(Colossians 2:1) I am contenting for you.

In writing to the Colossian church, Paul makes a rather surprising statement, “I am contenting for you.”

He didn’t say, “I hope you are doing well,” or “May God bless you,” or “I trust all is going good.” No, he wrote, I am “contenting for you.” 

In Colossians 2:1, the active word “contenting” means that Paul is engaged in an intense inner struggle and fight for them.  

Throughout my life, the Holy Spirit has led me to spiritually fight and go to war in intercessory prayer for a person (Christian and non-Christian). 

Yes, I generally pray for people, but spiritually fighting for another person is a much more in-depth prayer of the heart. It is a call to spiritual war that only the Holy Spirit can produce within us.  

We go to war against “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12) that are active desiring to destroy and kill a person (John 10:10). 

How do we battle and fight for the life and salvation of a person? 

We first must be clear that Jesus came to earth to destroy the works of Satan through his death (1 John 3:8, Hebrews 2:14). We overcome by the blood (death) of the Lamb of God (Revelation 12:11).

We must then stand strong. We must resist Satan and evil powers that torment a person. James 4:7 tells us to “Submit yourselves to God. Resist Satan and demonic powers, and they will flee from us.”

Before any battle, we first come under and submit to the Lordship of God, knowing we can’t go to spiritual war in our own strength. We need the Holy Spirit’s empowerment. For our weapons are not from this world, but come through the power of the Spirit. In the Spirit’s power, we can pull down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). 

While engaged in a spiritual war against Satan’s stronghold on a person’s life, the Holy Spirit will often intercede through us with groaning too deep for words. Many times, we simply do not know what words to prayer (Romans 8:26–27).

What is the goal of our intercessory fight for a person?

We are fighting in pray for God to recuse a person from deception, lies, and darkness. We are praying for their spiritual deafness, so they will hear God’s voice. We are praying for their spiritual blindness, so they will see the face of God. 

Our sincere concern or worry about a person will not bring the break through in a their life that they need.

We must “contend” for them. 

Let's be open to the Holy Spirit’s call to go to spiritual war for others.