Living as if God was in Control, part 3

This week, we as we look at Philippians 1, we are being challenged to Learn to Live as if God is in Control.
 

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus: To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons. 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, 4 always with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
 

7 Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart, and you are all partners with me in grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And I pray this: that your love may keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God”  Philippians 1:1-11 CSB. 
 

Prayer and Persecution

Early in this chapter, Paul prays for his friends back in Philippi. Isn’t this amazing and wonderful? Someone far away, who is in a difficult circumstance, like being in prison, can still pray for others. Listen friends, whatever difficulties or trials you face, or may be facing today, they cannot and should not keep you from thinking of and praying for others! One of the primary keys to success in our trials is praying for others. When we do this, it will elevate our gaze up and off of our own troubles, and help us see things through God’s eyes.

Paul has learned this and continues his effective ministry even though he is being held captive. He prays for the people and he instructs the church in Philippi. What does he pray? It’s there in verses 9-11, He prays that the church in Philippi will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, that they would be pure and blameless, and that they would be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ. 

I read the Bible, and sometimes I think: “God, why did you allow a man like Paul, who was blessed with so many gifts, to waste a third of his ministry career in prison? It seems like the Gospel could have spread to entire then-known world in those ten to twelve years if You had just let Paul be released.”
 

In prayer, God told me, “Yes Brad, Paul would have spread the Gospel to the entire then-known world. But that would have wasted the front part of his life as he studied diligently, becoming the world’s foremost expert in the Old Testament. That early foundation made him the perfect person to lay the foundation for what is now called ‘The New Testament.’” What God showed me in that, is this: in His Sovereignty, HE has a plan and nothing you have gone through, nor will go through, will be wasted. 

This brings us to our next point.
 

God’s Priorities

After praying for the well-being of the people in Philippi, Paul switches to teaching in verses 12 – 18. He wants us to learn how to “Live as if God is in Control.”

We do this by taking God’s view of things and by taking on God’s priorities.

Continued tomorrow