“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the Word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.
Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.“-{Colossians 4:2-6}
Jesus on seeing the multitudes and feeling not contempt or irritable that they were coming to Him again but compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd to care, protect and provide for them. They were defenseless, vulnerable. They needed help. He tells the disciples the first thing they were to do and that was. PRAY. “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.“-{Matt 9:36-38}
When Paul wrote the church where Timothy was he said that the priority for then was to PRAY. “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,“-{1 Timothy 2:1-3}.
Here again in Colossians, Paul begins with Prayer and asks for their help and co laboring with him in the matter in seeking out to the lost souls in the circumstances he was in.
Isn’t in interesting Paul does not ask prayer for his release from prison but opportunities in his circumstances to share the Gospel, with clarity, conducting himself wisely, honorably and speaking with graciousness!
The idea here of “devote yourselves to prayer,” is that of a strong, perseverance commitment to beseeching God in prayer. It is to be God conscious in your circumstances, to turn your thoughts, circumstances into prayer to God. It is to keep Him before your mind! Whatever you see causes you to immediately talk to God about, be it something beautiful or a bad thing! Living your life relating to God consistently! Staying “alert,” not falling asleep spiritually. If you fall asleep physically you can’t see what is going on around you. You have no consciousness of what is happening until you wake up. So we stay “alert” spiritually through prayer and thanksgiving the means to doing so as we keep the LORD before us and being God conscious in bringing our thoughts, what we see, circumstances, continually to Him. Speaking to Him consistently.
Wherever you are, be it on a sick bed, hospice, or in full bloom of health you have access to God through the blood of Jesus and can pray.- {Read Rom 5:2; Heb 4:15}. You can be part of what God is doing through standing in the gap and praying to God on behalf of the one who is going with the message and that God might do for those who hear the Word, as He did for Lydia opening her mind, heart, to receive and submit by faith to the Word she heard, that God used to save her. -{Read Acts 16:14}. In Matthew 13 Jesus speaks of the response to His Word in the message on the four soils and only one was saved that which had good soil and the evidence was a life of obedience and the proof of spiritual fruit of obedience to testify. You can pray for the receptivity of the one who hears and His Word would have good soil to fall on. Hudson Taylor who was missionary to Inland China on his travels when entering certain areas would remark it was prayed over ground, that people were receptive to the message when he got there.
Paul asks others for prayer! He had also asked the Ephesians for prayer in the same manner. “Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,”-{Ephesians 6:19}. Good place to begin. Talk to God about the messenger and the ones who will hear! He asks them to “pray for us…” not just him, but his companions and what is it he asks them to pray for,”Get me out of here?” No, He is asking that God may open an “opportunity” for him to share…
- “that God will open up to us a door for the Word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ.“
- “But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.“-{1 Cor 16:8-9}. Note, with God opening up opportunities, there were many adversaries who opposed the Gospel! “Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord,“-{2 Cor 2:12}. God is the One who gives these opportunities.
- “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:
- “I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.“-{Rev 3;7-8}.
- “When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”-{Acts 14:27}
Note, Paul asking for help in his serving the LORD and the emphasis he places on praying for the advancement of the Gospel. He is asking they pray specifically, for “an open door,” that he would speak with clarity the message of Christ.
Just as David and some of his men went off to battle others were entrusted with staying behind minding the home fire as it were, they equally served. So it is with co- laboring in the Gospel, one may go while another supports with prayer. You can do both, you can daily be one who is praying for the one who goes by praying specifically for the LORD to open up doors of opportunity, favor and for good soil of a heart to receive the Word. Praying specifically for opportunities for The Word. For The Word of God is what the Spirit of God uses to open hearts and enlighten a soul and the Word is what used for the knowledge of sin -{Romans 7:7} and salvation-{2 Tim 3:15}.
You can pray for the one who shares to make their message Christ centered!
Note his message is….”Christ!” Not a mixture of politics and the LORD but Christ his theme, for He is the answer to the need of each and every human heart in every generation.
Be alert in praying for the opportunities that they may have. Pray for God to open up a door of opportunity for you and for others who are going with the Gospel!
Pray also that the one who is going that their conduct would match up with their profession of being Christ’s. Pray that they would speak with graciousness, kindness,consideration,courteous and be able to answer what ever questions be asked of them, this would mean they need to be in the Word.
You can participate, whether you find yourself walking on a college or high school campus, on a sick bed, in a hospice, in the bloom of health, in a kitchen, or a factory floor, you can pray for the advancement of the Gospel. You can pray for those who are going forth with the message and that they would not get side tracked but stay on the message which is…CHRIST!
He asks for prayer that he may present a Person-The LORD Jesus!
Co Laboring in Evangelistic Praying is something we can and should be part of our living.
1.- Praying for the one going with the Message. -{v3}.
2.- Praying for GOD to Open up a Door for the WORD.-{v3}.
3.- Praying that CHRIST would be proclaimed. -{v 3}.
4.- Praying they would share the message of Christ with Clarity,{v4} behaving and speaking graciously and know how to respond to each person-{v 5- 6}.
Who are you co-laboring in evangelistic prayer for today? Can you think of any that are going forth with the Gospel? Pause now and Pray for them. Are you going forth with the gospel, ask someone to pray Colossians 4:3-6 for you. Partnering together in the Gospel.
Praying today with purpose, everyone has a part to play…including…you! Good news!
Memorize Colossians 4;3-6 and use it as “fuel” for your evangelistic praying!