“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:9-12).
Tucked in the middle of this beautiful prayer for the saints at Colossae is a request of the Father that they be “strengthened with all power according to His glorious might.”
Paul shared a similar prayer for the church at Thessalonica.
“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (II Thessalonians 1:11-12). Paul’s prayer is that God’s power would fulfill your desire for goodness. You want to be good. You want to live a righteous life. And God’s power is available and needed to accomplish that in you.
In our last post on the power of God in us, we looked at these prayers from the book of Ephesians.
“I do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:16-19).
Paul’s prayer is that the Ephesians would know the surpassing greatness of His power. I don’t believe this “know” is just a head knowledge, but to literally experience the surpassing greatness of His power.
And finally, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:14-16).
Paul’s prayer for the saints is that they would be strengthened by the power that comes through the Holy Spirit, not strengthened by the power of self-discipline, of willpower, of trying harder. The power that flows THROUGH us is the power of God brought TO us by His Spirit.
My prayer for all of you who read these words today is a sincere prayer to the Father that you would taste God’s promise of power through the gift of His Spirit. Power over sin, power over shame, power over condemnation, power over religious pressure, power over selfish ambition, power over pride, power over fear, power over depression, power over trauma, power over pain.
May you experience the power of a free life today!