Philippians 1:8-11
One of the most needed, but most challenging things for Christians to do is to pray. Many believers find that it is easier to “do” something for the Lord than to sit quietly talking with the Lord. And yet, prayer is one of the greatest privileges God has afforded us as His children. Failing to pray means the forfeiture of many things God wants to do for us. The Apostle James writes:
You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. (James 4:2)
Not only does prayerlessness plague our spiritual lives, there is also the matter of praying ineffectively. When the disciples were with Jesus they asked Him specifically how to pray and Jesus gave them what is commonly called the Lord’s prayer. The prayer wasn’t intended to be quoted like some mindless chant, but it was given as a pattern (outline) for prayer. However, so many of the things we pray about today have little or nothing to do with what we are taught to pray about in scripture.
For instance, two recent surveys discovered some interesting (disturbing) facts about the prayer lives of Americans. These studies say that, “when Americans aren’t busy praying for themselves or their own needs — and most of them are — many are seeking divine intervention on behalf of a favorite sports team or the golden ticket in the lottery…About 13 percent of Americans say they pray for sports teams, compared with about one in five (21 percent) who say they have prayed to win the lottery…”
The studies go on to show that , “82 percent who pray typically pray about family or friends.” And, “equal numbers of Americans pray behind the wheel, either for a good parking space or not to get a speeding ticket.” Some people even “pray for someone’s relationship to end, someone to get fired or for someone else to fail.”
Should we be pouring our hearts out to God about the many things in our lives that concern us? The answer is obviously, “Yes!” But, if we expect to see more answers to prayer, then we have to start asking God for the things He says are important to Him and are revealed to us in scripture. We have to become less selfish in our prayers and more focused on God’s will than our own will.
Listen again to the words of James as he talks about why our prayers aren’t answered.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James 4:2-3 ESV)
I think most of us would have to plead guilty to the fact that sometimes our prayers are too much about our “pleasure,” more than His. But, listen to the promise the Apostle John gives about prayer.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15 ESV)
What I’ve been trying to do in this series of messages from Paul’s Powerful Prayers is give you a biblical understanding (i.e., “according to His will”) of some of the requests we know God delights to hear and wants to answer.
Thus far we’ve learned from Paul’s prayers to ask God for these specific things:
1. That believers may be strengthened with His power on the inner man. (Eph. 3:16)
2. That believers may be able to grasp the immensity of the love of God for them. (Eph. 3:17)
3. That believers would mature to the place of Christlikeness. (Eph. 3:19)
4. That God will enable believers to love others as they should. (1 Thess. 3:12-13)
5. That unbelievers will come to Christ for salvation and the nations of the earth hear the message of the Gospel. (Romans 10:1)
From Philippians 1:8-11 we add to this list a sixth thing that should be part of our prayers for ourselves and others.
Paul has already indicated that he prayed for the Philippians (1:3) and that he did so regularly (1:4). He fleshes out his prayer for them in 1:8-11 and it further helps us understand the things he considered important in prayer.
He first prayed that they would abound in “love” for one another (1:9). The “love” about which he speaks is the highest form of “love” (agape) that is expressed in selfless/sacrificial service to others. Paul speaks of this “love” again when he contrasts those who preach with envy/strife and those who preach with “love” (1:15-17). He later speaks of this “love” when he reminds the believers at Philippi that being united to Christ and each other brings them the comfort of His “love” (2:1). And, he says that we should demonstrate this Christlike “love” toward each other (2:2). Paul develops their understanding of this “love” by contrasting selfish ambition and vain conceit with selfless and sacrificial “love” to others (2:3-4), of which Christ is the ultimate example (2:5-11).
The issue here is service and the question is...how can I be most helpful? The question is not...how can I feel most useful? The goal is...how can I best glorify God by serving people? It is not...how can I feel most comfortable and appreciated while engaging in some acceptable form of Christian service?
However, “love” alone is not enough. Like a river flows between two banks, this “love” which Paul prays to increase, is bounded (guided) on either side by two very important truths. On one side it the boundary of “knowledge.” This particular word speaks of “complete or full knowledge” and it’s always used in the realm of moral and/or religious matters. In other words, Paul is praying that their love would increase and be guided by a mindful understanding of the Will and Word of God that ultimately informs how they live their lives.
