Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20070902.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Colossians: Maturing Over False Beliefs By Christ's Supreme All-Sufficiency
Part IX: Applying Christ's Supreme All-Sufficiency To Godly Living
F. Using Christ's Supreme All-Sufficiency For Victory In Spiritual Conflict
(Colossians 4:2 et al.)
  1. Introduction
    1. The Christian has three spiritual enemies -- the world (1 John 2:15-16), the sin nature ("flesh", Romans 7:15-24) and the devil (1 Peter 5:8), and succumbing to any one of these leads to sin and spiritual defeat.
    2. In each case, these foes are to be conquered, though in different ways: (1) the world is overcome by our choice not to love its lusts of the flesh, the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-16); (2) the sin nature is overcome by walking by the Holy Spirit's power (Galatians 5:16) and (3) the devil is overcome as we resist him strong in the faith and gracious provisions of God's power (1 Peter 5:8-9; Ephesians 6:10-12).
    3. However, many times believers fall prey to defeat before any one of these foes either subtly or so suddenly that they are caught off guard, and thus sin. Paul reflects the teachings of Christ and other Apostles in Colossians 4:2 on the first and most important line of defense in this for our experiential spiritual welfare:
  2. Using Christ's Supreme All-Sufficiency For Victory In Spiritual Conflict, Colossians 4:2 et al.
    1. Paul's simple, short call for his Colossians Christian readers in Colossians 4:2 to continue (KJV) and to "watch" (KJV) in prayer with thanksgiving deals with the initial line of defense against spiritual failure before the believer's enemies of the world, the sinful nature and the devil (as follows):
      1. The KJV term "continue" literally means to "persist, continue in" as noted by The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, p. 684.
      2. With such prayer, the believer is to "watch" (KJV), to be "alert, aware", Ibid. (Colossians 4:2). The way this word appears in relation to prayer shows the New Testament writers with Christ meant the believer was to view himself as living in a spiritual war with enemies that could lure him into defeat:
        1. Paul urged the Thessalonian believers to be alert against the moral evil of the world and its lusts that they live righteously versus how the lost lived, cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:5-7, Ibid., p. 706.
        2. Jesus warned His disciples in Gethsemanee to watch and pray that they not enter into the temptation of their sin nature faithlessly to flee when He was taken captive, Matthew 26:38-41, 56. They failed to do so: when faced with the threat of the temptation, they abandoned Christ, Matt hew 26:56.
        3. Paul called the Ephesians to watch out for Satan's movements to try to lead and/or lure them into sin, and to pray to offset this challenge in Ephesians 6:10-12, 18.
        4. Hence, the call to "watch and pray" is applied in the New Testament to the whole issue of spiritual temptation to fall prey either to the world, the sin nature or the devil that lead the believer to sin and thus to fail to enjoy God's blessings.
      3. Thus, the believer's earthly experience is such a huge spiritual struggle with the stakes so very high that he is obliged to recall his need as a way of life to depend on God in prayer [along with direction from His Word, cf. Isaiah 8:19-20] just to DISCERN temptations from the world, the sinful nature and the devil all so that he ADJUST for VICTORY BEFORE he be tempted by his spiritual enemies to sin!
      4. This life of constant prayer [and use of Scripture] is to be done along with thanksgiving, for we must recognize that God graciously gives us the insight into temptations when they first arrive, and He alone has the power to equip us to overcome them as we ought!
    2. We know this type of prayerful, Bible-based alertness regarding evil is effective since, as Paul already established in Colossians 1:1-2:23, Christ is our all Supreme, All-Sufficient Lord over the world ( Colossians 1:20), the sinful nature (Colossians 3:9-12) and the devil (Colossians 1:12-13).
Lesson: Since our Supreme, All-Sufficient Savior is Sovereign Conqueror over the world, the sin nature and the devil, the believer's three spiritual foes, by heeding Scripture and praying as a way of life in reference to its revelation, by Christ we can anticipate sinful temptations from any of these foes in their early stages to respond effectively for blessed victory over temptation.

Application: Trusting our Supreme, All-Sufficient Savior, may we watch and pray as a way of life in accord with our exposure to Scripture that we stay godly in life and enjoy blessing versus sinful defeat.