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A Pastoral Prayerfor the New Year

by Samuel E. Ward

Colossians 1:9-12

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Col 1:9 (NIV) Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

I. Prayer for Spiritual Understanding, Col 1:9

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A. Understanding the Will of God

Knowing the will of God begins with wanting to know it. It is necessary, then, to . . . 

1. Ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will.

2. Tell Him that you are willing to do it. 3. Give him all of your time, talents and

treasures Him. God will make sure you have enough to take care of your needs.

4. Give Him everything without reserve.

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Knowing the will of God requires that you first give your whole self to God. (Rom 12:1-2 NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. {2} Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

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B.Be Filled with the Word of God.

1. As a child, God’s Word will teaches you the principles of right and wrong.

 (Prov 22:6 NIV) Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

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2. As a teen, God’s Word guides you to the wisdom that will help you avoid the mistakes and pitfalls of youth into responsible adulthood.

 (Eccl 11:9 NIV) Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.

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3. As a young adult God’s Word instructs you how to remain unharmed by the recklessness of youth.

(Psa 119:9 NIV) How can a young man [or woman] keep his way pure? By living according to your word. 

4. As an adult, God’s Word advises you in how to function spiritually in your roles.

 (Col 3:21 NIV) Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.

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5. As a mature elder, God’s Word will be a treasure of great wisdom and discernment not known by those who are not exercised in it.

 (Heb 5:14 NIV) But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

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II. Prayer for Spiritual Productivity, Col 1:10

(Col 1:10 NIV) We pray. . . that you may live a life worthy [KJV – “walk worthy”] of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

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A. A Productive Walk  

1. Holiness is our calling. 

(Eph 1:4 NIV) For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

2. Holiness is our testimony. 

(Phil 2:14-15 NIV) Do everything without complaining or arguing, {15} so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

B. Productive Work1. Service to God is a command

with a promise. 

(1 Cor 15:58 NIV) Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

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2. Service to God is not accepted from the rebellious and habitual sinner.

 (Josh 24:19 NIV) Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins.

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3. Service to God is accepted only from those who perform it in the right spirit.

 (James 3:12-18; 4:1 NIV) My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. {13} Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

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{14} But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. {15} Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. {16} For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. {17} But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. {18} Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. {4:1} What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?

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III. Prayer for Spiritual Power Col 1:10-11

In the coming year is almost cer-tain that events will occur when we will need God’s power to help us.  

A. What We Might Have to Endure 

1. People, even as God does.

(Acts 13:17-18 NIV) The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that country, {18} he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert.

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2. Persecution, even as Christ did 

(2 Tim 3:12-13 NIV) In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, {13} while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 

3. Problems, evercome by hope in Christ

 

(1 Th 1:3 NIV) We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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B. How We Must Endure 

1. Endure Patiently 

a. Patience is commanded by God.

(Rom 12:12 NIV) Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

b. Patience is an expression of love.

(1 Cor 13:4 NIV) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

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c. Patience is the result of the Spirit’s work in us.

 

(Gal 5:22-23 NIV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 

d. Patience puts up with the weaknesses and limitations (not sins) of others.

 

(Eph 4:2 NIV) Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

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e. Patience is to be extended to everyone.

 

(1 Th 5:14-15 NIV) And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. {15} Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

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3. Endure Joyfully 

a. There is hope in the Lord Jesus Christ in the present and the future.

 

(1 Th 1:3 NIV) We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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b. There is a co-rulership with Christ awaiting us if we endure.

 

(2 Tim 2:12 NIV) if we endure, we will also reign with him.

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c. There is the promise of victory after we have endured.

 

(Rom 8:35-37 NIV) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? {36} As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." {37} No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

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The PrayerHeavenly Father, I ask that you fill us

with the knowledge of your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And I pray this in order that we may live a life worthy of the Lord and may 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 we may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.