The chapter continues stating that we are strengthened with all His power for all patience with joy. When we stay in Christ, when we dwell in Him we endure in His patience and joy. We need to remain thankful to Him for allowing us to be partakers in the light with the saints. God has delivered us from the darkness, brought us to light into the kingdom of the Son of His love the moment we choose to receive Him as our Lord and Saviour.

            Through the blood of Jesus we can receive forgiveness of sins, all we have to do is repent and receive. We have redemption through His blood. Redemption is, “to deliver by paying a price.” We received freedom through His blood and were taken into sonship through Him.

            He is the firstborn over all creation; the prototokos. Prototokos in greek refers to the position rather than the origin. He is the highest of the kings on earth Ps. 89:27. The Son holds the position of priority in relation to all creation, He was before all things and created in all things and in Him all things exist. He should hold the highest priority of position in our lives.

            He is the image of the invisible God, and through Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth (visible and invisible). Whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers, all things were created through Him and for Him. It pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell.

            Through the blood of His cross peace has been made, reconciliation was made possible for us. We, who were once estranged and our minds were our enemies are now reconciled. We are changed. In the body of His flesh through death to present us holy and blameless and above reproach in His sight. When we confess with our mouths, when we believe Jesus is Son of God and we choose to receive the Holy Spirit we are being made a new creation in Christ. When we are obedient and follow up with our water baptism we are then cleansing our filters that renew our minds and we can then choose to stay in Christ and our minds will no longer be our enemies. Only the Holy Spirit can renew our minds and help us to see of the Spirit and not of the flesh.

            Rejoice in the sufferings for the church. We will be persecuted by others, we could even be persecuted by brothers and sisters in the faith who may follow different doctrine. We need to stand firm in what we know Jesus has showed us and rejoice in the times when we are suffering for Christ. Rejoice in your relationship with Jesus and continue to seek Him diligently regardless of the suffering and persecution that can follow. Rejoice in the fact that you are getting to know Him more and the persecution and suffering goes with it, but knowing Jesus is more than worth it.

            Paul was appointed by God to share the gospel. We who have the Holy Spirit, we who are born again are called into discipleship. We must share the gospel and warn others, and never ever water down His word to make someone feel more comfortable. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the confided in Him that you need to speak His word boldly to everyone.

            To take away from this study, realize Jesus’ position and authority, rejoice in our reconciliation in Christ and praise Him as we push forward and share His word; rejoicing with the suffering and persecution.