Praying God's Word: Prayers of Paul (Part 2)Sample

PRAY CONFIDENTLY – GOD WILL COMPLETE HIS WORK

Philippians 1:5-6 – …for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

For your fellowship in the gospel: This was one reason Paul was thankful for the Philippians. The idea is the Philippians “partnered” with Paul in his spreading of the gospel through their friendship and financial support, and they did so from the first day until now. They didn’t wait to see if Paul was a “winner” before they supported him. They got behind Paul and his ministry early.

When Paul thought of the beginning of God’s work among the Philippians (from the first day), it was natural he also thought of the day when that work would be complete. Paul also expressed his confidence in God’s ability to complete that work.

It was indeed a good work begun in the Philippians and in all believers. “The work of grace has its root in the divine goodness of the Father, it is planted by the self-denying goodness of the Son, and it is daily watered by the goodness of the Holy Spirit; it springs from good and leads to good, and so is altogether good.” (Spurgeon)

Because this good work was begun, Paul was confident of its completion. God is a worker who completes His works. “Where is there an instance of God’s beginning any work and leaving it incomplete? Show me for once a world abandoned and thrown aside half formed; show me a universe cast off from the Great Potter’s wheel, with the design in outline, the clay half hardened, and the form unshapely from incompleteness.” (Spurgeon)

This work in the believer will not be finally complete until the day of Jesus Christ, which in context has the idea of the second coming of Jesus and our resurrection with Him. “Holy Scripture does not regard a man as perfect when the soul is perfected, it regards his body as being a part of himself; and as the body will not rise again from the grave till the coming of the Lord Jesus, when we shall be revealed in the perfection of our manhood, even as he will be revealed, that day of the second coming is set as the day of the finished work which God hath begun.” (Spurgeon)

Prompt: Pray Philippians 1:5-6. Today, confidently agree in prayer with God’s good work in someone’s life and trust Him to complete it. Share this verse with a friend who might need encouragement.

Based on the Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik.