Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
God strengthens His children with every kind of might, measured by His own glorious power, so they can endure trials with patience and bear with others with longsuffering joy. That strength does not come from feeble human effort or looking at personal weakness, but from looking to Jesus, having access through His merits to the throne of Infinite Power, and receiving the Holy Spirit without measure for service and victory over evil. It belongs together with being filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, walking worthy of the Lord, being fruitful in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God. It is addressed to every believer in all time and describes the vital union with Christ that must be constantly sought, not mere profession or having the name on the church roll, as seen in the early disciples who sought God's will above all. In daily life it shows itself in calm endurance of provocation and reproach without hasty or angry words, but with compassion, kindness, and tender speech that manifest His Spirit.
Setting and Original Audience
Paul's prayer for the saints and faithful brethren at Colosse asked that they be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, be fruitful in every good work, increase in the knowledge of God, and be strengthened with all might according to His glorious power unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. That strengthening is divine power for patient endurance with joy and for bearing with others with joy, joined to thanksgiving to the Father who makes believers fit to share the inheritance of the saints in light, delivers from the power of darkness, translates into the kingdom of His dear Son, and gives redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. It belongs among truths for the work of saving those who are perishing and giving present truth to those in the darkness of error, a vital practical truth to dwell upon for the saving of souls ready to perish.
It is a decided address given by the Holy Spirit to every believer in all time, for the help of the later church that should afterward compose the church as well as for those first written to at Colosse. It teaches the vital union that should exist between Christ and His disciples, a union to be constantly striven for. Religion consisting only of profession is pretense, and a union ending with the writing of the name on the church roll does not make one a channel of light.
This was the condition of the early disciples, who sought above all things to know the will of God, walked worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, were fruitful in every good work, and increased in the knowledge of God. It is the spiritual life the church must practice, with God's purpose that His church receive full strength from His glorious power for patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. It does not describe a church that is weak and inefficient because its members follow their own impulses, refuse to do the will of God, are led by another spirit, and do not know the meaning of the written Word. Its strength is reached when the principles of God's law are brought into the daily life, proving from experience that the law converts the soul.
Divine Strengthening Described
God's children are strengthened by His glorious power so that they can endure with patience and longsuffering, and do so with joy. This strengthening is part of the spiritual growth and fruitful life to which believers are called. The strengthening is with all might and every kind of might, enabling believers to endure patiently and to bear with others, doing so with joy. The might given is measured by and proportionate to His glorious might.
The strength does not come from feeble human efforts but is part of the abundant provision God has made, bearing precious fruit for Christ. Nor does it come from looking at personal infirmities, but from looking to Jesus for sufficiency and power and committing the keeping of the soul to God as a faithful Creator, since the ransom has been paid at a dear price and Jesus and all heaven are working for man's salvation. Through the merits of Christ believers have access to the throne of Infinite Power, and the verse reveals the heights of attainment that may be reached through faith in the promises of the heavenly Father when His requirements are fulfilled. Through partaking of the fullness of the Spirit, which the Father gave without measure to His Son, they receive divine might for faithful service and for overcoming evil inclinations, enabling patience and steadfastness with joy.
Christ strengthens His followers with all might, shares His power, and imparts His glory, which is His character, so that they can be perfected in unity. This strengthening belongs to the higher life, even the life of God, and is the privilege and sacred trust of every Christian, together with being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. The verse expresses an unselfish desire, free from envy or fear of others getting ahead, that every believer may reach this high attainment. It holds wonderful possibilities for all who heed it, leading them on from strength to strength and bringing them each night a day's march nearer home.
Knowledge Growth and Fruitfulness
The strengthening belongs with being filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God, as an advancing experience in religious faith that leads from knowledge to a worthy walk to fruitfulness to growth to divine strengthening for patient endurance with joy. That strength is part of the spiritual growth and worthy walk prayed for, accompanying increasing knowledge of God and fruitful living, and divine wisdom brings substantial joy and true happiness, not gloom. That knowledge of God and of His will is necessary and most desirable, obtained by earnest prayer, and in a world where iniquity abounds and the law is made void those who have it will not separate from Him by disobedience but will be animated with earnest desire to fulfill His purpose and live to please Him who gave His life that believers should not perish but have everlasting life. It comes as believers heed God's Word and grow in knowledge of Him, supporting a life pleasing to the Lord and fruitful in good works, rather than one marked by dejection or careless speech.
