When an individual is born into
God’s family by faith in Jesus Christ, he is born
with all that he needs to grow toward spiritual
maturity.
How many believers fail to
realize “you are complete in Him” (Colossians 2:10)?
You are complete in Christ for the only experience
you need is the new birth. You do not have to look
for something else, something new, something
different, and something in addition to Christ.
What is needed in the Christian
life is to continue to grow in what we received when
we received Christ at the new birth. We have been
fully equipped in Christ.
The apostle Paul wrote, “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 may
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 sharer in the inheritance of the
saints in light” (Colossians 1:9-12).
There were false teachers
telling these Christians they had to have some
additional experience in the Christian life. They
were suggesting that Christ is not enough. The
apostle Paul writes this letter to refute that
nonsense. Christ is all-sufficient for every
believer in everything.
Paul prayed that God would fill
them “with the knowledge of His will.” He prayed
these believers would be filled out to completeness
with a full, deep understanding.
The Holy Spirit enlightens a
believer’s inner person (1 Cor. 2:5-6; Eph. 3:14-21)
with the truth from the Word of God. The Spirit of
God makes known the will of God through the Bible
and gives spiritual stability (Eph. 2:14).
Where do we find this
“spiritual wisdom and understanding”? We discover it
“in Christ.” The false teachers were saying you find
it in their exclusive possession of their kind of
knowledge. The apostle Paul said no you find it in
an intimate personal knowledge of the Son of God.
This knowledge is not a hidden secret to be
whispered in the ear of an initiate. It is open to
all and it is to be broadcast to the world. Paul’s
prayer is that every Christian be filled with this
knowledge. The end result of such knowledge is to
“walk worthy of the Lord.” What we know will affect
the way we live. Right thinking leads to right
conduct.
Paul says that you will be
filled with the knowledge of God's will in all
spiritual, wisdom and understanding so that you may
walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. That comes from
the study of the Word of God under the illumination
of the Holy Spirit. We can please Him in all
respects, bearing fruit in every good work and
increasing in the knowledge of Christ Jesus.
Spiritual growth is not automatic, but we have been
equipped us by the Word and the Spirit.
The best person in any church
well knows that he is unable to come into the
presence of God on the basis of any self-merit. No
one can receive anything from God on the grounds of
his or her own goodness. However, on the merits of
the shed blood of Jesus Christ even the worst sinner
who turns from his sin and accepts Christ as his
Savior can come with boldness and be “strengthened
with all power, according to His glorious might.”
That “strength with all power, according to His
glorious might” comes from God. It is what God gives
us “in Christ.” It is possible only on the basis of
the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
True prayer is prayer to God
the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy
Spirit.
We “receive from Him anything
we ask, because we obey His commandments and do what
pleases Him” (1 John 3:22). “We have confidence to
enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus”
(Hebrews 10:19), and ask Him for whatever we need
that we may “be filled with the knowledge of His
will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so
that we may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.”
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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