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Colossians 1:9 That is why we keep on talking to God about you since the day we heard about you. We ask him that you may know everything he wants you to do. We ask him that you may be very wise and that the Spirit will help you to understand.

 10 We ask him that you will live the way the Lord wants you to live, so that you will please him in everything you do.
We ask that you will do everything that is good. We ask that you will see the fruit from what you do.
We ask that you will know more and more about God.

 11 God has wonderful power. And we ask him to give you all the strength you need to go through all your troubles,
to be very patient in them, and to be happy.

 12 Thank the Father who has made us ready to be with the people of God who live in his light.

Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

Paul ministered the Gospel with so strong a desire to present those to whom he ministered complete in Christ, that he spoke of it as striving. This may seem foreign to many of us today because we have the desire to minister out of our rest in the Lord. But, we learn from Paul there is also a labor in ministering the Gospel. It is interesting to note the particular word he used in this concluding verse of Colossians 1. He spoke of his desire to present every man...perfect in Christ, whereunto I also labor, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily—Colossians 1:29.

What a loaded string of words. What was it that drew Paul on in ministering even after all he suffered because of the very thing he ministered? There was a strong desire present in him to present every person perfect in Christ. Because of this he labored. This labor was a striving. This striving was according to Christ’s working. This working was accomplished in him mightily. Thus, we have these four words into which we need insight.

1. First we have labor, from the Greek kopiáo meaning to labor at hard work, even to the point of extreme weariness.
2. Second is striving, from agoniźomai, a word adopted from the athletic field, relating particularly to the combative games in which the contestant must train to the utmost in physical limitation. There is no place for softness in one who would serve as a soldier in the army of the Lord, though with the realization that the strength by which one strives is a spiritual strength.  
3. Third is working, from energeía, a word relating to the resurrection of Christ. It’s that divine energy that entered His lifeless body and brought it forth alive. It’s part of that spiritual force of energy Paul taught us to pray—in Ephesians 1:17-19—would operate in our lives as believers.
4. Fourth is mightily, from the Greek term en dunámei, describing how all the preceding will work in us. This is from dúnamis; the power Jesus promised would come upon us when the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 1:8).

   DEAR LORD, I have little hope of fulfilling Your will unless You supply me with the power to accomplish it. But, what I see here in Paul’s letter to the Colossians gives me hope. Oh, my dear SAVIOR, I need to soak in the Word Paul has given us. Please put it strong in my heart. Teach me well. Keep a discipline upon me. Let me bear fruit for Your Name’s sake. Let me glorify Your Name.