As much as some would like for Christianity to be primarily about their feelings, the fact is that apart from “knowledge” and “depth of insight,” our feelings can lead us astray. Without these constraints, love very easily degenerates into mere sentimentality or into mindless pluralism that is too often confused with real love.
Part of what we do as followers of Christ is study His Word and Will so that we are as fully informed as possible. This guides our loving acts of service and deeds of kindness. Hosea said that the people of God in his day were being destroyed because they did not have the knowledge of God or His law (cf. Hosea 4:1, 6). Christianity is not just about how we feel. It’s about what and Whom we know, as well. It is this kind of growing knowledge that guides the choices and actions of our sacrificial love.
The boundary on the other side of love is “discernment.” Though this Greek word is only used here in the New Testament, it is found frequently in the LXX. And, notice that it’s not just “discernment” alone, it is “ALL discernment.” This discernment covers the broad gamut of our life experiences.
Discernment is the ability to make proper/good moral choices when there are a vast number of options from which to choose. It’s a “depth of insight” that guides you to the right things to say and/or do. And, it’s based or informed by the “knowledge” of God you have gained through His Word.
It’s these two qualities that Paul prayed would govern (guide) the growing and ever increasing “love” (for one another) he asks for them to experience. But, this “love” is not intended to be an end in itself in this passage. Paul wants this kind of informed, discerning love to lead to a specific action.
When love is informed by a deepening knowledge of God and a certain moral compass, Paul says that this will enable believers to “approve the things that are excellent.” Paul, though, isn’t speaking here about choosing between (“approve”) what is good or evil. Here the idea is about making the best choice from among many otherwise good choices that are available to you. He wants them to be morally centered and biblically informed so that out of love they will be able to make the best possible choices and discern the things that really matter.
How many of our relationships (our own lives) would be better if they were characterized by selfless love that was informed by the knowledge of God and so morally centered that we were able to make the best of all choices out of a vast array of otherwise good choices available to us?
When our lives are characterized by these kinds of good choices motivated by love, Paul says three things result. First, we show ourselves to be “sincere” or without hidden agendas or pretentious motives. Our “selfless love” will be characterized by purity and free of any underlying hopes of selfish gain or return. It is truly a life that is pure inside and out!
The Greek word for “sincere” is used when taking a garment or cloth out into the bright sunlight to see if it is unsoiled and unstained. It’s the idea of holding up a piece of ancient pottery to the sunlight to see if there are any cracks or tiny holes. As we increase in love bounded by a growing knowledge of God and moral insight, we are able to serve others in “sincerity,” i.e., pure or free from vainglory and selfish ambition.
Second, we will be “without offense” toward others. An “offense” is any kind of stumbling block that causes a person to trip up and fall. By the choices we make, we can cause people to be hindered in their spiritual walk. Too many people point at professing believers that nearly cause them to walk away from Christ. As we grow in love, guided by knowledge and discernment, we make better choices that don’t become roadblocks for others, as well as our own lives.
Third, he says that these kinds of loving choices will be the “fruits of righteousness,” which God will reward at His coming. The “righteousness” of which he speaks refers to the good deeds, attitudes and actions prompted by love. The picture is of a tree laden with mature fruit ready to be picked, i.e., rewarded by God.
And, all of these matters should be done in light of the Second Coming of Christ. We aren’t to take lightly what Paul is praying about because we all have to stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and give an account of our lives. That’s why Paul is asking that these things be fulfilled in believers' lives so that they may stand before Him with the confidence that He is pleased by the love they have expressed to others.
Ultimately, none of us can do these things on our own. Only as we are enabled by the power of Jesus Christ is it possible (“that comes through Jesus Christ”). The Gospel changes everything!! It not only brings us forgiveness, cleansing, freedom, eternal life, adoption, acceptance, etc. It is also the means by which all of the things for which Paul prayed can be accomplished in our lives. That’s why Paul is asking God to do these things and not the Philippian believers alone. Only the power of the Gospel can produce the kind of love Paul wants to see increased “more and more.”
Paul didn’t appeal to the Law or some set of rules to move the Philippians to wise choices and good decisions. He prayed for love to increase as their primary motivation because there is no greater motivation than love. What the law could not produce in them, God’s wise and insightful love would produce.
This passage from the ESV:
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9-11)
Prayer #6: That believers will be motivated by love to make the best choices possible and be the best people possible.
