Colossians 3:16 “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.”
First, let’s look at the beginning of this verse: “Let the Word of God dwell in you richly”
This word ‘richly’ comes from the Greek word plousios meaning richly, abundantly; and carries the idea of great prosperity, abundance, immense riches materially and spiritually, wealth and enormous affluence. (adapted from Sparkling Gems –volume 1, Rick Renner)
When we let the Word of God dwell in us, it will produce an abundance of spiritual wealth in our lives. What does it mean to dwell?
The word ‘dwell’ is very important. It is from the Greek word ‘enoikeo’ meaning to dwell in a house. The idea is of a permanent residence, or permanent dwelling place.
Since the word of God is already resident in our spirit, this is speaking about our soulish realm. The Word of God must be so welcomed into our soul (our focus) that it is consistently abiding in our mind, will, emotions, and personality part of us.
Do you value it enough to give it a place of prominence every day? Is your soul a dwelling place where the Word of God is welcome, desirous to have above all else, and a permanent (consistent) residence for it to dwell richly in you?
The last part of this verse says, “in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
This describes someone so full of the Word of God that it saturates their entire being. Their hearts are full of joy. Their minds are flooded with wisdom and understanding, and their mouths full of praise and rejoicing. When the Word is dwelling in you richly, it will produce in you spiritual riches that will flow out of you effortlessly! It will enrich you in every area of life with everything you need to the point of overflow for others. Hallelujah!
Jesus says this in John 15:4-5, 7-8 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”
The Apostle Paul prays this for us: “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19)
Do you want to be filled with all the fullness of God?
“My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.” (Proverbs 4:20-23)
What’s a good way to tell if you are full of God? Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” When you’ve given such preeminence to the word of God, the fruit of the Spirit of God within you begins to flow into your soul. There is NO limit to the measure of the fullness of God. Go for it! A prosperous life begins with a prosperous soul.
For more on meditating on the Word, see: