Check it out:

1. JESUS CHRIST “in” us! (Col. 1:27) – “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” 

I love that! This was a “mystery” in days past. Paul is speaking of the CHURCH. Old Testament prophets looked beyond the Church age in their writings. Actually, they saw with the eye of faith Jesus Christ’s birth and then His millennial reign. Therefore, this joining of Jews and Gentiles was somewhat hidden to them. But God has a plan for His Church as He does for Israel.

Besides that, this Savior of the world would come and dwell in His people. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

Can you grasp that truth? Imagine the Creator of the heaven and the earth residing in you now! You talk about POWER!! Beloved, that is why we can OVERCOME.

2. JESUS CHRIST “thru” us! (Col. 1:28–29) – “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.”

The word “perfect” means mature. In other words, it is God’s will that we become mature in Him. Next, the way He accomplishes that is by “working” thru others by His Holy Spirit. Do you see that?

Notice the word “labor.” It is κοπιάω and means labor, toil, to the point of being weary. Also check out the word “striving.” It is ἀγωνίζομαι. It means to fight, or to labor fervently.

Do you get the picture? Paul is saying that CHRIST was in him for the purpose of working thru him as he served the Lord to the point of exhaustion. Think about the spiritual warfare element. Intense! But the Good News is it’s His POWER, not ours!!