6 Reasons to Pray Colossians 1:9

Before doing this study, I encourage you to read 6 Reasons to Pray Colossians 1:9. It's a short introduction that will add details to this study.

First let's look at the prayer in Colossians 1:9-14:

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Now let's look at 6 specific requests in this prayer:

1.  Living lives worthy of God - What does the passage below tell us about living a worthy life?

Matthew 10:37-39: Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

2. Pleasing the Lord - How does the verse below add to this request?

Ephesians 5:8-17: For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. 10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” 15 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 

3. Bearing fruit in good works - What does the following passage tell us about good works?  How does it compliment Ephesians 2:8-10?

James 2:14-17: What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 

4. Growing Knowledge of God - What are some of the results of growing in the knowledge of God according to the passage below?

2 Peter 1:2-3, 5-8: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

5. Strengthened with God's power - What did God tell Paul about His power when Paul asked God to remove the "thorn in his flesh"?

2 Corinthians 12:8-9:  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 

 6. Developing endurance, patience and gratefulness (perseverance, character, hope) - I've always loved the "stair steps" of the passage below, starting with suffering and ending at the top of the stairs with hope that doesn't disappoint us.

Romans 5:3-5: we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Why not pray Paul's Colossians 1:9-14 prayer for yourself each day this week and study the passages above.

copyright 2016, Gail Burton Purath, BiteSizeBibleStudy.com, updated in 2023