Sufficient or Not
Sufficient or Not
Colossians 2:16-23
Today’s devotion is actually a prayer that I ended last Sunday’s message with. That message was titled, “Sufficient or Not,” and it was message number seven in the “Colossians” series. It was a pretty hard-hitting message, but a fun one. And you can watch, listen or read that message on the WordByMail phone app, on the Word By Mail Roku, or Apple TV channels, or at wordbymail.com.
We genuinely pray that you would be able to get alone with God. And then, if possible, read through this section of scripture a couple of times. As you do, I pray the Holy Spirit will apply these verses to your life personally and specifically.
Grab your Bible, and if you can, download the Devotion Journal, or get your own journal and something to write with. The process starts with a prayer for you to get your heart ready and then we encourage you to write what God is saying in these verses. Not so much what he is saying to you, first, but what he is actually saying. What do these verses say? And then, how do these verses apply to your life, personally and specifically? And then, how will you respond to your time alone with God today? And then, finally, pray. Pray to thank God, and pray to make a commitment to your response and your time with him. And then wrap it up with prayer. If you can do that, we think you will get the most out of your time alone with God.
If you can’t do all of that, we believe God will still speak to you and he will apply these verses to your life as you watch, listen or read.
Let’s read through the scripture first.
Colossians 2:16-23 (NLT)
16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.
18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud,
19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.
20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as,
21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”?
22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them.
23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
Now, let's pray through it.
Colossians 2:16 (NLT)
16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
Heavenly Father, we pray today that you would not let us get caught up in religious rules or regulations about what we can and cannot eat, or certain days, or certain ceremonies, or sabbath days, or anything else.
Colossians 2:17 (NLT)
17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.
Lord, we know that even though the Law of Moses was good and necessary, it was a shadow of the reality that you, Jesus, ARE. You are the reality. You are the fulfillment of all that the Law of Moses pointed to and required. Don’t let us go back to the shadow once we have the real thing, Lord.
Colossians 2:18 (NLT)
18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud,
And so, Lord, we pray that you would please give us discernment and wisdom. And if anyone tries to insist that we have to add ANYTHING to who you ARE in our lives, Lord, even if it involves angels and visions and anything else, Lord, please don’t let us get trapped in that. Don’t let us get trapped into the worship of anything besides you, and you, alone, Jesus.
Colossians 2:19 (NLT)
19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.
Lord, Jesus, we say together today, we want to be connected to you. You, Jesus, are the Head of the Body, and Lord, we do not want to be part of a Body with a severed head. Lord, we want to be connected to you. And we want you, Lord, to bind us together as the Body. And, Lord, God, we want to grow as you nourish us, as you and you alone nourish us.
Colossians 2:20-21 (NLT)
20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as,
21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”?
Lord, we say today that our faith in you alone makes us complete and sufficient. In you, Christ, we are, and we have all that we need. And when you died to the things of this world and to sin, Lord, we died with you, and you set us free from the elemental, the spiritual powers of this world. And so, Lord, we pray that you would set us free from the bondage of man-made religion and rules and regulations and that you would make us completely sufficient in you, Lord. In our relationship, our oneness with you.
Colossians 2:22 (NLT)
22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them.
Because, Lord, these rules and these regulations and spiritual philosophies are all mere human teachings. And Lord, they’re all fading away, as temporal things all will. But you, Lord, are eternal, the Only Eternal One and our relationship with you is eternal. And so, Lord, don’t let us trade our eternal relationship with you for something temporal and man-made.
Colossians 2:23 (NLT)
23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
Lord, all these man-made rules, regulations, and systems, and ideas, and philosophies may seem wise to us because, in our flesh, we want to work for your approval. We want to earn, and we want to deserve our position with you. But Lord, all of our self-effort and all of our own work only feeds our pride, and our pride separates us from you.
And so, Lord, we pray that we would know you completely; that we would know you better. Lord, may we know that you are supremely sufficient in all that we need.
May we know that in our union with you by faith and in our relationship with you, that we are complete. We are complete in YOU, Jesus.
May we commit to KNOW you better.
May we commit to WALK with you more closely
And Lord, may we commit to be TRANSFORMED more and more into your image through an ever-increasing intimate knowledge of you as our Savior and our Lord.
