Praying God's Word: Prayers of Paul (Part 2)Sample

GIVE THANKS FOR GOD’S GREAT DELIVERANCE

Colossians 1:12-14 – Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

In the divine administration, the Father is mentioned in connection with the broad sweep of His plan of redemption. He is the Person of the Trinity who initiates the plan of the ages.

It is the Father who qualifies us, not our own works. We gain this as an inheritance, instead of earning it as a wage.

Christians have been delivered from Satan’s domain. The word has the idea of a rescue by a sovereign power.

Another place where this same phrase for the power of darkness is used is in Luke 22:53, where Jesus spoke of the darkness surrounding His arrest and passion in the same terms. “These words refer to the sinister forces marshaled against him for decisive combat in the spiritual realm.” (Bruce)

The power of darkness may be seen in its effects, and for those who have been delivered… from the power of darkness, these effects should be less and less evident in life.

· The power of darkness lulls us to sleep.

· The power of darkness is skilled at concealment.

· The power of darkness afflicts and depresses man.

· The power of darkness can fascinate us.

· The power of darkness emboldens some men.

“Beloved, we still are tempted by Satan, but we are not under his power; we have to fight with him, but we are not his slaves. He is not our king; he has no rights over us; we do not obey him; we will not listen to his temptations.” (Spurgeon)

And conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love: According to Barclay, the word we translate conveyed had a special significance in the ancient world. When one empire conquered another, the custom was to take the population of the defeated empire and transfer it completely to the conqueror’s land. It is in this sense that Paul says we have been conveyed into God’s kingdom. Everything we have and everything we now belong to Him.

The Son of His love is a Hebraic way of saying “God’s dear Son.”

Redemption has the idea of release by a legal ransom. The price for our release was paid by the blood of Jesus.

This is one reason why pleading the blood of Jesus – in the right sense, not in a magical or superstitious sense – has such great significance in spiritual warfare. It shows the “receipt” of our lawful purchase as redeemed people.

The word translated forgiveness is the ancient Greek word aphesis, most literally rendered “a sending away.” Our sin and guilt are sent away because of what Jesus did on the cross for us.

“It thus speaks of the removal of our sins from us, so that they are no longer barriers that separate us from God.” (Vaughan)

Prompt: Pray Colossians 1:12-14. Use this passage as a guide to thank Jesus for His wonderful work on your behalf.

Based on the Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik.