Col 1:9-12 (NIV) 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. 10 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, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
NOTE: After telling them about how he heard about their faith, Paul launches into what he has been praying for them, which also outlines his desire for them spiritually. He wants them to grow in spiritual wisdom, to live lives worthy of the Lord, to bear fruit, to know God, to live in his power, to endure, and to joyfully give thanks. My paraphrase lists seven things.
What are the most important things for a new believer to know and do? If I was writing the letter, I would want them to grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ through knowledge of the word of God. So, I would emphasize getting into the word as the means to know Christ. My second thing would be for them would be to obey God, to put into practice the things that God reveals to them in the word. My third thing would be to emphasize prayer, because it is not really a relationship if the communication is one-way, that is from God to man, and not also man to God. I know that fellowshipping with other believers keeps us in the battle and encourages us to maintain this discipline. Without others the first three items fall off, because we feel we are all alone, so fellowship is important for ourselves, but also for others, since they would be in the same boat. But they also need to share their new found faith with those who don't know about Jesus, because that expands our vision beyond our temporal selves, and gives meaning to our existence here on earth. Otherwise, we could do the first three things, be encouraged by others to continue, but have no real purpose beyond activities which primarily benefit ourselves. The gospel message is our purpose. God has given us a huge mission, to take the message into our world and to make disciples of all the nations. That is our vision. That is the thing which is bigger than us and captivates our heart. Without it, we are left with a selfish attachment to a dying and decaying world centered around entertaining ourselves. How empty!
Paul's list is not really that different from mine, it is just said more elegantly and without so many words. The knowledge of his will is reaching the world. Spiritual wisdom and understanding comes through the word. Living lives worthy and pleasing to God is putting into practice his truth. Bearing fruit is having a witness among others (both believers to encourage, and unbelievers to challenge them to truth). Growing in the knowledge of God is the relational aspect which requires the word and prayer. Strengthened in power adds the importance of the Holy Spirit in you to make the impact in the world (my list excluded but would be very important). Great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks are the final keys to long-term sustainment as a believer, and growth in key character qualities. Paul emphasizes the long-term needs which my list failed to address.
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