Jesus, we say, today, it’s about you. And it’s about only you. May you be glorified in our lives, in your name which is above every other name, Jesus, amen.
We genuinely pray that you would be able to get alone with God. And then, if possible, read through this section of scripture a couple of times. As you do, I pray the Holy Spirit will apply these verses to your life personally and specifically.
Grab your Bible, and if you can, download the Devotion Journal, or get your own journal and something to write with. The process starts with a prayer for you to get your heart ready and then we encourage you to write what God is saying in these verses. Not so much what he is saying to you, first, but what he is actually saying. What do these verses say? And then, how do these verses apply to your life, personally and specifically? And then, how will you respond to your time alone with God today? And then, finally, pray. Pray to thank God, and pray to make a commitment to your response and your time with him. And then wrap it up with prayer. If you can do that, we think you will get the most out of your time alone with God.
If you can’t do all of that, we believe God will still speak to you and he will apply these verses to your life as you watch, listen or read.
Let’s read through the scripture first.
Colossians 2:16-23 (NLT)
16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.
18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud,
19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.
20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as,
21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”?
22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them.
23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
Now, let's pray through it.
Colossians 2:16 (NLT)
16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
Heavenly Father, we pray today that you would not let us get caught up in religious rules or regulations about what we can and cannot eat, or certain days, or certain ceremonies, or sabbath days, or anything else.
Colossians 2:17 (NLT)
17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.
Lord, we know that even though the Law of Moses was good and necessary, it was a shadow of the reality that you, Jesus, ARE. You are the reality. You are the fulfillment of all that the Law of Moses pointed to and required. Don’t let us go back to the shadow once we have the real thing, Lord.
Colossians 2:18 (NLT)
18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud,
And so, Lord, we pray that you would please give us discernment and wisdom. And if anyone tries to insist that we have to add ANYTHING to who you ARE in our lives, Lord, even if it involves angels and visions and anything else, Lord, please don’t let us get trapped in that. Don’t let us get trapped into the worship of anything besides you, and you, alone, Jesus.
Colossians 2:19 (NLT)
19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.
Lord, Jesus, we say together today, we want to be connected to you. You, Jesus, are the Head of the Body, and Lord, we do not want to be part of a Body with a severed head. Lord, we want to be connected to you. And we want you, Lord, to bind us together as the Body. And, Lord, God, we want to grow as you nourish us, as you and you alone nourish us.
Colossians 2:20-21 (NLT)
20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as,
21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”?
Lord, we say today that our faith in you alone makes us complete and sufficient. In you, Christ, we are, and we have all that we need. And when you died to the things of this world and to sin, Lord, we died with you, and you set us free from the elemental, the spiritual powers of this world. And so, Lord, we pray that you would set us free from the bondage of man-made religion and rules and regulations and that you would make us completely sufficient in you, Lord. In our relationship, our oneness with you.
Colossians 2:22 (NLT)
22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them.
Because, Lord, these rules and these regulations and spiritual philosophies are all mere human teachings. And Lord, they’re all fading away, as temporal things all will. But you, Lord, are eternal, the Only Eternal One and our relationship with you is eternal. And so, Lord, don’t let us trade our eternal relationship with you for something temporal and man-made.
Colossians 2:23 (NLT)
23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
Lord, all these man-made rules, regulations, and systems, and ideas, and philosophies may seem wise to us because, in our flesh, we want to work for your approval. We want to earn, and we want to deserve our position with you. But Lord, all of our self-effort and all of our own work only feeds our pride, and our pride separates us from you.
And so, Lord, we pray that we would know you completely; that we would know you better. Lord, may we know that you are supremely sufficient in all that we need.
May we know that in our union with you by faith and in our relationship with you, that we are complete. We are complete in YOU, Jesus.
May we commit to KNOW you better.
May we commit to WALK with you more closely
And Lord, may we commit to be TRANSFORMED more and more into your image through an ever-increasing intimate knowledge of you as our Savior and our Lord.
Jesus, we say, today, it’s about you. And it’s about only you. May you be glorified in our lives, in your name which is above every other name, Jesus, amen.