Paul’s Prayer for the Colossians, Colossians 1:9

(9) 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, (10) 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; (11) strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; (12) giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. (13) For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, (14) in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col 1:9-14)

After giving thanks to God for the Colossians’ faith in God and love for each other (1:3-8), Paul lets them know that he has been praying for their spiritual growth in the knowledge of God’s will in their lives (1:9-14). As Jesus has given us a roadmap for how to pray in Matt 6, Paul gives us another example of how to pray here.

There are several things that we should take note of here. First, all Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare with the enemies of God (Eph 6:10-18). Long ago, Satan declared war on God, and until people choose sides, they are the collateral damage. When we chose to serve Christ, we chose sides and are actively involved in the war. The objectives of warfare fall into 3 categories:

• Strategic – primary and essential targets. These are the people or objects that will be the most disruptive to the enemy’s ability to make war. Maneuvering troops and supplies to take a specific objective (an island, a hill, a town) that will enable you to engage the enemy from a position of strength.
• Tactical – more immediate, less long range operations. That would be something like destroying a specific objective to help your overall strategic goal.
• Logistical – distribution of supplies, men, and material. These would be factories that produce weapons, supply lines, etc.
• Too many Christians limit their prayer to logistical goals, or don’t pray at all. Paul’s prayer involves all three areas, but focuses more on the strategic and the tactical.

Second, Paul’s prayer was short and to the point. We sometimes think that praying for hours on end shows we are more spiritual (Mat 23:14). Likewise, those that cannot do that feel less spiritual. Both Jesus and Paul show us that it's not the length of the prayer that matters, but the content. Prayer should be specific and directed, whether long or short in length.

And last, a false knowledge was being offered to the Colossians as the solution to their needs and problems. Paul knows that the only way to counter this is if they understand God’s will in their lives. He then tells them what that knowledge will produce in them.

The Petition: Be Filled with the Knowledge of God’s Will

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, (1:9)

• ‘For this reason since the day we heard of it,’ (1:9a) – 
• ‘For this reason’ links us back to Paul’s thanksgiving in verses 3-8 and to the fact that he had received a partially favorable report about them from Epaphras.

• ‘we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will’ (1:9b)

• ‘we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask’ – 
• This is an area that too many Christians fail in, they don’t continue to pray for those that are doing well (Php 1:4; 1 Th 1:3; 2 Tim 1:3; Phil 1:4). We all too often only pray for those in the greatest need. We should take the time to pray for those doing well and pray that they make greater progress, as Paul’s example here shows. We need to keep in mind that Satan may reserve his strongest opposition for those who have the most potential for expanding God’s kingdom. This is the ‘unceasing prayer’ that God asks of us (1 Th 5:17; Luke 18:1; 21:36; Rom 12:12; Eph 6:18; Col 4:2; 1Pet 4:7), and it requires us to have a continual God-consciousness attitude. It also requires us to have a people-consciousness attitude that is always aware of their needs. This is the ‘love for all the saints’ spoken of in v. 4.

• ‘that you may be filled’ – 
• The word ‘filled’ means to be completely filled up or be totally controlled. So, Paul is asking for the Colossians to be completely filled, and totally controlled by the deep and thorough knowledge of God’s will for their lives (ref. 1 Co 1:5; Eph 1:17; Phil 1:9; Col 2:3; 3:10).

• ‘with the knowledge of His will’–
• Definition: ‘knowledge’ – is the Greek word, ‘epignosis’, means an exact, precise and full knowledge, discernment, and recognition.
• We can only find the knowledge of God’s will in our lives by knowing His Word. It is the whole counsel of God telling us who Jesus is and what He did. The foundation for godly living is found in knowing the doctrinal absolutes of the Bible.
• The Bible warns us about the dangers of a lack of knowledge (Hos 4:6 – ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge’; Eph 4: 14 – ‘we are no longer to be children, tossed here and thereby waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine’). But to obtain the knowledge Paul’s speaks of here, we have to desire it (John 7:17; Hos 6:3; Act 17:11), we must depend on the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:10-12), and we must study Scripture (2 Tim 3:16-17). [1]
• “Having the knowledge of God’s Word control our minds is the key to righteous living. What controls your thoughts will control your behavior. Self-control is a result of mind-control, which is dependent on knowledge.” [2] 
• Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart]. (Php 4:8 AMP) (2 Cor 10:5)
• It would also appear that Paul was insinuating that their current knowledge was only partial, and that he desired that they have a complete knowledge.

