Verse 9 – 14 – actually poses some good questions.
V9 – Do I pray enough for others?
This boils down to – Do I care enough for others that I bring them to God?
Do I trust and believe in God that I know I can bring others to Him?
Do I trust and believe in God that I know He is their only hope, their sole solution?
Am I applying myself to acquiring by effort – knowledge/ginosko – God’s desire (not resolve), His will for my life?
Spiritual understanding = supernatural as opposed to natural/ capacity to apprehend; to generate reflective thought.
Knowing God’s will for me comes about as I apply myself to acquire knowledge of supernatural things and as I reflect upon them.
How would I do this? Bible study and prayer.
V10 – Having instituted the prayer and study of God’s Word, do I then apply these things in my daily living?
If God has opened my eyes to a spiritual truth, am I honuring that gracious gift to me by reflecting upon it and applying it?
To do so would surely be pleasing to Him?
God’s working in my life is only for good – if applied it should change me and my lifestyle and that in turn will result in good works which are from Him and in Him, which is fruit.
Should this not inspire and motivate me to further study and research of the things of God and more prayer?
v11 – and in order to pray, study and research more I can not rely on my own strength – I need His power and His might to do so.
Am I seeking Him for His power and might?
For it is only with His power and might that I will endure in these issues of prayer and study and application – that I will have the patience to do so.
v12 – Am I trying to find out about He who has rescued me from the domain of darkness? – the place where darkness dominates: this world and it’s systems are darkness – pain, suffering and sorrow, and that is all it has to offer!
Am I not curious about the one who has rescued me?
Why has He rescued me?
Where has He rescued me too? The kingdom of the Son He loves!
Am I not curious about that kingdom?
How much does He love His Son?
Am I to be part of that?
Do I not want to find out more about that kingdom; about His Son?
v14 – for it is in that Son of His that I have redemption – I am redeemed from domineering darkness!
Do I not want to know more about that redemption?
and my sins are forgiven – I want to know more about that!