The strengthening is joined to thanksgiving to the Father who makes believers fit to share the inheritance of the saints in light, delivers from the power of darkness, translates into the kingdom of His dear Son, and gives redemption through His blood, even forgiveness of sins, as vital practical present truth for saving souls ready to perish and giving light to those in error. It comes when the heart is melted and subdued by the Holy Spirit through daily seeking God with aspirations for His favor and a heart right with Him, bringing sweet peace in the heart, the Spirit revealed in the words, new power in Scripture, and keen appetite for the Word of the living God. This same strengthening enables believers to keep growing in knowledge of God and Christian experience and to become fit for the inheritance of the saints in light, and it describes true conversion and the effect of sanctifying truth rather than mere nominal profession, so that God is better pleased with six truly converted than with sixty only professing.
Growth in Christ has no fixed limit but is constant growth in spirituality for everyone who constantly yields the will to be led and taught, an advancing religious experience through prayer, through watchfulness, and through growth in understanding that prepares believers to communicate the truth for this generation acceptably. It comes not through self-exaltation but through increasing understanding and knowledge of Jesus Christ. It belongs to the reforms called for in the context and to the sure result of accepting present truth in genuine faith, a living active faith grounded in confidence in God's word rather than in changing feelings. Those who repent and believe, accept Christ's righteousness, and follow His example are strengthened in this way with knowing God's will, walking to please Him, bearing good fruit, and growing in knowledge of God.
There is something to be patient over, and patient joyful endurance comes from sensing the goodness of God in sending His Son to die for sinful people and keeping that truth woven into experience and fixed in the mind. That creates love for those for whom Christ died and removes desire for supremacy, hatred, envy, and evil suspicion, freeing believers to give attention to the eternal weight of glory and to understand the plan of salvation from beginning to end so they can present it justly to the world. It is God's will that His people stand on an elevated platform with no thread of selfishness woven into character, the heart refined and purified from all dross and filled with the knowledge of God. It is God's purpose for His church and His workers at this time to keep growing in knowledge of Him and receive this strength, which requires recognizing that the warnings of the Word are appropriate for this time, praying and watching unto prayer, and being reconverted.
Union with Christ for Service
For those united to God, being strengthened with all might according to His glorious power comes through daily gaining more knowledge of Him and daily growing in grace and in spiritual understanding. This constant growth in spirituality through Christ has no fixed limit for everyone who constantly yields the will to God to be led and taught, and it comes through prayer, through watchfulness, and through growth in understanding. That strengthening gives spirituality to the understanding, makes knowledge of the Scriptures practical, and increases spiritual efficiency, so that God's servants can give strength to those for whom they labor and to the people of God. So strengthened, they are prepared to work for others as Christ's helping hands and to communicate the word of the living God, the truth for this generation, acceptably to all with whom they are brought into contact, and the Lord is pleased when those connected with Him are in this way filled with a knowledge of His will.
It belongs to the higher life, even the life of God, which is the privilege of believers, giving full strength from His glorious power for patient, joyful endurance and fruitfulness in every good work. That divine might increases spiritual, mental, and physical power when work is wisely planned, instead of dwarfing the self by carrying so many burdens that health and courage and faith in God are lost through overwork. Received in this way, it keeps workers from placing themselves where they will be overworked and enables them to do the work God designates so their labor brings forth fruit that brings forth more fruit unto eternal life.
It describes true conversion to God and the effect of the sanctifying power of truth, not mere nominal profession of theory. It belongs to being filled with the knowledge of God's will in wisdom and spiritual understanding, walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God, leading to thankfulness to the Father who fits believers to share the inheritance of the saints in light. It sets what ministers laboring in towns and cities must pray, visit, and instruct converts until they reach, since God is better pleased with six truly converted than with sixty only professing.
Patient Joy in Daily Life
The strengthening is according to God's glorious power to endure every trial with patience and longsuffering, and to do so with joy. It enables meeting provocation and reproach with patience and joy rather than answering in anger or losing self-control. Trusting God to judge what others say makes it possible to remain calm and to avoid giving grounds for false accusations. Inward strengthening by grace and the Holy Spirit with divine power holds integrity fast, keeps calmness, and acts as Christ would act.
