Last week the message closed with Colossians 1:9-14, the Apostle Paul’s prayer for the church at Colossae. 
Let’s look into it again.  There is so much more in this prayer that I share in today’s brief message!  My hope is that we each do a personal study, seeking the Holy Spirit to reveal its riches. 
 
To begin, please read Colossians 1:9-14 again, also read Colossians 1:3-4.
 
[As an aside, please note:
Paul also prayed for other churches as in the following:
For the church in Rome,
“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.” Romans 1:9
Also for the church in Ephesus,
“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.”  Ephesians 1:15-16
And for the church in Philippi,
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy.”  Philippians 1:3-4
And for the church in Thessalonica,
“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.”  1 Thessalonians 1:2
 
A question!  Should we, too, be thanking God and  praying for the fellow members of the church wherever they may be?  (I’m speaking of the body of Christ, The Church.) We do pray for the missionaries and those under great persecution, but as we see in Paul’s letters let us follow that example that Scripture has set before us and pray for the whole church.]
 
What was Paul’s prayer to God in verse 9 of Colossians 1?
“For this reason, 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.”
 
And Paul in Romans 12:1-2 appeals to us,
“I Beseech (urge) you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that  you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
 
Why does Paul pray Colossian 1:9?  He tells us in vs. 10-12
“And we pray this in order that you 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 you may have great endurance (longsuffering) and patience, and joyfully
“giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”  
 
Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-16 says, (Please read his whole prayer for the Ephesians Vs. 14-21)
“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family of heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man…”  
It is so that we come to know in reality ‘the love of Christ which passes knowledge’.
 
As for longsuffering, patience and joy, these are three of nine of the Spirit’s fruit, as we walk in the Spirit they are to be evident in our life in Christ.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,  faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23
 
This is our life in Christ Jesus, in the Son of the Father’s love!
 
Why does Paul pray this prayer?  Colossians 1:13-14 gives us the reason!
“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.”  Vs. 13-14
 
We are now in the Kingdom of light; the Kingdom of Christ Jesus! Thank you Lord God for Your love beyond our understanding.  We worship You and give You all praise and glory.  Amen