The
Apostle Paul was a great man of prayer. In the letter to the Philippians, we
get an insight into his prayers. Paul is suffering. Paul is in prison and is
hurting. Paul has enemies who want to hurt him more. So he prays.
The
surprise is not that he prays, but what he prays. Read Philippians 1:3-26.
Paul’s prayer is:
1. A prayer of gratitude for the
partnership he has with the Philippians church. Verse 5
2. That the church would succeed in their Christian work. Verse 6
3. That their love would abound. Verse 9
4. That their knowledge and discernment
would grow. Verse 9
5. That their lives would be pure and
blameless before Christ. Verse 10
Then, he prays about himself (about time).
6. He is grateful that his suffering has
been useful in spreading the Gospel. Verse 12
7. He is grateful that his suffering has
made the church more confident in the Lord. Verse 14
8. His suffering has made Christians bolder
in their preaching. Verse 14
9. He is praying that Christ will be
honored in His body whether by life or by death. Verse 20
He never gets around to complaining or seeking release. It
is all about Christ using Paul’s situation for good. We have a lot to learn
about prayer.
Dear Lord, when I compare Paul’s prayers to my prayers, I am
ashamed. I complain too much. Beg for stuff too much. Basically, my prayers are
too much about me. Please forgive me. Dare I ask you to use me for your glory.
This terrifies and thrills me. Please, Lord, help me remove my fear; my
selfishness. Help me to love what you love and be fruitful for you. In the name
of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Paul Shero
San Angelo, Texas
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