COLOSSIANS: OVERCOMING SYNCRETISM THRU CHRIST

Part VIII: Living In View Of Christ’s Sufficiency And Supremacy, Colossians 3:1-4:6

E. An Effective Prayer Life

(Colossians 4:2 et al.)

I. Introduction

A. Recent research indicates that the average American adopts beliefs and practices from approximately nine distinct worldviews, what produces a jumble of often contradictory philosophies known as syncretism.

B. The epistle to the Colossians handled a mixture of Jewish legalism, Greek philosophy and Oriental mysticism (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, p. 1690, “The Colossian Heresy”), so it applies to the syncretism that we face.

C. In view of Christ’s sufficiency and supremacy, Colossians 4:2 et al. directs us on conducting an effective prayer life, and we view the passage for our insight, application and edification (as follows):

II. An Effective Prayer Life, Colossians 4:2 et al.

A. We believers face an ongoing, formidable threat to our spiritual welfare that requires our persistent prayer and watchfulness, Colossians 4:2a,b:

1. Paul urged his readers at Colossae to “continue steadfastly” (proskartereo, G. Abbott-Smith, A Man. Grk. Lex. of the N. T., 1968, p. 385) in prayer.

2. Coupled with this call was the directive for Paul’s readers to “watch” (gregoreo), “be alert, aware” (U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 702; Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 684).

B. Other New Testament passages reveal that this ongoing, formidable threat is both the world and Satan:

1. The call to “watch” in connection to prayer in the New Testament is used in regard to the threat of “spiritual drowsiness caused by attention to the world,” Ibid.:

a. In Matthew 24:42-44, Jesus called believers in the future Tribulation Period to watch for His Second Coming lest they become spiritually lethargic by a preoccupation with this world and its affairs.

b. In 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 NIV, Paul called Christians who will escape the Tribulation Period due to their being raptured out of the world before that time (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 with 5:1-6) not to live ungodly lives in spiritual slumber as do those who are of this world, but to watch and be self-controlled.

2. In addition, the call to “watch” in connection to prayer in the New Testament is used with regard to the threat of facing “the wiles of the devil,” Ibid.:

a. In Ephesians 6:10-18, Paul urged believers to handle the angelic conflict with prayer and watching.

b. In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter called believers to be watchful for Satan who prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour in getting them to sin and experience resulting spiritual defeat.

3. We also know from Satan’s temptation of Eve in Genesis 3:1-6 that to tempt her, he used the lusts of the flesh, of the eyes and of the pride of this life, what is worldliness according to 1 John 2:16. Since 1 John 5:19 NIV, ESV claims that the whole world system is under Satan’s control, the combination of the world’s lusts and Satan’s influence produces a formidable, ongoing threat to the believer’s spiritual welfare as they tempt him to sin and thus experience spiritual defeat and a loss of God’s blessing.

C. We also know from 1 John 2:13b and 14b that Paul’s call in Colossians 4:2a,b to prayer and watchfulness is to be accompanied by the believer’s continued exposure to and his use of God’s Word:

1. Believers at the intermediate maturity level of “Young Men” are those who are strong in having relied on God’s power and who have God’s Word abiding in them, so they have overcome Satan, 1 John 2:13b, 14b.

2. In accord with this use of Scripture and reliance on God, we note in Matthew 4:3-11 that Jesus overcame Satan’s temptations by citing a Scripture passage to counter each temptation He faced.

3. Thus, for an effective prayer life, we believers must persist in prayer with watchfulness and handling what temptations we face with Scripture’s godly counter of those temptations.

D. Such persistent prayer, watchfulness and use of Scripture in facing the opposition of the world and Satan is to be accompanied with thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2c). A thankful attitude reminds the believer of God’s gracious past deliverances from spiritual defeat, so the attitude of thanksgiving “places the believer in the proper attitude before God” of trusting in Him in his prayer life, Ibid.

Lesson: Due to the threat of facing persistent, strong temptations from the world and Satan to fall into sinful defeat, we believers must persist in prayer with watching and thanksgiving with a focus on Scripture’s guidance.

Application: May we believers in Christ heed these guidelines in God’s Word on having an effective prayer life.