September 1, 2019

Praying for Spiritual Wisdom

Bible Text: Colossians 1:9–14 | Roger Freeman

Don’t you sometimes wish you knew what God knows? Especially about the future!

More importantly for us is to know what God wants! What is God’s will? This focuses on the future because that is the direction all our choices lead. What is going to happen next? How can I choose what is right? How can I guarantee this will work out well for me? (Honestly, that is what we are concerned about, right?)

Paul’s prayer for the Colossian church—people just like you and me, except they didn’t get to drive cars or have hot water on demand—was that they “may be filled with the knowledge of his will.” Like us, they had questions and wanted to know, “What does God want me to do?” Our questions are things like:

My teen is on screens all the time! What does God want me to do?
I just lost my job! What does God want me to do?
I just got a promotion! What does God want me to do?
I have an important decision to make! What does God want me to do?

As we close out our From the Heart series this Sunday, we are looking at “Praying for Spiritual Wisdom.” What does it take to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will? We will look at the three conditions necessary, some considerations in finding God’s will, and what choosing his will looks like in our lives.

Sermon Notes

FROM THE HEART: Paul’s Prayers for Our Church

Praying for Spiritual Wisdom

Pastor Roger Freeman

Colossians 1:9–14

September 1, 2019

To be filled with the knowledge of God’s will I must:

1.Be saved (v. 9a, 13–14)

2 Corinthians 5:21

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Next Steps

5 Gospel Words

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2.Be spiritual (v. 9b)

Romans 8:12-17

FOUR AVENUES TO FIND GOD'S WILL:

Precept – What God has clearly said – We obey.

Principles – Applications from God’s Word that are oriented to loving and honouring him and bringing him glory – We organize our responses.

Practice – Wisdom from Scripture, other’s experience, common grace learning – We observe and learn and seek to live wisely.

Preference – Where there is none of the above or it simply comes down to a decision – We exercise our options. We choose it and own it!

Colossians 3:16

Ephesians 5:18-19

2 Timothy 3:14-17

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3.Be submissive (v. 10–12)

A LIFE WORTHY AND PLEASING TO GOD

Bearing fruit in every good work

Increasing in the knowledge of God

Being strengthened with all power for all endurance and patience

With joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Topics: Prayer