How can we be filled with the knowledge of His will (Colossians 1:9)?

Paul says to one of the churches he loved, “Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives” (Colossians 1:9). Paul’s prayer for believers reveals the importance of knowing God’s will and being led by the Holy Spirit. Every believer should desire to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will.

Prayer is essential for discerning God’s will. The apostle Paul consistently prayed for the Colossians, setting an example for believers to cultivate a prayerful relationship with God. Jesus modeled the kind of prayer life we should aspire to. As noted in Luke 5:16, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Prayer demonstrates our dependence on God and the Holy Spirit to fill us with the knowledge of His will.

Believers should seek the mind of Christ. They should pray persistently and humbly that they would be fully acquainted with what God would have them do. James 1:5 instructs, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” God delights to reveal His will to His children who ask for it.

Scripture reveals God’s will. Psalm 119:105 declares, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (ESV). Studying and meditating on Scripture provides insight into God’s will. The Bible is our guide for living a life that pleases God: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV).

In Colossians 3:16, Paul encourages believers to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom” (ESV). By allowing God’s Word to fill our hearts and minds, we become better equipped to discern His will. Regular meditation on Scripture helps us internalize biblical truths.

Knowledge of God’s will comes “through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives” (Colossians 1:9). So, it is the Holy Spirit who grants wisdom and understanding to believers. Being sensitive to the Spirit requires openness and obedience. Galatians 5:16 instructs us to “live by the Spirit” so that we do not indulge the desires of the flesh. When we walk in the Spirit, He reveals God’s will and empowers us to live it out.

Knowing God’s will should transform our thoughts and actions. “Good words will not do without good works” (Henry, M., Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible, Col. 1:9). Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2, ESV). Renewing our minds enables us to discern and obey God’s will.

Obedience requires faith. Even as we pray that we would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, we understand that such knowledge probably won’t come all at once. The Christian life is a step-by-step process. Abraham set out to follow God, although he did not know where God was leading him (Hebrews 11:8). “Take the first step in faith, and God will find us a footing for the second” (Newman, H. S., Foreign Missions Reviewed , A. W. Bennett, 1865, p. 21).