11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:11-14)
As we learned yesterday, after we "walk worthy of the Lord" and "please Him in every way" and , "bear fruit in every good work", two results will follow.
The first is given at the end of v.10: "growing in the knowledge of God." The more we walk with Him the more we will think, choose and feel like He thinks, chooses and feels. This is our sanctification, growing in His worldview on this life.
Seeking to walk worthy of God, pleasing Him by faith will result in knowing God more intimately. God is experiential. He is filled with fresh ideas, concepts, and possibilities. This is what Jesus meant when He said to the woman at the well, "I will put in you a well of water, springing up unto eternal life." (John 4)
The second result is found in v.11-12: Patience, with joy! Paul says: "being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might." When we are faced with irritating circumstances, or difficult people, it takes power to remain patient.
Our natural tendency is to get upset, to scream in impatience, or to become resentful and angry. It takes power to resist these when we feel them rising within us. He is the power, and when we yield to Him, we experience His life. This is "zoe", eternal life.
Colossians 1:11-12 describes, to some extent, the life that Jesus died to give us. It is life with the touch of eternity on it.
We experience "joyful patience." Those who have this quality don't quit, despite the pressures. Patience is a word that relates primarily to circumstances.
We experience "longsuffering." This has to do with willingness to forgive and refusing to take revenge.
We experience "joyful gratitude", a cheerful spirit that doesn't get discouraged (v.12). Can you imagine? Of course, it is impossible for us to experience this one hundred percent of the time. Yet, the more we walk with the Lord, the more we will resist the flesh (the sinful desires in us like revenge) and the more we will experience His life in and through us.
