WHEN WE PRAY FOR YOU

Last night, I mentioned Colossians 1:3-14 in my last post. This morning, I would like to share with you that passage once again along with some notes showing how Paul was praying for this church. This will give you another example of how we should be praying for each other...

Colossians 1:3–14 (ESV) — 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 
5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 
6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 
7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 
8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 
10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 
11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

WHEN WE PRAY FOR YOU, 
WE THANK GOD FOR YOU 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
WHY? 
1. BECAUSE OF YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus
2. BECAUSE OF YOUR LOVE FOR ALL OF THE SAINTS and of the love that you have for all the saints, 
3. BECAUSE OF YOUR ETERNITY IN HEAVEN 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. 
4. BECAUSE YOU HEARD THE GOSPEL Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world
5. BECAUSE THE GOSPEL IS BEARING FRUIT IN YOUR LIFE it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,
6. BECAUSE YOU HAVE HAD FAITHFUL TEACHING 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 
7. BECAUSE WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT YOUR LOVE IN THE SPIRIT 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 
8. BECAUSE GOD HAS SAVED YOU 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 
9. BECAUSE GOD HAS DELIVERED FROM THE DEVIL AND TO HIS SON, JESUS. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 
10. BECAUSE YOUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 


WE HAVE NOT CEASED TO PRAY FOR YOU
11. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S WILL asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 
12. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL LIVE A LIFE THAT PLEASES GOD 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, 
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?
fully pleasing to him, 
bearing fruit in every good work 
increasing in the knowledge of God. 
13. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL BE STRENGTHENED BY GOD’S POWER 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, 
A. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL HAVE ENDURANCE for all endurance
B. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL HAVE PATIENCE and patience
C. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL HAVE JOY with joy,