Colossians 1: 9-14
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, 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, being strengthened
with all power according to his glorious
might so that you may have great
Colossians 1:9-14
endurance and patience, 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. For he has
rescued us from the dominion of
darkness and brought us into the
kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we
have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
1. PRAYER ...
or, the importance of noticing what
God is doing

For this reason, since the day we heard
about you, we have not stopped praying
for you. (v9)
1. PRAYER ...
or, the importance of noticing what
God is doing
1 Thess 1:2-5
We always thank God for all of you and continually
mention you in our prayers. We remember before
our God and Father your work produced by faith,
your labour prompted by love, and your
endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus
Christ.4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved
by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our
gospel came to you not simply with words but also
with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.
1. PRAYER ...
or, the importance of noticing what
God is doing

Keep your spiritual antennae up.

Notice what God is doing.

Give thanks and start praying.
2. PROCESS ...
or, why believing is not enough.

We continually ask God to fill you with the
knowledge of his will through all the wisdom
and understanding that the Spirit gives, 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, being strengthened with all power
according to his glorious might so that you
may have great endurance and patience, and
giving joyful thanks to the Father,
2. PROCESS ...
or, why believing is not enough.

What does Paul pray?
◦ That God will fill you with knowledge of his
will, through all wisdom and understanding
from the Spirit.
◦ So that you will live lives worthy of the Lord
and please him in every way;
2. PROCESS ...
or, why believing is not enough.

Living lives worthy of the Lord ...
◦ Bearing fruit in every good work
◦ Growing in the knowledge of God
◦ Strengthened with all power
◦ Joyfully giving thanks
3. PARADIGM ...
or, the phenomenon of the upside
down swan
Col 1:12-14
giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has
qualified you to share in the inheritance of
his holy people in the kingdom of light. For
he has rescued us from the dominion of
darkness and brought us into the kingdom of
the Son he loves, in whom we have
redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
3. PARADIGM ...
or, the phenomenon of the upside
down swan

Paradigm?
◦ A model or pattern
◦ A framework of understanding
◦ ‘The set of experiences, beliefs and values that
affect the way an individual perceives reality and
responds to that perception.’
3. PARADIGM ...
or, the phenomenon of the upside
down swan
◦ Key paradigm truths
 We are qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints
in the kingdom of light
3. PARADIGM ...
or, the phenomenon of the upside
down swan
◦ Key paradigm truths
 We’ve been rescued from the dominion of darkness
 We’ve been transferred into the kingdom of the Son
whom He loves
 In Jesus we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
3. PARADIGM ...
or, the phenomenon of the upside
down swan