Paul's Prayers

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may 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

What do your prayers sound like? Look like? This?

This is Paul’s prayer for the Philippians. What do you notice? Let me tell you a few things I see:

1. Paul’s desire is not for their material or physical needs but for their spiritual growth. He wants them to grow in love, in purity and blamelessness. Is this what you pray for people? Or are most of your prayers for physical or material needs?

2. He prays for love that abounds in knowledge and depth of insight. Often today, love and knowledge are pitted against each other. People that focus on knowledge are seen as usually lacking in love. On the flip side, people with big hearts are sometimes thought of as unthinking. Paul reminds us that we are to have big hearts but that the shape of our love should be decided by knowledge of God. How do we know what love looks like? Through discernment and depth of insight.

3. His prayer is that they would abound in love, knowledge, depth of insight and therefore righteousness to the glory of God. Paul’s ultimate goal is God’s glory through Jesus’ work in us.

That’s what I notice.

For Today:

• What do you typically pray for people?
• How could your prayers be more like Paul’s?
• Pray this prayer for someone today.

Pray: Praise the Father that He is worthy of all glory and honour. Give thanks for Jesus who loved us with all knowledge and depth of insight and who gives us righteousness. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you pray prayers that glorify God.