We are continuing in our study of prayer as part of the PPOG for the purpose of determining just how and what we should pray for. At the moment we are examining Paul's prayers and we have seen in that the major focus in his prayers has been for the believer's advance in God's plan for their lives.
In our present study we are examining Paul and Timothy's prayer in Col 1:9-12; where Paul is praying for the believer's spiritual growth.
9- Because of this, since the day we heard Epaphras' report we have not stopped praying for you asking specifically that you would be completely filled up with the knowledge of God the Father's intent in the sphere of wisdom and spiritual understanding.

10- to the end that you would conduct yourselves with conduct becoming the Lord to please Him completely (Conduct that imitates the pattern established by the Lord in his presentation and conduct that is empowered by the Lord in the age of his re-presentation) while being prolific by divinely good activities and growing in
the knowledge of God,

Paul's prayer is for them to be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding was so that they would be able to walk and persevere in the Christian way of life in their regenerate identity (the "new" man) as a members of the new spiritual species who are the Royal Family of God members of the church and the body of TLJC.

This knowledge of God's will and spiritual wisdom and understanding was to enable them to perservere or "keep on plugging” in their spiritual advance by means of Bible Doctrine and the power of God the Holy Spirit for the purpose of pleasing him in all respects, to bear fruit in every good work and increasing in the Spirit taught knowledge of God.

At the moment we are examining the process whereby the believer grows or increases to the maximum possible in the Spirit taught knowledge of God via the process called Operation Z or "G.A.S.P." an acronym for Grace Apparatus for Spiritual Perception which occurs in (4) stages which we have discussed in the past several classes.

As Biblical truths are perceived and the Holy Spirit convicts the believer and the believer through positive volition adjusts to their new understanding, their frame of reference regarding what is right and wrong is altered and they have a new worldview.
A new standard of thinking established from Bible Doctrine Rom 12:3b; begins to counsel the believer and right thoughts, decisions, and actions replace the thoughts, decisions and actions that had defined the person prior to their receiving doctrinal inculcation.
The believer's consistent function under GASP also results in what Paul prays for in his prayer in the next verse:
Col 1:11; because of the omnipotence empowering you in accordance with the power of God's glory for maximum perseverance and patience (all the way to pleroma), accompanied by joy...
Believers are empowered by God in according to the power of God's glory as they advance in the PPOG which is God's divine power system as a result of their function in GASP.
They begin to understand just exactly what God has provided for them from eternity past and they have learned how to deploy and parlay what God has provided from their irrevocable and absolutely secure position in union with TLJC into their experience.
Spiritual strength is results from knowing God’s will and pleasing Him.
God's will is found in 1Tim 2:3-4;
The phrase "Being strengthened with all power according to the might of his Glory " includes three words for strength:
The Greek word translated “ strengthened” is "dynamoumenoi" which is the present passive participle of dynamoo. It has the basic meaning of "being able" or having capacity or ability. Since it is in the Passive Voice it indicates that the power is directed to the believer from God.
The Greek word translated “power” is "dynamei" the feminine singular noun of dynamis from the same root "dynamoo" which also refers to the believer "being empowered or enabled.
The Greek word translated “might” is kratos which in the New Testament scripture is only used to describe God's power, might or strength. It is often used to describe the presence of power or force rather than to describe its actual use.
In our passage it is used to describe the power of God which none can withstand, which is sovereign over all and is demonstrated in the life of the believer.
This power becomes available to the believer as they become aware of it from their consistent and persistent PMA of Bible Doctrine.
Knowledge is Power and that is certainly true of the spiritual power available inside the PPOG for the believer. This knowledge however not only enables, but as we have seen, transforms the believer into the image of TLJC.
The strengthening with might which Paul prays for takes place through the power of God the Holy Spirit and Bible Doctrine which is the mind of Christ.
The object is the empowerment of the "new creature". 2Cor 5:17; The result is a true, lasting and indissoluble experiential relationship with TLJC which enables the re-presentation of TLJC as the believer functions in that new identity in a manner of life and conduct of integrity love.
The strong believer is one who has attained spiritual adulthood, and is functional in the directive will of God inside the PPOG of God through their PMA of Bible Doctrine under the mentorship of God the Holy Spirit.
The "strength" of the strong believer originates from the soul. It is strength from one's system of thinking which enables the believer to be strong under any kind of pressure.
When the believer is not strong, it is because they have exhibited negative volition toward doctrine at one of the three challenge stages: perception, metabolization or application, because they have given in to their emotion when under pressure.
Becoming emotional in a pressure situation is the antithesis of strength. The emotional believer reacts with some form of the mental attitude sins of fear or anger under pressure rather than calmly responding with the application of Bible Doctrine.
It does not mean they do not have emotion, or exhibit it at times, it means they control it with proper thinking and don't let it control them. Psa 56:3-4; Eph 4:26-27; Isa 26:3; KJV.... If they do, they are quick to acknowledge it as sin.
TLJC exhibited emotion Mark 3:1-5; John 2:13-17; but never sinned because it was a controlled legitimate response to the doctrine in his soul.