Colossians Study – Week 1, Day 4

Colossians 1:9-11

“I don’t know, but I can find out!”   What a positive, hopeful, helpful mindset!

Sometimes we seek knowledge to help us make an elaborate change in our lives that requires mapping out a plan of action with several steps to follow over time.  Sometimes, it is a simple little nugget of information pointing up an action to take or avoid going forward.

This study is based off of the series The Clarity of Mystery. Click Below to watch it now.

Have you ever experienced a time when you were armed with knowledge, you developed a proven plan and steps to follow, and then found yourself drifting from the path that was moving you in the direction you wanted to go?

We are living in a world surrounded by constant temptation and distraction.  Add that to our human nature and the spiritual pull to drift off into the weeds, and we realize we need power beyond our own.

The prayer in Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae pertains to all believers. He wrote it because of a serious drift from the direction he knew God wanted for them.

He told them “knowledge for the sole purpose of accumulating knowledge is empty, and to be worth anything, it must lead to a changed life and right living”.

He wrote that the Holy Spirit gives us the wisdom and understanding of God’s Will for our lives. (9:1)

Knowing what God wants to change in our lives is easier for us as imperfect human beings than doing what it takes to actually make the desired change!  The “doing” part is where we can experience frustration and fruitless efforts.  Why?

We are tempted to use our own power to make the desired changes!

 (Romans 7:15 NIV) “I do not understand what I do.

For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

The Holy Spirit living within us is the Presence of Jesus in our lives in spirit form.  He is the vine we must cling to each and every day for strength and power.  Doing so encourages us and guides us, shaping us to be more like what God intends.  Apart from that vine, we wither spiritually and can bear no fruit.

(John 15:5 NIV) “I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I

in you you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

 

QUESTION :  Are you struggling in any area of your life right now to understand scripture or to bring your thoughts, words, and actions in line with God’s Word so that your life will bear fruit in every good work? (Colossians 1:10 NIV)

If you answered “yes” to the above question, have you taken the step to invite Jesus Christ, Lord over all Creation, (Colossians 1:15-16)  into the center of your life? You need to connect with Him and then you will be given the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell within your heart.  If not, reach out to any of our pastors or teaching staff.

If you have invited Jesus into your life, have you prayed in His powerful name for:

* Holy Spirit power to help you understand God’s Will for you in the specific area you are struggling?

 *Holy Spirit guidance for the steps God wants you to take to change what He has put on your heart?

* The willingness to allow the Holy Spirit within you to work in and through you to bring about the change God desires for your life, rather than leaning on your own power and understanding of what to do? (Knowledge and understanding)

God WILL answer you when you pray in His Will.  You can lean into these promises from His Word:

 

(I Peter 3:12 NIV) “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous (believers) and His ears are attentive to their prayer…”

(I John 5:15 NIV) “And if we know that He hears us whatever we ask we know that we have what we asked of Him.

 

Heavenly Father, open my heart and help me to hear with my spiritual ears and see with my spiritual eyes what it is that You want me to do today that will lead me to what You desire for my life.  It is in the powerful Name of Jesus that I pray.  Amen.