The Apostle Paul begins his letter to the church at Colosse addressing their spiritual growth.  In verse four, he writes concerning their faith and the love they have for all of those in the Body of Christ.  In verse six, he comments that the Word of God that was preached to them has brought forth fruit in their lives.  The Apostle then adds that Epaphras, a minister at the church in Colosse, brought a good report to him concerning the Spirit-inspired love that the church operates in.  As a result of what Paul has heard and the report of Epaphras, Paul began praying for this church on a continual basis.  Even though the church was excelling and succeeding, there was greater growth that Paul wanted them to experience.  

For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Col 1:9

Paul begins his praying that the Believers would be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and all spiritual understanding.”  In the Ephesians 1 prayer, Paul prayed that the Believers would receive “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.”  In the Colossians 1 prayer, Paul is desiring that the Believers would be filled with the exact and precise knowledge of the will of God for their life.   There are some Believers who have a small knowing of what God has called them to do, while others have a general understanding of what the will of God is for their life.  In praying this prayer, Paul wants the Believer to fully know what God has called them to do.

With this precise knowledge, Paul is praying that the Believer would have the accompanying wisdom necessary to apply the knowledge that they have received.  Many Believers can know the will of God for their life but not understand how to operate in it.  There are also Believers who may know what God has called them to do but miss the timing of God concerning when to complete specifics of His will.  These are just a few reasons why the Apostle would pray that the Believers would have this knowledge with “all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”  The word for understanding in the Greek is also defined as “a flowing together.”  Paul’s use of this word gives the believer a picture of two rivers;  the two different rivers are a river of the precise knowledge of God’s will and a river of wisdom and application.  Paul is praying that these two rivers merge together producing an understanding in the believer’s spirit so they can live according to God’s plan.