A PRAYER FROM PRISON

[Brother Love]

A PRAYER FROM PRISON      
by Pastor James R. Gray
Philippians 1:3-11



Adversity does not control one's destiny; it
is the door to fulfilling one's destiny.  The Apostle Paul believed strongly in the provi-dence of God.  He knew whatever happened  to him did not hinder the plans of God.  The winds of personal adversity only fan the flames of God's grace.  That is exactly what happened.  Paul's two year imprisonment     produced a fire, fueled by the pen, prayers, and passion.  From this internment came the four epistles that are the heart of God's mess-age for the Church, the Body of Christ: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon.

As he prayed, he knew that others might not see or understand his attitude.  Others would be apprehensive about his welfare, condition, and future.  He wanted them to know that he was not discouraged, or apprehensive or his imprisonment.  His concern was with the readers.  Notice how many times Paul refers to his readers in verses 3-11: ye (3 times), you (6 times), and your (twice).  The emphasis of Paul's prayer is not self, nor even his circum-stance, it is his gratitude for his readers.  The prayer from prison had two very important elements: Thanksgiving (1:3- 6) and Inter-cession (1:7- 11). It is not a simple "God bless the Philippians" prayer.


WHY PAUL PRAYS  (1:3-6)



Paul opens his prayer with gratitude to God.  Notice this gratitude is personal.  The greet-ing included Timothy, but in this prayer Paul prays "I give thanks to my God." Paul is ex-pressing his own personal gratitude to God.  This is not simply a onetime expression, but Paul continually or repeatedly gives thanks to God (indicated by the present active indica-tive tense) for the Philippians.  Note the characteristics of prayer: it is personal, con-stant, and directed to God the Father.

Three factors ignited this outpouring of thanksgiving:

GREAT PERSONAL MEMORIES OF THE PEOPLE (1:3)

Paul here uses the singular, not the plural.  He says "I," not "we."  Paul's personal mem-ories lead him to give thanks for the Saints  at Philippi.  It reveals his personal attitude toward the church.  It is one of gratitude.  He expresses thanksgiving to God for them in his prayers.  Remember, it was no picnic in Philippi.  Paul and Silas had experienced hardship and pain there.  They were jailed, and had their backs laid open by  beating they received. Yet, it was a place of joy and victory for Paul.  The first conversion in Europe took place in the city.  He won a moral victory over the officials of the city, when he forced the magistrates to come and publicly release them from prison, admitting they had wrongfully beaten and imprisoned them.  Paul remembers the people's love and concern, and thanks God for them.  Do our former pastors think the same of us?  Do we entertain good memories of others, and thank God for them?  One aspect of our prayers  should center on thanking God for other members of the Body of Christ which come across our paths.

Cont July 15, 2004

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[Brother Love]

A PRAYER FROM PRISON  - Part 2    
by Pastor James R. Gray
Philippians 1:3-11





FELLOWSHIP IN THE GOSPEL  (1: 5)

Paul was thankful because of their "fellowship in the gospel." The fellowship is the Greek word koinonia, with the basic meaning of sharing together, to have in common.  This word certainly indicates the sharing together of a common faith, but it is much more. This sharing together is more than just a common relationship in the faith; it is much more, it results in tangible results.  He uses the word to describe the collection (Romans 15:26; 2 Cor. 8:4;  9:13).  It indicates active participation in every way possible with Paul.  They shared not only in the gospel (1: 5), grace (1:7), and in the Holy Spirit (2:1); but also in the sufferings of Christ (3:10), as well as a gift of support (4:14-15).  They had participated in the proclamation of the gospel (1:27,28), of actually suffering along with Paul 1:30; 4:14-15), and in prayer on his behalf (1:19).  They shared in common on every level of fellowship.

Their fellowship centered on the gospel.  They followed and participated with Paul in the gospel.  This participa-tion advanced the gospel of Grace.  This participation was constant, "from the first day until now."

GOD'S FAITHFULNESS (1:6).

Paul was thankful for God's faithfulness unto them.  He was confident that God's work cannot be derailed.  God is faithful.

God began the work.  The Greek word oti (that) introduces the object of Paul's confidence - it is God.  He is the author of the work.  The work was not started by Paul, nor the Philippians, it was God.  God began the good work by giving them birth from above at the moment they believed (Titus 3: 5; John 3:16).  Notice it is a good work, not because he is doing good works for God (Ephesiarns 2:8-10).  This occurred in them, not simply among them.  It was the internal work of God in an upon them which was begun at the moment of their salvation.  It is still in progress as Paul writes to them, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure"  (Philippians 2: 13).

This work will be perfected or completed in them because God is faithful (1 Thess. 5:24).  The verse denotes certainty of completion.  God will bring His good work to completion that we can be assured.  He will perfect this "new creation" through his Word, his servants and Spirit.  Our assurance is built upon nothing less than the character and faithfulness of God Himself.  God never starts a work without finishing it.

Cont Friday July 16

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[Brother Love]

CONTENT OF PAUL'S PRAYERS (1:9)
Part 3 of 4



Paul's special prayer and request for the saints at Philippi is short and sweet.  However, the request should not be taken lightly.  As D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones observers, "Anyone who is at all familiar with his epistles will realize that Paul's prayers are always worthy of very careful consideration.  They are not something added in 80 perfunctory manner; he does not merely mention them as a matter of course, or as a kind of aside...these prayers are some of the most significant statements in Paul's writings..."(The Life of Joy,45) This is certainly true of this prayer.

The heart of Paul's request is precise, yet profound: "that your love may abound  yet more and more in knowledge and in all of judgment."  He does not simply pray for an increase of their love and stop at that.  No, he wants their love to be balanced with knowledge and discernment.

Paul portrays love like a river.  The word abound is a favorite word of Paul.  It is the Greek word perisseuo, meaning to exceed a number or measure; to be over; an overabundance of something; to be an access; to superabound; to excel.  Paul uses the word to express an abundant overflow of Christian living: he used the verb in reference to thanksgiving (2 Cor. 4:15), excelling  in spiritual gifts that build up the church (1 Cor.14:12), and abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Cor.  15:58) to name a few.  He wants the believers to "abound" in love. Not only to abound, but the increase that abundance "yet more and more."  He wants the river of love to grow deeper as more and more love flows into its system.

Paul does not want an uncontrolled flood of love.  An uncontrolled river does more harm than good.  Swindoll observes that "when love floods indiscriminately, we love everything, even the wrong things" (Laugh Again, 44).  Paul wants the raging river to move in the designated bounds.  The two banks of love are now named.  The first is "knowledge" (epignosei).  The word refers to a thorough, mental grasp of spiritual truth in its fullest sense.  To keep the river within bounds we must "be filled with the knowledge of His will and all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (Col. 1:9).  This knowledge comes through the work of the Holy Spirit in cooperation with the Word of God. For "we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God" (1 Cor. 2:12).  To keep the river of love from overflowing and undirected, we must increase in the knowledge of God and His will.

The second is judgment the Greek word, aisthesei has the idea of being judicious in discernment, denoting moral discernment and understanding. It is a recognition from the Word and the Spirit of what God can and does love, and what a holy God cannot love. True love must discriminate between good and evil (Heb. 5:14).  There is a difference between knowledge and being able to apply that knowledge.  Paul is anxious that love, although constantly expanding, be controlled by growing in knowledge and discernment.

These guard us against two dangers in the Christian life.  First, the danger of living merely on feelings or emotion.  To many today are feeding the emotions, not the soul. This is shallow Christian living.  Second is the danger of being academic,  abstract, and theoretical in Christian living.  This leads to unpractical Christian living.  The banks of knowledge and discernment allow the full force of the river of love to flow in our lives; abundantly, purposefully, and forcefully.  They keep us out of the fields of mere emotionalism and mere intellectualism.

Con't July 17

[Brother Love]

PURPOSE OF THE PRAYER (1:10-11)




Paul makes clear the purpose of this prayer.  Paul wants their love channeled by knowledge and discernment for a purpose.  The word "that" denotes purpose or desired outcome.  Love bounded by knowledge and discernment will lead us:

To test things that differ.

Paul wants us to "approve things that are excellent."  The word for approve is the Greek word dokimazo, meaning test, to try, approve.  It was a word used in assaying metals to prove that the metal was genuine.  It is a recognition as genuine after examination.  The word excellent is the Greek word diaphero, meaning to differ. Thus, the phrase literally can be translated "tests the things that differ."

Interestingly, this almost exact same phrase is found in Romans 2:18.  The context is that of the advantage that the Jews had under the Law.  They knew the Law, and therefore "able to tests the things that differ." This ability is clearly connected with the Word of God. They were to be able to test the things that differ because they were instructed out of the law.  While they were able to do so, does not mean that they did. The context indicates they failed to use the advantages that they were given.  Paul does not want us to fail this test.  He wants us to know the Word and discern its truth, so we will be able to test the things that differ.  This ability is important to guard the believer from heresy, as well as the differing philosophies of the world.

To be sincere and without offense,

Paul wants these believers to be fit and prepared for the day of Christ.  This entails two qualities: First, to be sincere.  It is the Greek word eilikrineis meaning literally to be judged by the sun.  In the ancient world, jars and vases were examined for cracks and blemishes by holding them up to sunlight.  The sunlight would reveal faults that could not be seen otherwise.  In the New Testament the word always denotes moral purity. Second, Paul wants believers to be without offense.  The Greek word is aproskopos meaning "not causing someone to stumble."  It pictures a person who carefully avoids putting anything in the way of another that would cause them to fall or trip.  Thus, love bounded by knowledge and discernment is for the purpose of being pure and blameless in the day of  Christ.  The day of Christ clearly refers to the day when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

To be filed with practical righteousness.

Paul knew that they were righteous, for they had the righteousness of God and Christ (2 Cor. 5:21) Now Paul prays for love, knowledge and discernment in order that they may be filled with the fruits of righteousness.  The phrase "fruits of righteousness" is found in the Old Testament for conduct pleasing to God (Prov.11:30; Amos 6:12.)   It is a phrase indicating practical righteousness that is seen in the life of the believer.  It is used of righteousness in the ethical sense, thus,  it refers to our sanctification flowing out of our justification. These fruits doubtless are the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), soul-winning (Rom. 1:13), holiness (Rom. 6:22), good works (Col. 1:10), and thanksgiving (Heb. 13:15).  Paul realizes that this type of fruit cannot be produced by and in one's self.  The source is "by Jesus Christ."  Such a crop can only be produced through Christ.  It is Christ's life lived through us that produces such fruit.  This results in glory to God, magnifying Him, and not self.

Paul's desire and prayer for the Philippians is not outdated.  Paul's recipe for them is good for us.  If our love abounds in knowledge and in discernment, we will be able to know what is correct, be sincere and blameless, and bear the glorious fruits of righteousness to the glory of God.

By Pastor James Gray

THE END

Posted By Brother Love

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