Being strengthened with all might does not mean might to speak hasty words that hurt and bruise others, injure the speaker even more, and bring shame afterward. It means ceasing to fret and coming to Christ in belief that He will give power to resist the enemy, for those who believe Jesus died for them and have been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The strength is shown in compassion and generosity and in kind, tender words that manifest His sweet Spirit and His righteousness. In this way believers become truly lights in the world.
Christ shares His glorious power so that joy may be full, in order that believers may be fruitful in every good work and increase in the knowledge of God in all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. For those who care for the sick this means not going about gloomy and pitying or with long faces condoling, but cheering sufferers with words of comfort, hope, and joy. It means pointing them to Jesus Christ as a greater Physician than any human helper or anyone connected with the sanitarium. Human helpers are only finite beings with a living connection to God to help sufferers cooperate with Him in combating disease, and the institution caring for them is an object of the prayers of God's people. Hearts filled with sympathy and tenderness, joy in the Lord, and soft singing of God's praises lead the sin-sick soul by faith to take hold of His strength and make peace with Him, for Christ in giving His life has plainly evidenced His love.
The religion of Christ makes all who possess it truly benevolent, kind, and courteous. It bears fruit in good works with the endorsement of heaven, allows no littleness and no mean, cheap, covetous transactions, but gives nobility of character. It calls those in responsible positions to make straight paths for their feet lest the lame be turned out of the way. The verse is the prayer of the living Christian for strengthening with all might according to God's glorious power unto patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. It rebukes professed Christians who make too little effort and will not deny self, calling them to labor perseveringly.
The strengthening is the true knowledge every Christian should desire and possess, divine wisdom flowing ceaselessly from a pure fountain. It does not lead to ungodliness, break down the constitution, or bring a gloomy cloud over the mind, but imparts substantial joys, true happiness, peace, joy, and health. God gives the fully consecrated strength for the spiritual battle. Those who recognize their weakness and persist in seeking God's blessing, as Jacob did, receive fresh strength through the Holy Spirit and go out to do good. Those who choose Christ as their leader are strengthened by the Spirit and grow daily more like Him, forming characters fit to enter the holy city.
God strengthens His children with every kind of might, measured by His own glorious power, so they can endure trials with patience and bear with others with longsuffering joy. That strength does not come from feeble human effort or looking at personal weakness, but from looking to Jesus, having access through His merits to the throne of Infinite Power, and receiving the Holy Spirit without measure for service and victory over evil. It belongs together with being filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, walking worthy of the Lord, being fruitful in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God. It is addressed to every believer in all time and describes the vital union with Christ that must be constantly sought, not mere profession or having the name on the church roll, as seen in the early disciples who sought God's will above all. In daily life it shows itself in calm endurance of provocation and reproach without hasty or angry words, but with compassion, kindness, and tender speech that manifest His Spirit.
Setting and Original Audience
Paul's prayer for the saints and faithful brethren at Colosse asked that they be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, be fruitful in every good work, increase in the knowledge of God, and be strengthened with all might according to His glorious power unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. That strengthening is divine power for patient endurance with joy and for bearing with others with joy, joined to thanksgiving to the Father who makes believers fit to share the inheritance of the saints in light, delivers from the power of darkness, translates into the kingdom of His dear Son, and gives redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. It belongs among truths for the work of saving those who are perishing and giving present truth to those in the darkness of error, a vital practical truth to dwell upon for the saving of souls ready to perish.
It is a decided address given by the Holy Spirit to every believer in all time, for the help of the later church that should afterward compose the church as well as for those first written to at Colosse. It teaches the vital union that should exist between Christ and His disciples, a union to be constantly striven for. Religion consisting only of profession is pretense, and a union ending with the writing of the name on the church roll does not make one a channel of light.
This was the condition of the early disciples, who sought above all things to know the will of God, walked worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, were fruitful in every good work, and increased in the knowledge of God. It is the spiritual life the church must practice, with God's purpose that His church receive full strength from His glorious power for patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. It does not describe a church that is weak and inefficient because its members follow their own impulses, refuse to do the will of God, are led by another spirit, and do not know the meaning of the written Word. Its strength is reached when the principles of God's law are brought into the daily life, proving from experience that the law converts the soul.