• ‘in all spiritual wisdom and understanding’ –
• Definition: ‘spiritual’ – is the Greek word, ‘pneumatikos’, means belonging to or controlled by the divine Spirit. The intent of the text is to convey that the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and understanding. Mankind can only offer an empty wisdom based on human philosophy and devoid of the Holy Spirit. ‘Believers need a wisdom that is found in the Scriptures and is taught by the Holy Spirit, an important theme in the New Testament (cf. John 16:7-15; 1 Cor. 2:6-3:3; Eph. 1:17f; 3:16-19; 1 John 2:20, 27).’ [3]
• Definition: ‘wisdom’ – is the Greek word, ‘Sophia’ { sof-ee’-ah }, means broad and full of intelligence; used of the knowledge of very diverse matters. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines wisdom as,

Ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding. The apostle Paul declared that the message of the cross is foolishness to the Greeks and a stumbling block to the Jews. But to those who believe, said Paul, this "foolishness of God" is "the wisdom of God." (1 Cor 1:18-25)

The biblical concept of wisdom, therefore, is quite different from the classical view of wisdom, which sought through philosophy and man's rational thought to determine the mysteries of existence and the universe. The first principle of biblical wisdom is that man should humble himself before God in reverence and worship, obedient to His commands. This idea is found especially in the WISDOM LITERATURE: the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. [4]

Wisdom, in contrast to understanding, appears to be a broader, more theoretical, more theological and therefore a more general term that refers to the ability to collect and organize principles from Scripture so that one can choose the best course of action for a given situation.

• Definition: ‘understanding’ – is the Greek word, ‘sunesis’, means ‘a running together, a flowing together with, a uniting or union.’ So, contrasted with wisdom, understanding appears to be a more specialized term that refers to the practical or the application of the principles from Scripture to everyday life (Eph 1:17). Understanding takes wisdom and applies it to a specific problem or issue. It has been said that ignorance is bliss, but God places no value on ignorance.

• ‘all wisdom and understanding’ –
• Wisdom and understanding are not independent or unrelated to each other. It is not 'all wisdom' or 'all understanding'. Theology without application is dry intellectualism and becomes knowledge for the sake of knowledge. But application without doctrinal understanding is putting the cart before the horse. Doing this treats knowledge as a formula to be wielded about without having to understand the principles of Scripture that guide its use.
• It should also be noted here that in the first nine chapters of Proverbs, wisdom and understanding are linked together in 14 of the 35 places that wisdom is mentioned. But please take note that the other 21 times wisdom is mentioned by itself. Apparently God thinks that it is extremely important that we know the principles of Scripture, regardless of whether we are able to apply them in every instance of our lives.
• The reason that the Scriptures are to be studied is to know how to wisely apply them in our everyday life. It has been said that ‘ignorance is bliss’, but God does not appear to place any value on ignorance (cf. Pr 1:20-29). As John MacArthur puts it, “Believing, submissive Bible study leads to the knowledge of God’s will. A mind saturated with such knowledge will also be able to comprehend general principles of godly behavior. With that wisdom will come understanding of how to apply those principles to the situations of life. That progression will inevitably result in godly character and practice.” [5] Our godly knowledge is only sound when it shapes our conduct.

For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things

(Col 1:9 AMP)

Footnotes

[1] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Colossians & Philemon, p 29.
[2] Ibid, p 29.
[3] J. Hampton Keathley III, Paul’s Letter to the Colossians: An Exegetical and Devotional Commentary, Filled With the Knowledge of His Will (Col. 1:9).
[4] Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, p/o the Online Bible, Computer Program, © 1987-2005.
[5] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Colossians & Philemon, p 30.

The primary sources for this study use J. Hampton Keathley III, Paul’s Letter to the Colossians: An Exegetical and Devotional Commentary, from bible.org, Copyright ©1996-2020 Bible.org, and all attributions are reprinted with permission granted by bible.org, and John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Colossians & Philemon, (Moody Bible Institute: ©1992).

This study uses many of the commentaries, dictionaries and the Greek Lexicon which are all part of 'The Online Bible', Computer Program, © 2023, Larry Pierce, http://www.onlinebible.net/, unless otherwise referenced. See Greetings and Thanksgiving, Colossians 1:1-4 for full attribution.

All Scriptures quotes are from the New American Standard Bible, 1995 Revision, unless otherwise noted. Verse links from Blue Letter Bible, https://www.blueletterbible.org/