Prayer for Spiritual Blessings

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Colossians 1:9,10
Psalters: 348, 311, 20, 159
Sacrament of Baptism
    1. The content of Paul’s prayer serves well for believing parents as they pray for the children God has gifted to them.
    2. The best way to demonstrate our love for someone is that we pray for them.
  1. For knowledge.
    1. The manner of praying by Paul and by us.
      1. The two words used refer to a strong, fervent effort: pray and desire.
      2. “Not cease” (Luke 18:1; I Thess. 5:17) speaks of a fixed desire.
    2. The petition is specific - the request is to know “His [God’s] will” (cf. Eph. 1:17).
      1. The petition is God-centered (most of our troubles arise from our focus being man-centered).
      2. The request is for knowledge – accurate and exact as well as profoundly experiential.
      3. God’s will as revealed concerning what is to be believed (John 6:40) and how we are to live (I Thess. 4:3,4).
      4. This knowledge is possible through Jesus (John 1:18) Thus Hoyt needs union with Jesus more than anything.
      5. The request is that we and our children “be filled.”
    3. The result of this knowledge of God’s will is having “all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”
  2. The purpose of the knowledge is to “walk worthy of the Lord.”
    1. “Walk” refers to our visible life which is demonstrates that we are on a journey to heaven.
    2. “Worthy of the Lord,” for the knowledge of God and of His will is designed to promote a godly life style.
      1. “Worthy” is suitably, in a manner worthy of God and of the Lord Jesus.
      2. It means that we walk by faith in Him, according to His Word.
    3. “Unto all pleasing” means that in all things we seek to please God.
    4. “Being fruitful in every good work.”
    5. “And increasing in the knowledge of God.”