Incense Rising Online Study 13

Get to know the God who knows you. That was the focus of Day 31 in Incense Rising: 60 Days to Powerful Prayer ( https://amountainoffaith.com/carolyns-books/ ). Paul’s prayer for the church at Colosse ended with a power-packed prayer request.

Read Colossians 1:7-12. We should pray in like manner for Christians, our church, and ourselves. Pay close attention to verse 11.

Strengthen with all might

If we prayed for believers to be strengthened with all might, wouldn’t that render them almighty? Only God is almighty (El Shaddai, Almighty God). God does not endow us with “all might”, but He will supply us all the might necessary for the day. God grants us sufficient strength, sufficient might, for this season of struggle.

What are you facing today? What trial are you going through now? God empowers you with just the right amount of strength when you need it. Never too little, but never too much.

Have you ever thought you could never handle someone else’s circumstances? That is because you lack the substance to handle it. God has not empowered you to handle their trial because it is not your trial to handle.

The next phrase is:

…according to His glorious power

What are we strengthened with? Not our own power, but the power of God. When the Lord fortifies us with all might, we are fueled with a divine gift. God’s power strengthens us. This is why Paul wrote Philippians 4:13:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I clung to that verse for the intense training with my guide dog. Physical strength was necessary during guide dog school. Learning braille called for patience, and that is the next thing Paul speaks about:

…for all patience and longsuffering…

As I explained, braille required more patience than working with a guide dog. However, almost everything we encounter requires some amount of patience, especially the long trials. Trials that never seem to end. God enables us to patiently come through them. Why do we still feel impatient, wanting the pain and sorrow to end? If we ever felt we could handle it, we would no longer need to depend on God. He gives us just what we need while still depending on Him.

Finally, Paul closes the verse:

…with joy.

Joy in a trial? Yes! Read James 1:2. Have you ever wondered how we can consider trials as joyful? Only by the potency and power of Almighty God can joy prevail.

Would you like to pray in the same manner as Paul? Remember to include all of God’s family. Pray for their healing. Pray for their finances. Pray about their job or family. Pray for God to strengthen them with all might according to His power. Power that will give Him glory. Power to make Christians patient, and even count their trial as joy. Sound impossible? Nothing is impossible with God!

Lord, I pray for this reader. Strengthen them with all the might they need. Strengthen with Your power that You may be glorified. Fill them with patience. Fill them with joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.