"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT WHAT TO PRAY FOR"
Philippians 1:9 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,”
Philippians 1:10 “that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,”
Philippians 1:11 “being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
(Taken from today's reading in the One Year Bible 9/29/14)
Some explanatory thoughts, application, questions and a prayer:
In this first chapter of this letter, often called the "Letter of Joy”, Paul is praying for those believers in the city of Philippi. Our Lord had sent him there to plant a church. What great love existed between Pastor Paul and the saints in that fellowship. In this letter, Paul is very personal with them, because they had a very deep and personal connection. These verses are some of the specific requests he made to God on their behalf. The benefit for us is that we can see several things that we can also pray for. May God hear you and may He answer your prayers, for yourself and for those you may be praying for. These things are in the will of God. He will hear, and He will answer.
1. You can pray that your love for each other will abound, or overflow more and more.
Philippians 1:9 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,”
Paul prayed. He interceded or talked to God on behalf of these people.
You and I can do the same for ourselves and for others.
He prayed this in particular, “that their love would abound yet more and more.”
What a beautiful and God honoring prayer to pray.
God's love can grow in our lives.
Prayer for it to grow is one way to bring about it's growth.
Let's pray like Paul did.
Lord, cause our love to grow.
2. You can pray that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:9 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,”
Paul also prayed along this line.
Not only that their love would grow, but that they would keep on growing in their knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is eternal and infinite.
There is no end to our understanding of who He is.
What greater knowledge to grow in than the knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ.
Lord, we pray for that right now, this very day, bring this about in our lives, Lord, and in the lives of those in our own church body.
3. You can pray that God gives you understanding as to what really matters, so that you can live a pure and blameless life until Jesus returns.
Philippians 1:10 “that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,”
Some things really matter and some things don't.
Paul was praying that the believers would receive from God an understanding as to what really did matter.
Knowing what really matters would lead to living a life of sincerity and a life without offense.
Paul believed in the second coming of Jesus. He states it in this prayer.
His prayer was that God would work in the lives of His chidden all the way up to the return of Christ.
Lord, let this be our prayer also. Show us what really matters, and help us to be focused on those things, and to do so until we see You face to face.
4. You can pray to be continually filled with the fruit of righteousness, those are the good things that are produced in your life by Jesus Christ. These will cause your life to bring great honor and glory to God.
Philippians 1:11 “being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
How interesting that God can fill us with the fruits of righteousness.
We can make the choice as to what we are filled with.
Let's choose what God wants.
What better thing can you think of, than to be filled with what is right.
When our lives are filled with the fruit of righteousness, our lives bring glory and praise to God.
Father, You created us for Your glory, and as You fill us with the fruits of righteousness, than our lives are truly accomplishing that which You created us for.
So Lord, we pray to be filled according to Your will.
Some Questions:
1. Do you ever feel at a loss as to what to pray for? If so you are not alone.
2. Do you know that the Bible itself will provide you with a blueprint of things to pray for, just like in the verses we have looked at today.
3. Will you take just a few moments, please, to read slowly through Paul's prayer in these verses, and then make them your prayer to God your Father?
4. What happens when we pray according to God's will?
5. Are you encouraged right now, that you can see a little bit of how to pray with confidence and expectancy?
A Prayer:
Our Father, You are in heaven and we are still here on earth. There are many people we have known here on earth who are now with You in Heaven. One day we will all be together in Heaven. Lord, right now we can talk with You, and You promise to listen, and more than that You promise to answer us when we pray according to Your will. Thank You for giving us such great examples of specific ways in which to pray. The prayers in the Bible are a blessing to us. They lead, Lord, they show us how to pray. Help us to not only learn what to pray for but to actually take time in our lives to talk with You and make our requests known unto You. Father, it is truly a joy to know You, in fact there is no greater joy. We pray for those in our own church body who want to talk to You but don't really know how. Just as You are helping us to learn how to pray would You please do the same for them. May our lives bring glory, honor, and praise to You, Lord. In the name that is above all names, Jesus Christ.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