Divine Strengthening Described
God's children are strengthened by His glorious power so that they can endure with patience and longsuffering, and do so with joy. This strengthening is part of the spiritual growth and fruitful life to which believers are called. The strengthening is with all might and every kind of might, enabling believers to endure patiently and to bear with others, doing so with joy. The might given is measured by and proportionate to His glorious might.
The strength does not come from feeble human efforts but is part of the abundant provision God has made, bearing precious fruit for Christ. Nor does it come from looking at personal infirmities, but from looking to Jesus for sufficiency and power and committing the keeping of the soul to God as a faithful Creator, since the ransom has been paid at a dear price and Jesus and all heaven are working for man's salvation. Through the merits of Christ believers have access to the throne of Infinite Power, and the verse reveals the heights of attainment that may be reached through faith in the promises of the heavenly Father when His requirements are fulfilled. Through partaking of the fullness of the Spirit, which the Father gave without measure to His Son, they receive divine might for faithful service and for overcoming evil inclinations, enabling patience and steadfastness with joy.
Christ strengthens His followers with all might, shares His power, and imparts His glory, which is His character, so that they can be perfected in unity. This strengthening belongs to the higher life, even the life of God, and is the privilege and sacred trust of every Christian, together with being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. The verse expresses an unselfish desire, free from envy or fear of others getting ahead, that every believer may reach this high attainment. It holds wonderful possibilities for all who heed it, leading them on from strength to strength and bringing them each night a day's march nearer home.
Knowledge Growth and Fruitfulness
The strengthening belongs with being filled with the knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God, as an advancing experience in religious faith that leads from knowledge to a worthy walk to fruitfulness to growth to divine strengthening for patient endurance with joy. That strength is part of the spiritual growth and worthy walk prayed for, accompanying increasing knowledge of God and fruitful living, and divine wisdom brings substantial joy and true happiness, not gloom. That knowledge of God and of His will is necessary and most desirable, obtained by earnest prayer, and in a world where iniquity abounds and the law is made void those who have it will not separate from Him by disobedience but will be animated with earnest desire to fulfill His purpose and live to please Him who gave His life that believers should not perish but have everlasting life. It comes as believers heed God's Word and grow in knowledge of Him, supporting a life pleasing to the Lord and fruitful in good works, rather than one marked by dejection or careless speech.
The strengthening is joined to thanksgiving to the Father who makes believers fit to share the inheritance of the saints in light, delivers from the power of darkness, translates into the kingdom of His dear Son, and gives redemption through His blood, even forgiveness of sins, as vital practical present truth for saving souls ready to perish and giving light to those in error. It comes when the heart is melted and subdued by the Holy Spirit through daily seeking God with aspirations for His favor and a heart right with Him, bringing sweet peace in the heart, the Spirit revealed in the words, new power in Scripture, and keen appetite for the Word of the living God. This same strengthening enables believers to keep growing in knowledge of God and Christian experience and to become fit for the inheritance of the saints in light, and it describes true conversion and the effect of sanctifying truth rather than mere nominal profession, so that God is better pleased with six truly converted than with sixty only professing.
Growth in Christ has no fixed limit but is constant growth in spirituality for everyone who constantly yields the will to be led and taught, an advancing religious experience through prayer, through watchfulness, and through growth in understanding that prepares believers to communicate the truth for this generation acceptably. It comes not through self-exaltation but through increasing understanding and knowledge of Jesus Christ. It belongs to the reforms called for in the context and to the sure result of accepting present truth in genuine faith, a living active faith grounded in confidence in God's word rather than in changing feelings. Those who repent and believe, accept Christ's righteousness, and follow His example are strengthened in this way with knowing God's will, walking to please Him, bearing good fruit, and growing in knowledge of God.
There is something to be patient over, and patient joyful endurance comes from sensing the goodness of God in sending His Son to die for sinful people and keeping that truth woven into experience and fixed in the mind. That creates love for those for whom Christ died and removes desire for supremacy, hatred, envy, and evil suspicion, freeing believers to give attention to the eternal weight of glory and to understand the plan of salvation from beginning to end so they can present it justly to the world. It is God's will that His people stand on an elevated platform with no thread of selfishness woven into character, the heart refined and purified from all dross and filled with the knowledge of God. It is God's purpose for His church and His workers at this time to keep growing in knowledge of Him and receive this strength, which requires recognizing that the warnings of the Word are appropriate for this time, praying and watching unto prayer, and being reconverted.
