Prayer

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Col.4:2-6

At the beginning of the epistle Paul stated he prayed always for the saint at Colosse

We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Col.1:3-5

In all likelihood he never met most of the assembly there. He only knew a small number of them. Yet he prayed for them constantly. By the same thought many, if not most of Colossae had met the Apostle either, and here Paul asks them to pray for him.

This illustrates from scripture that we do not need to know personally the people for whom we pray; this should be an encouragement for us all.

D1.1 Continue in Prayer

The exhortation is to continue in prayer. To persevere and not give up. This echoes the words of Jesus:

And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Lk.18:1

And Paul saying the same thing to the Ephesians

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Eph.6:18-20

And to the Thessalonians

Pray without ceasing
I Thess.5:17

See also Acts 2:46; Rom.12:12 & Phil.4:6

D1.2 With Thanksgiving

The Apostle adds “the same with thanksgiving”. We need to bear in mind that when Paul wrote this he was a prisoner at Rome. One of the letters Paul wrote in prison was Philippians, the very place where he and Silas were imprisoned and were praising God in that situation, Acts 16:22-26! So this man knew the reality of what he was speaking and instructing!

Just note Paul’s testimony to the Colossians:

We give thanks to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ praying for you always
Col. 1:3

Giving thanks to the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light
Col.1:12

Then look at his exhortations

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col.2:6-7

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Col.3:15-17

D1.3 With Purpose

Paul asked for prayer that, despite his being in prison, he would have an opening to preach the gospel. From the NT records we know that Paul never wasted any opportunity to present Christ to people. We do know from Philippians that he did have opportunity to present the gospel to the palace, maybe even to the emperor himself. Who knows,  Paul may have witnessed to Nero?

But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
Phil.1:12-13

The focus in the  passage, in Colossians, is on the furtherance of the Gospel. The world is, and always has been hostile to the Gospel and those who love the Lord. It seeks to shut down the witness of the Gospel where possible, it has always been the case.

So, praying for missionaries, translators of Scripture, workers where ever they may be and whatever work they are engaged in, our prayers should be to the end that the gospel has free reign and God’s Word would reach the unsaved. Even when praying for Governments and those in authority, we need to ensure that the motive is for the furtherance of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ.