stephen R Harrison

I’m working on a new 9-week devotional on Colossians (1-2 verses a day). Hopefully out in December 2025 ready for New Year devotionals. Here’s a sample.

Strengthened and Qualified

“Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” -Colossians 1:11-12

Growing in Christlike character is essential for every believer in the church. We are to bear fruit in every good work and grow in the knowledge of God (1:11). This, however, isn’t just doing good things for God and learning good things about God. We are to be growing more like God! It’s the middle part – the growing more like God – that we tend to overlook as we do and learn. Knowing about God is important. We must study His Word, the primary way to know about Him. Doing things for God is also important. We were created for good works (Ephesians 2:10). We must respond to His Word with love and service. However, if we are not being conformed more and more to his image through His sanctification, we will use what we know about Him and what we do for Him for selfish and worldly gain. This isn’t just behavior modification – being good. We can’t earn our way into right standing with God by works or morality. We must be born again and receive a new life in Christ. From there, we grow in Him and allow Him to sanctify us more and more. We learn more about God and lean in to do more for God only as we are transformed (every part of us) more and more by God. 

In Colossians 1:11, Paul informs the church of Colossae in prayer that they must be “strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience.” Endurance and patience are character qualities that are learned and developed. We grow in them. In Christ, these cultivate through the power of His Spirit at work in us, not apart from him. We mature in Christ as we learn more about His Word and his will, but we will only obey these consistently and continually if we allow the Spirit of God to renovate our hearts and minds. 

In verse 11, we see it is God’s “power” (dunamis) matched with his “glorious might” (doxa kratos) that results in the believer being strengthened. While these may seem like synonymous words (and they are similar), we must understand the difference in why Paul chose to use them. Dunamis is God’s inherent power that’s given – it’s not in us naturally – we don’t possess it. He alone is all-powerful. Kratos is God’s power at work. His power is available and working! It’s like the difference between potential and kinetic energy. Potential is energy that is stored up, while kinetic is energy that is in motion. God is all-powerful, and His power is at work. His Spirit that raised Jesus lives in us. What power! We must allow Him to work in us and join Him where He is powerfully working!

I’ll never forget when I got a job in college because I knew someone with the authority to “pull the right strings”. I couldn’t have got it on my own. They had the power to give me a job and exercised that power. I reaped the benefits of their position and use of power. The Lord is at work in us powerfully and produces his character in ways like endurance and patience (1:11). The church needs the power of God to fill, equip, and sustain us to carry out His Word and will.

The Church needs the power of God to fill, equip, and sustain us to carry out His Word and will.

Paul also prayed that the Colossian believers would express “joyful thanks” to the Father (1:12). Joy is a supernatural product from the Lord. The church at Colossae evidently needed to endure and have patience, and in those challenging times, joy can be a fleeting thought. Their joy was not to come from their circumstances, though. It was theirs to express because of God’s power at work in them and because he had “qualified them to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light”. Apart from Christ, they were not fit or able to enter heaven or possess a Kingdom inheritance of any amount. God qualified them – made them fit – imputed righteousness to their account – saved them by grace. They were transferred, and so are we, from the kingdom of darkness to that of God’s dear Son (1:13). 

Questions for the Head (Think)

• Do you run off your own power or the Lord’s most of the time?

Reflection for the Heart (Worship)

• Take a few moments to thank God for His power at work in your life and how He has qualified you through Christ. 

Action for the Hands (Do)

• What part of your life have you operated in your own power? How do you begin relying on God’s power more? Where do you need more patience and endurance? List areas of your life you need more of God’s joy. 

PRAYER

Thank you, Jesus, for your resurrection power. Thank you for the Spirit of God who raised you from the dead that lives and works in our lives. We admit we are powerless and weak and in need of you in every way. Help us accomplish your will and follow your Word.