Union with Christ for Service
For those united to God, being strengthened with all might according to His glorious power comes through daily gaining more knowledge of Him and daily growing in grace and in spiritual understanding. This constant growth in spirituality through Christ has no fixed limit for everyone who constantly yields the will to God to be led and taught, and it comes through prayer, through watchfulness, and through growth in understanding. That strengthening gives spirituality to the understanding, makes knowledge of the Scriptures practical, and increases spiritual efficiency, so that God's servants can give strength to those for whom they labor and to the people of God. So strengthened, they are prepared to work for others as Christ's helping hands and to communicate the word of the living God, the truth for this generation, acceptably to all with whom they are brought into contact, and the Lord is pleased when those connected with Him are in this way filled with a knowledge of His will.
It belongs to the higher life, even the life of God, which is the privilege of believers, giving full strength from His glorious power for patient, joyful endurance and fruitfulness in every good work. That divine might increases spiritual, mental, and physical power when work is wisely planned, instead of dwarfing the self by carrying so many burdens that health and courage and faith in God are lost through overwork. Received in this way, it keeps workers from placing themselves where they will be overworked and enables them to do the work God designates so their labor brings forth fruit that brings forth more fruit unto eternal life.
It describes true conversion to God and the effect of the sanctifying power of truth, not mere nominal profession of theory. It belongs to being filled with the knowledge of God's will in wisdom and spiritual understanding, walking worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God, leading to thankfulness to the Father who fits believers to share the inheritance of the saints in light. It sets what ministers laboring in towns and cities must pray, visit, and instruct converts until they reach, since God is better pleased with six truly converted than with sixty only professing.
Patient Joy in Daily Life
The strengthening is according to God's glorious power to endure every trial with patience and longsuffering, and to do so with joy. It enables meeting provocation and reproach with patience and joy rather than answering in anger or losing self-control. Trusting God to judge what others say makes it possible to remain calm and to avoid giving grounds for false accusations. Inward strengthening by grace and the Holy Spirit with divine power holds integrity fast, keeps calmness, and acts as Christ would act.
Being strengthened with all might does not mean might to speak hasty words that hurt and bruise others, injure the speaker even more, and bring shame afterward. It means ceasing to fret and coming to Christ in belief that He will give power to resist the enemy, for those who believe Jesus died for them and have been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. The strength is shown in compassion and generosity and in kind, tender words that manifest His sweet Spirit and His righteousness. In this way believers become truly lights in the world.
Christ shares His glorious power so that joy may be full, in order that believers may be fruitful in every good work and increase in the knowledge of God in all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. For those who care for the sick this means not going about gloomy and pitying or with long faces condoling, but cheering sufferers with words of comfort, hope, and joy. It means pointing them to Jesus Christ as a greater Physician than any human helper or anyone connected with the sanitarium. Human helpers are only finite beings with a living connection to God to help sufferers cooperate with Him in combating disease, and the institution caring for them is an object of the prayers of God's people. Hearts filled with sympathy and tenderness, joy in the Lord, and soft singing of God's praises lead the sin-sick soul by faith to take hold of His strength and make peace with Him, for Christ in giving His life has plainly evidenced His love.
The religion of Christ makes all who possess it truly benevolent, kind, and courteous. It bears fruit in good works with the endorsement of heaven, allows no littleness and no mean, cheap, covetous transactions, but gives nobility of character. It calls those in responsible positions to make straight paths for their feet lest the lame be turned out of the way. The verse is the prayer of the living Christian for strengthening with all might according to God's glorious power unto patience and longsuffering with joyfulness. It rebukes professed Christians who make too little effort and will not deny self, calling them to labor perseveringly.
The strengthening is the true knowledge every Christian should desire and possess, divine wisdom flowing ceaselessly from a pure fountain. It does not lead to ungodliness, break down the constitution, or bring a gloomy cloud over the mind, but imparts substantial joys, true happiness, peace, joy, and health. God gives the fully consecrated strength for the spiritual battle. Those who recognize their weakness and persist in seeking God's blessing, as Jacob did, receive fresh strength through the Holy Spirit and go out to do good. Those who choose Christ as their leader are strengthened by the Spirit and grow daily more like Him, forming characters fit to enter the holy city.