Becoming an Answered Prayer Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: Becoming an Answered Prayer ------------------- Date: 2/2/2002 Keywords: "answered prayer" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. For the next several days, we will be studying one of the Apostle Paul’s great prayers, found in Colossians 1. This prayer, for spiritual growth for his readers, is tailor-made for men and women who wrestle with — and sometimes fail in — a chronic temptation to use pornography. God bless you! Passage: Colossians 1:9-14* 9. For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10. so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11. strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12. giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13. For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son 14. in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Question According to verse 10 above, what are some of the hopes Paul has for the people he prays for?   Practical help I count four specific visions Paul puts before the people for whom he prays. Think briefly with me about each of these four prayer requests. 1. He wants them to "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord." American soldiers currently on the front lines in Afghanistan (and perhaps soon in other places) are expected to conduct themselves at all times in a manner worthy of the United States. They are to never bring dishonor by their behavior to the country that has sent them into the field by an act of cowardice or by a breach of integrity. Christians are called to live in a way that is worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ, never bringing shame or dishonor to Him. 2. He wants them to "please [God] in all respects." This is the personal side, not the reputation side. Christians are to conduct themselves in a way that brings a smile to God’s face. 3. He wants them to be "bearing fruit in every good work." This is a prayer for the results of the Christian’s life. Results of our efforts are always up to God. Nevertheless, Paul wants the Christians he is praying for to live fruitful lives. 4. He wants them to be "increasing in the knowledge of God." Finally, Christians are never to have a simply static relationship with God, but a dynamic one. You are invited to come to know God better and better. (If you have never placed your faith in Christ for salvation and become a Christian, but would like to find out how to do that, please click here.) The exciting life God has in store for you — and for which Paul prays — simply does not involve porn. Your porn habit doesn’t reflect well on your Savior (it isn’t worthy of Him), doesn’t bring a smile to God’s face, works against fruit-bearing, and is counterproductive when it comes to developing intimacy with God. If you want to see Paul’s prayer answered in your life, it may be that one of your first steps should be to step away from porn. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2002 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission." -