Colossians 1:9-10

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 will 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;


If you’re starting your morning devotion before your first cup of coffee kicks in, you may not remember for “what reason also” Paul is praying for the Colossians. It is because he has heard of their love in the Spirit from Epaphras! Rather than focusing on praying for those who were struggling, Paul here is focusing on prayers for those doing well. Often in our prayer life we focus on the negatives. As believers we should lift one another in prayer as we all grow to be more like Christ, whether we are strong in our walk to the Celestial City or stumbling on the pathway.

Spiritual wisdom, sophia, means wisdom, insight, or skill. Understanding, sunesis, literally means “a running together”. Figuratively this is the ability to “put two and two together” and come to true conclusions about life. Having both sophia and sunesis allows one to apply spiritual knowledge to practical everyday situations and react accordingly, not being led astray by false teaching, circumstances, or the heat of the moment. As believers we do not need a secret spiritual knowledge available only to a few; we need knowledge of scripture and the leading of the Holy Spirit within us.

Only when following God’s will and the leading of the Holy Spirit when we walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, please Him in all respects, and bear good fruit. Good works are not a means to earn salvation; instead they are a natural outgrowth of daily walking with God. The more we understand about God’s character and grow in our knowledge of Him, the more we will become convicted about areas of sin in our lives and live to bring glory and honor to Him. In both trees and men the fruit produced reveals the quality of life within. What fruit will grow in your life today?

All spiritual behavior is to be evaluated on the basis of absolutes established in the Word of God. This is a book of absolutes. This is a book of principles. This is a book of laws, if you will. And the first thing that is the objective in the Christian life… is to learn those absolutes… The only way to have right behavior... is to have right knowledge. 

- John MacArthur