This Is My Prayer

Phil 1:3-11

 

 

 

Prayer can be an awesome thing.  It can do greater things that we ever dreamed sometimes.  This week I was listening to a man from Dallas tell about some the evangelistic works they were doing at their church.  The greatest one he said was prayer and cited an example.  Last year the church gave every person an  I(eye) 3 card.  I3 stands for Intercession, Intention, and Invitation.  For 30 days each person prayed for 3 names they had put on that card.  At the end of the 30 days they had a friend day and invited all those whom they had been praying for.  That Sunday morning 1100 people filled out a guest card.  Wow!!  That is some powerful praying.

 

I can already see some of you thinking we couldn’t ever do that.  Why not?  We might not get 1100 people, but if those prayers are heard by God and the people’s hearts we have been praying for are opened up to God, anything is possible.

 

For Christians, prayer is the greatest connection between us and God, and often between each other.

 

PRAYER

 

I.       I Thank God

A.   Paul’s connection in prayer

1.                 Paul had a special place in his heart for this congregation.

2.                 Even as he wrote this letter from prison, he couldn’t help but tell them the joy he felt in writing to them about things so important to both them and him.

3.                 They shared a common bond in Christ.

B.   What they shared

1.                 partnership in the gospel

a)                This was a congregation Paul had worked closely with over the years.

b)                But he wasn’t doing all the work, they shared in taking the good news to those around them.

c)                 At the workshop I was at this week, one of the things impressed on me was a need to do better as a church in sharing the gospel.

d)                We do pretty well, but what if all of us partnered in sharing the gospel with those around us?  Image what impact we could have on a dying world!

e)                 Yes, they are dying and we need to feel a sense of responsibility for every person around us.

f)                  If you can tell someone why you became a Christian, you can share the gospel.

g)                If sharing your life isn’t enough, then contact one of the elders or myself and we can try to help teach those close to you.

h)                the most effective evangelism isn’t from me, it’s from you.

i)                   I get paid to do, so I am not as effective as you who share the great things God has done in your heart.  You who find peace in the storms of life are the greatest evangelists your friends, family and neighbors will ever see.

2.                 joy

a)                Paul says he prays with joy

b)                It is an awesome feeling to see those you have ministered to, doing what you taught them.

c)                 This week I got a chance to brag on our congregation and share the joy and pride I felt as I told other preachers how we have grown.  Not just in numbers, but in a deeper dedication to God.  I told them how people often remarked that they saw real Christians at our congregation. 

d)                Those comments bring joy to a minister’s ears. 

3.                 Confidence

a)                What brought that joy to Paul’s heart was knowing that the church was growing closer to God each passing day.

b)                He had confidence that God would continue that work in their hearts until it was completed on the day of Christ Jesus.

c)                 I hope to be here a long time to come, but I can feel good if God calls me elsewhere knowing that what I have been able to help get going here will continue to produce a great church, a God-loving church long after I am gone.

C.   It’s right to feel good about you

1.                 Thinking of this congregation brought a warm feeling to a man in a cold prison.

2.                 He tells them the different circumstance in his life all bring the same feelings about them.

3.                 READ vs 7-8

4.                 When I am gone from here, I really do miss the church in Rochester.  Several who spend the winter away have remarked the same thing.  There is a special place you people hold in my heart.

5.                 I have worked with 3 congregations and have been a part of several more, but there is no doubt this is the one I love the most.

6.                 My friend are here, my greatest accomplishments are here, my family is here.

7.                 If I ever leave here, I don’t see another group of people supplanting you in my heart.

8.                 That’s exactly how Paul felt about the people in the Philippi church.

II.    This Is My Prayer

A.   Preacher’s Purpose Statement

1.                 It’s a common business practice to create a purpose statement.

a)                In that statement a business, church, or other organization lays out the purpose they exist.

b)                It is a guide for all their decisions.

c)                 It is a reminder of what is most important to them.

2.                 In a preacher’s meeting I was in several years ago, a preacher pointed out this passage and said, this is a preacher’s purpose statement.

3.                 He was exactly right.  READ vs 9-11

B.   Understanding our purpose

1.                 That your love may abound

a)                Paul tells the Philippians that he prays their love will grow.

b)                This again is the agape love that points men to God.

2.                 Knowledge and depth of insight

a)                But the prayer goes on, he wants them to also grow in a deeper understanding of God’s will.

b)                Philippians 1:9 (NASB95)      And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,

c)                 Love for others needs to go beyond man’s understanding, but needs to be encompassed in God’s understanding.

d)                That’s why Paul uses the words REAL knowledge with ALL discernment.

3.                 discern

a)                We need to know what is pure and blameless

b)                Christians have been sucked into all kinds of wrong thinking because we don’t study God’s word like we used to and don’t use the discernment given by God to know his truth and will.

4.                 filled with the fruit of righteousness

a)                Not only are we to know God’s will, we need to SHOW God’s will in our lives.

b)                When we are filled with the fruit of righteousness, by the nature of being filled we will show that fruit

c)                 And God will be given glory and praised by those who love and seek him.

C.   My prayer

1.                 My prayer for you is the same

2.                 I love this church so much and my prayers are always filled with praise and petitions for this congregation.

3.                 I pray that we will continue to grow in love together.

4.                 I pray that we will grow in God’s will together.

5.                 I pray that we will always give praise and glory to God.

6.                 Will you join me in that endeavor?