This past Sunday @ College Life we continued our current series called, “Prayers for You.” All we are really doing in this series is taking a look at some of the prayers Paul prayed for churches and people in his letters and trying to take a step back and see how Paul is speaking these same truths, or better yet prayers, into our lives today.
You can see last weeks recap HERE.
This week we dug into Paul’s prayer for the church at Philippi as seen in Philippians 1:3-12
This is another one of those prayers that you don’t really have to know the context to see the earnestness of Paul and his passion to see believers grow in their relationships with Christ while enduring great turmoil.
But…
If you do know the context then this prayer becomes even bigger! Paul is simply writing and praying over this church because he is in jail and facing, what he believes to be execution, and this church is scared. They are uncertain of how they are going to go on without Paul, they are uncertain if they are going to end up in prison because of their connection to Paul, and they are just flat out scared. Can you blam’em?
So Paul writes. He writes into their context of fear because when fear and faith intersect – the outcome is usually doubt. We begin to doubt God’s calling, we begin to doubt the person and reality of Christ, we begin to doubt all that God has called us to be. Paul knows this and so he writes and prays over this church that their faith would not be snuffed out due to fear.
I have all kinds of fears. Fear of losing Michelle. Fear of being inadequate. Fear of wasting my life. Fear of how bad the recession will end up being – and I would be lying if I told you there weren’t doubts in the midst of those fears – so Paul writes and prays into the context of my fear.
Versus 3-9 are essentially Paul being motivational – he reminds them that they are in this together (vs5), that he is joyful that they are in this together (vs4), and to remember and have great faith that God will finish what he has begun in them – to continue to look towards eternity and not our present condition (vs 6).
But his prayer is amazing – his prayer to them and over them is in versus 9-11.
He prays that their love for Christ – their relational connectedness to the person of Christ would grow in such a way that they would gain wisdom and knowledge through their love for the person of Christ. He doesn’t tell them to go and gain wisdom and knowledge – he tells them – focus on the love relationship with Christ so that you will become wise and knowledgeable. But why? So that (vs10) we will be able to determine what is best.
Paul is essentially saying that in this world, this fallen world that we live in, we will be able to walk in such a way, to navigate ourselves in such a way that we would be free from sin and fears that keep us captive by determining what is best for us.
Paul tells us how in chapter 4, verse 8 and 9 – he tells us to dwell on these things.
The truth is I don’t dwell on these things. And…my life would be very different if I did. Why don’t I? Because I get caught up in the every day flow of life. I hate that. So how can I push against that and into God?
I’m realizing that I need the gospel every day. I’ve started each morning over the last couple of weeks by simply thanking God for the gospel of Jesus Christ – that I am able to now be in a relationship with him that carries with it HUGE IMPLICATIONS for eternity. And I’ve become thankful, and grateful, and focused. I’ve found myself being more selfless, being more caring, and preaching the gospel more – simply by focusing and be thankful daily.
I don’t presume to know if this will work for you but I know that Paul knows it’s possible because he prays it for the Philippians – and – believe it or not – he prays it for you too…
