7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. 9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light (NKJV).
Vs 8 – Ep’aphras is a servant with Paul. He was part of Paul’s apostolic team. Paul calls him “a fellow servant,” “a faithful minister of Christ” (on your behalf). Ep’aphras was a servant with Paul.
Servanthood is a primary foundation for the people of God. We are servants of our King and are to be servants with and for one another. Servanthood suggests HUMILITY. Humility is what permits the Lord to raise and lift us up. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7). This leads to victory over the devil and brings the believer to perfection. (See 1 Peter 5:8-10).
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (NKJV)
Faithfulness is another value that is expected in the life of a believer and especially in the life of a Christian leader. From Jesus to the Apostles to Elders or Shepherds of the flock, and in the community of believers, faithfulness is an absolute expected FRUIT. The reason faithfulness is so important is that we are born of Christ’s Spirit, His life dwells in us. That life is a life of “faithfulness.”
Vs 8 – “Ep’aphras . . . brought back reports to Paul about their love in the Spirit for Paul. Love in the Spirit is the most important fruit there is! Faith, Hope, and Love, these three, and the greatest of these is love. It is amazing that the saints who had never seen Paul loved Paul and became part of the community who recognized who Paul is and his need for their constant prayers.
Vs 9 Stimulated Prayers: “For this reason, we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Vs 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; Vs 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.
These 3 verses are so important to our understanding of how the Lord has connected His body in love through prayer and supplication. Consider the apostle’s concern for these saints when he says, “for this reason we also, . . . do not cease to pray for you.” Clear, focused, and you could say lassoer type prayer.
Let’s break these verse down into more bite-size pieces:
- Filled with the knowledge of His will:
What does it mean to be “filled with the knowledge of His Will? First, it is the reason that it is so important to understand the “Mysteries of God.” It is in those mysteries which the disciples received grace to understand that we find the “will of God revealed.” I cannot go into the depth of the mysteries in this teaching, but let me remind us that they are what the Old Testaments foreshadowed. They are what the parables of Jesus were about. They are the keys of the kingdom of God, and the foundation of Christ’s eternal work. They provide the correct context of the doctrines of the New Testament.
2) In all wisdom: The great need for knowledge is to have the wisdom to apply that knowledge. Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
3) Spiritual understanding: what is spiritual understanding? This is when the Holy Spirit graces you with the ability to see things as God sees them. This grace is available for all believers who will diligently search the scriptures and ask the Holy Spirit for proper understanding of interpretation and application.
4) That they might walk “worthy” of the Lord: Worthy of the Lord is given to the one who embraces Christ as the Lord of their life, surrendering to His guidance and direction.
5) That they might “fully please Him: When our whole desire is to serve the Lord’s kingdom and will and we put into action by obedience, it can be said that “we fully please the Lord.
6) That they might be fruitful in every good work: The Father and the Son are looking for the “fruit” of their Vineyard. What is the fruit? It is of the Multiplying the Life of Christ which was given to us by the Holy Spirit through our ministering that life to others in love.
7) Increasing in the knowledge of God: Always asking for God’s will to be revealed to us so we might do the Father’s bidding, not our own.
8) To be strengthened with all might according to His glorious power: This might be explained in coming often to His Throne of Grace to obtain mercy and find help in the time of need. To be fully dependent upon Him in all things.
9) Strengthened with all patience: How easy it is to lose patience, especially with people. We need to ask and depend upon the Lord to empower us with His patience.
10) and long-suffering with joy: So this includes long-suffering. How do you know you are strengthened with long-suffering? The Joy you have in waiting for the results.
I have listed for us, ten prayer requests which you can ask your pastor to pray for you. This is a good list to choose from during any prayer request time. We close with the encouragement by Paul concerning “thanksgiving.”
Vs 12 says, “giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” You are qualified by the Blood of Christ through obedience to the Word and the Spirit!