Enduring, because you will endure

Paul ends Colossians 1 with, [29] Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

You see, it was Christ in Paul, and because He’s the issue in all this labor I’m doing, it’s HIS work. It’s still Him; He’s the source of the energy, says Richard Jordan.

Isn’t that what Paul says? “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Now, don’t take that verse wrong. That doesn’t mean you can go jump the Grand Canyon. That verse has a context in Philippians 4:

[9] Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
[10] But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
[11] Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
[12] I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

The context, Paul says, is “I can do all the things I just talked about. I can be abased, I can abound, I can have necessities, I can have plenty. Circumstances don’t control the way my life works. I can take whatever comes down the pike and serve God, and do God’s will and purpose in my life, because it’s Christ that strengthens me.”

When he says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure,” the verse before that in Philippians 2 talks about your obedience to His Word to them:

[12] Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

How does God create the will in your life? Through His Word. How does He perform it in your life? He does it as your faith rests in His Word and His Word works effectually in you that believe.

There it is in Colossians 1:11: [11] Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Now, if you’ve got "all might," that sounds like it’s plenty, doesn’t it? Paul's saying, “I’m completely adequate to cope with everything that comes along.” Now, boy, I’m glad he said that, because I don’t always feel that way. Maybe you do, but I bet you you don’t.

It’s His strength working in me “unto all patience.” Don’t you, when you get into the circumstances . . . isn’t patience the first thing that leaves? “All patience and longsuffering.” You see, that has to do with endurance. Can I tell you something? You can endure because you will endure.

Some of you are going to look at me and say, “Brother Rick, you’ve said that to me before.” Well, see, now when you need me to say that to you, I just said it and we don’t need to go sit in an office and have a private session.

“Unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.” There’s the mental attitude. One guy calls it “Mental Attitude Dynamics.” The short of that is MAD.

That’s what Paul says in Galatians 2: “[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

You know where all that comes from? Colossians 1: [28] Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

“Whom we preach.” When you let it be His Word working effectually in you because you believe it, that’s Him doing it. Paul’s saying, “It’s all about Him.”