6.19.24 Prayer Room – Intercession for the College Campus/Place of Work

COLOSSIANS 3:1-23; 4:1-5

Put On the New Self

3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

Further Instructions

4:1 Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

HEAR:

Use this time to listen to the Holy Spirit and pray. Specifically think about: 

• Lift up your eyes to Christ and give thanks that Christ is seated at the right hand of God. That through Him, we are able to put on a new self filled with His glory (vv.3:3-4).

• Confess the things you need to “put to death” to be able to be more refined in Christ (v3:5).

• Where are you failing to make the best use of time with your coworkers or classmates (v.4:5)? Where have you failed to believe that God will work?

RESPOND:

Respond to God and allow the scriptures guide your prayers: 

• Ask the Spirit to attune your heart for opportunities on campus or in the workplace where you can declare His name. Ask for guidance and wisdom as opportunities arise (v4:3,5).

• Ask God to reveal where you are lacking in the characteristics of the new self. Ask the Holy Spirit for ways to strengthen them so you can be a clearer image bearer of Christ to those around you (vv3:12-17).

• Intercede for your workplace or college campus. That one by one, people would turn their eyes away from worthless things and realize that God is the only thing that is worthy. Everything we do, we do in vain unless the Lord is at the center of it (v3:23).