Colossians 1:11

11. strengthen with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering with joy;

Translation and Paraphrase

11. (and) being strengthened by all (the) strength (from God), according to his glorious manifested power, (until you attain) all endurance (in your own life) and patience (toward others) with joyfulness.

Notes

1.

An essential part of walking worthily of the Lord lies in our being strengthened by the Lord's strength, literally being made powerful by all power. Other scriptures also stress this point. Ephesians 1:18-19; Ephesians 3:16.

2.

The degree of power available unto us is indicated by saying that the power is according to the might of his glory, or according to his glorious might. The might available unto us is therefore as unlimited as God is unlimited.

3.

The strengthening of God is to bring us unto all patience and longsuffering. Patience (Gr. hupomone) means the ability to endure and bear up and remain faithful under every assault. Longsuffering (Gr. makrothumia) refers to our ability to keep a forgiving, hopeful attitude toward people, to avoid hastily retaliating a wrong.

4.

Our longsuffering is to be with joyfulness, rather than with Stoic submissiveness.

5.

Colossians 1:11 raises the question as to how God's power is to be released to work in our lives. How do we get hold of God's power, and experience the strengthening that He gives? The world and much of the church too is crying for the answer to this question. People want to see a display of divine power rather than to hear a sermon. This explains in part the appeal of many Pentecostal religions. They loudly claim that they have found the secret of loosing God's power suddenly into people's lives, and this is appealing.

However the matter is usually neither simple nor quick. Observe that even when we are empowered with all power we still must have patience and longsuffering. We shall always be faced by opponents, critics, and doubters. Tribulation is never taken from us in this life (Acts 14:22). God never seems to be in a hurry from our point of view of time. He may take centuries to fulfill His objectives (though sometimes He does things so quickly that we are astounded). To us it may appear that God's longsuffering means either that He has no power or does not care to use it. Both of these ideas are totally false. Again, our own sins (even our marital incompatibility! 1 Peter 3:7) may keep God's power from working within us. (Isaiah 59:1-2). God did tremendous things through Abraham, Jacob, and David. But think of the years God took to do the great things through their lives and think of the trouble these men had. God always works in such a way that his people must have faith in him at every stage for the future. God's use of his power in our lives does not instantly solve all mysteries, remove all obstacles, and leave us triumphant and crowned. The best approach to gaining the strength from God seems to be: (1) Believe in God's promises always; (2) Work as if everything depended on you; (3) Pray as if everything depended on God; (4) Leave the results to God.

Study and Review

29.

With what are Christians strengthened? (Colossians 1:11)

30.

Unto what two things are we to be strengthened?