Colossians 3 – Present in Spirit

The Apostle Paul was locked up in a Roman prison, when in his letter to Colossae he declared something amazing. Paul said in Colossians 2:1 that he was “present” with them in Spirit.

Through the power of praying to God in the Spirit anything is possible. A man in chains was effecting the outcome of a church over a thousand miles away.

Paul was present in prayer.

You can be present in prayer. You can make a difference in every world wide situation, if you will pray in the Spirit.

It is time for the Church of Jesus Christ to pray in the Spirit. We must be present in prayer.

Welcome back to Redemption Church. It is a great day to worship God here in Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I greet you in Jesus’ name.

We are in the 3rd week of our Colossians series. Today I want you to get your Bibles out and turn to Colossians chapter 2.

We are going to have someone help us read scripture today.

Colossians 2:1 (NIV2011) I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.

Colossians 2:2 (NIV2011) My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,

Colossians 2:3 (NIV2011) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:4 (NIV2011) I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.

Colossians 2:5 (NIV2011) For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

Clap your hands if you are thankful for the word of God.

Outline

Verses 1-5 Paul asserts his motive, intention, and goals.

Paul wants the Colossian & Laodicean Church to know that he is working hard for them.

Colossians 2:1 (NIV2011) I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.

Colossians 2:5 (NIV2011) For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

Paul can’t be there in the physical, but he is present in spirit.

The work of God is being done all throughout our world. We can’t be everywhere in the physical. You can only be one place at a time.

Present in Spirit

Paul declares that he is present in spirit. Sometimes we might say “I can’t be there but I am with you “in spirit.” We use it as a way of saying “I support what you are doing, I am rooting for you, I am absent but I don’t want you to fail…”

But when Paul says “I am present with you in spirit” he goes beyond simply rooting for them or thinking about them. The word for spirit here is pneuma (pnyü’-mä). Pneuma is the word translated as God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ.

Paul is declaring that He is hard at work, contending for them in God’s Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit, Paul is present. Through the Spirit, Paul is at work in Colossae. Through the Spirit, Paul is effecting the outcome of Laodicea.

So we have a group of people that Paul has never met, yet in the SPIRIT, he is hard at work for them.

Redemption Church, do you see the parallel here for us?

We don’t all the people the Hattabaugh’s are preaching Jesus to in Lebanon… But we can be with them IN SPIRIT!

We don’t understand all that Pastor Yoel Rodriguez in dealing with in Cifuentez,