2025 June Prayer Corps

In the prior two editions of Prayer Corps, we studied what is available to us, as followers of Jesus Christ, in Him (Col 2:6-10). We are both “rooted” and continually being “built up” in Him. We are also “complete” in Him, needing no additions to the fulness of life and victory He gives, and our eternity with Him that is to come.

The third truth of what we have in Him is that He has made us “alive together with Him” (see Col 2:11-15). This most-foundational truth for every Christ follower is one that we should embrace with a tenacious joy!

We already learned about the many false teachers present in Colossae, seeking to capture and “spiritually plunder” the churches. Prevalent among these heretical teachers were those with a Jewish background who were pressing the disciples of Jesus to add full obedience to Old Testament Laws (such a circumcision) as a condition of being saved.

Paul first dismissed physical circumcision as a necessity, because the believer in Jesus already has a superior form of circumcision – one that separates us from the, “sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ” (Col 2:11; Rom 2:25-29, 6:6).

Paul then continues to remind the Church that water baptism is so much more than just a religious ritual. Rather, when water baptism is combined with sincere faith in Christ, it is a powerful declaration of our joining with Christ’s death and resurrection unto everlasting life (Rom 6:4; 1Pet 2:1). This is a glorious truth for every follower of Jesus Christ!

The Holy Spirit, through Paul, takes us through the painful reality of a spiritual “prequel” as to what necessitated the awesome display of God’s triumphant mercy in Christ. Paul uses vivid pictures to reveal the truth of every human’s spiritual condition, and what Christ did for us.

First, simply but dreadfully put, all people were dead in their sins (Col 2:13; Eph 2:1-3). No matter how hard someone tried, there was no changing this condition. There was no way to atone for it or ever make it right. Truly, we all were, “having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12).

But this hopeless condition was confronted by the love and power of a merciful God, who did for us what we could never do. He put life into dead people by the work of Christ at the Cross and the empty tomb: “He has made alive together with Him [Christ], having forgiven you all your trespasses.” Hallelujah! Ten thousand times hallelujah throughout all eternity!

Paul goes on to describe the certificate of self-admitted debts against us, as decrees condemning us for our sin (Col 2:14). The Greek word used in this passage is the equivalent of an I.O.U. that is signed by our own hand and acknowledges our inescapable debt.

But Christ! He wiped out this debt, cancelling it by the payment of His own blood, having nailed it to the Cross just as He was nailed to the Cross. With His amazing mercy, Jesus banished the record of our sins so completely, it is as if it had never been. We who were aliens and strangers from the presence of a holy and loving God have now been, “brought near by the blood of Christ” (Eph 2:13).

The payment for all sin – including yours and mine – has already been made. The door to eternal life in God’s Kingdom is now opened to ALL who will call upon Jesus for salvation. We who were inescapably dead in sin are now made alive in Christ! Yet, there is even more victory that was sealed at the Cross.

We all know we have a vengeful and merciless foe, Satan. He with his demons must have rejoiced at Christ’s death, assuming they had won a great victory. But they did not realize they were witnessing their greatest defeat!

At the Cross, all of the usurped authority that Satan had stolen through his deceit in the Garden (Genesis 3), and the subsequent power over mankind he wielded through death (Heb 2:14,15), was “stripped” away from the demonic realm. This word means that our God unalterably removed all the authority and power that Satan wielded over mankind!

This picture was familiar to the people of Paul’s day. It is the real-life example of a conquering Roman general who had won a great victory against an enemy. He would march with his victorious troops through the streets, followed by his utterly vanquished foes who had been stripped of their armor, weapons and power.

The very instrument that our Adversary the devil had attempted to use to conquer God the Son was the same instrument God used to destroy the power and works of darkness! At that moment, our Almighty God through His Son put the enemy to open shame and utter defeat (1Cor 2:8).

This powerful passage shows us the total adequacy of the work of Christ on the Cross. Truly, it is finished! Our indelible sins are forgiven, evil and death have been conquered. There is nothing more that is needed or can be added, but to receive the incredible free gift of His salvation. We have been made alive in Christ – joyfully, powerfully, eternally in Him!

The persecution of Christians is reaching new heights. One Nigerian pastor writes that extermination, kidnapping and violent displacement of the Christian population is so widespread that, “we risk becoming the last generation of Christians in Nigeria.” This massacre goes largely unreported, and the government is doing nothing to stop it – but rather punishes those who attempt to defend themselves.

These two nations have had long-standing tensions, primarily focused on the disputed territory of Kashmir. But recently, the conflict has boiled over on both sides with limited armed clashed from both nations. The religious component adds to this, as India is becoming more radicalized in their Hinduism, and Pakistan is dominated by Muslims.

We are anticipating with great joy the World MAP pastors’ seminar taking place in Quito, Ecuador later this month. God has been going before us and making wonderful provisions and is opening doors. Your prayers are fruitful! But there is still much to be done.

May we go forth with singing, worshipping Jesus who sits upon His everlasting throne. He has conquered our worst foes, and in Him we are alive forevermore!

With unending praise, 
Dr. Frank and Wendy Parrish, World MAP Executive Directors