We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will …
Summary: The cure to Adam and Eve’s disease is Jesus, but to live a life that is pleasing to our Lord requires the knowledge of God’s will.
In verse nine, Paul tells us that he and the people with him have “not stopped praying for you.” The inference I draw from Paul’s words is that his daily prayers, which probably include a lot of people and churches, also include the church at Colossae. Fortunately, Paul will also tell us how he prays for the Colossians.
In today’s passage, he begins with, “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will.”
That is an interesting prayer!
Many times when I am praying, my prayers sound like, “Help me! I’m drowning!”
Life can be hard, especially when we are battling our own corrupt human flesh. The desires of the flesh make us an easy target for the forces of evil in the world.
I am reminded of the scene in the Garden of Eden where Eve is being tempted by the serpent. While discussing the forbidden fruit, the serpent says, “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5)
When dealing with Satan, it is always wise to parse his words carefully. When he says, “your eyes will be opened,” he is not talking about their physical eyes. Those eyes were already working. The serpent was talking about the “eyes” of the mind.
Apparently, prior to eating the fruit, the minds of Adam and Eve were not capable of questioning God’s will. They only had “eyes” for God’s will. They were not able to “know” evil because they couldn’t conceive of doing anything other than what God intended for them to do. You might say that before the fall, Adam and Eve were full of the “knowledge of his will.”
After the fall, things changed. Now, their minds could “see” good and evil, but because they were not God, they could not tell the difference. All they could see were more things to do. Some were good, and most were bad, but they could not tell one from the other.
Because we are their descendants, we suffer from the same debilitating condition. We can “see” both good and evil, but we cannot tell the difference without God’s help. What Paul is praying for in his letter is the cure for our moral blindness. The knowledge of God’s will is what we need to discern the difference between right and wrong.
Application: Pray to God for the knowledge of his will and tell him you receive it in the name of Jesus.
Food for Thought: How does having the knowledge of God’s will change our lives?
Two things I believe about God’s Will that changes our lives:
First, that His Will is good and acceptable and perfect. Knowing this helps me to comprehend how mine (ours) is not. This knowledge leads us to hope. Hope in His good Will toward us: in redemption, protection and guidance to walk in righteousness. This knowledge also empowers us to love one another. If God loves us despite our failures and flailing, and shows us unconditional love, we are able to look at others in how God’s sees us. This changes our entire approach to life and those in our life.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Second, God has a plan for each one of us. His plan is not just for us to “make it out of life alive” but to share in His good Will, be a part of His good Will, to have life, and for Him to bring life to others through us while in this world. This changes our sense of purpose, value, and connection to Him, and to those around us.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Thank you, Chris!
Great insights!
It doesn’t change our lives if we don’t obey Him. It is one thing to know His will and another to do it. I can know a lot of His will through His word. I still need to apply it to me life by obedience. So knowing His will is an important part of the equation. The other part is seen in our actions.
James 1: 22 – 25: Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
John 14: 23 – 24: Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
Excellent point, Rich.
We need to be able to hear God speak, but then to be willing to “do” what he asks.
How does having the knowledge of God’s will change our lives?
We must each make our individual choice to live in obedience, or disobedience to God’s will.
Genesis 2:17, God told Adam, “You must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die”
Genesis 3:1-6, Woman was deceived, she tempted Adam who chose to disobey.
Genesis 3:7-8, They realized they were naked; sewed fig leaves together, made coverings for themselves. Heard the sound of the Lord God and hid from Him.
Genesis 3:12-13, Adam blamed Eve who blamed the serpant.
1 Timothy 2:14, Tells us, Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.
Jesus teaches us, John 16:7-8, But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:
God has provided full knowledge of right, wrong and judgement to all mankind. We all know the truth and are given this time on earth to make “our choice” which has eternal rewards or consequences.
Thank you, Ron!
We need to choose wisely!