bring in the harvest! Amen!
Bobby Conner
Eagles View Ministries
Email: manager@bobbyconner.org
Website: bobbyconner.org
