Thanksgiving and Prayer (bible study)

Philippians 1:3-5

In verse 3 & 4 Paul is emphasizing the importance of gratitude and thankfulness to God for the church of Philippi.

The church in Philippi since the day it was established partnered with Paul not only spiritually but financially to be able to support Paul in his missionary trips in spreading the gospel all over the land.

Not only does Paul give thanks but he prays with “joy” for the church of Philippi.

It’s interesting that Paul is the one praying for the church with Joy despite his current situation of being in house arrest in Rome.

Application: Do not allow the difficult seasons in life to determine your heart of posture before the Lord.

Joy = Greek word: χαρά (chara) = Deep, abiding inner gladness, delight, or rejoicing that comes especially from God’s grace and salvation, rather than from outward circumstances.

Joy comes from within, happiness comes from what is out.

Happiness is just a feeling and determined by how are day is going.

In the Bible, Chara isn't just feeling happy — it’s a grace-filled, Spirit-given gladness that can endure even hardship because it is rooted in Christ, not in changing life situations.

God wants to transform our way of thinking to understand that our Joy is not determined by a feeling but a conviction.

It is an inner gladness, it is a reminder we ought to remember of God’s grace and God’s goodness despite our circumstances.

If Joy is a spirit-given gladness we ought not to allow happiness to dictate and control how we ought to act and respond to the difficulties of life.

Verse 5: “Because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”

We also are called to be partners of the gospel. This is why we are a church that believes in tithing and offerings. The goal is to give with a glad heart knowing that the money that God blesses us with may be used to help out in the community, in the missions field, the daily operations of running a church.

When we support a church financially we are literally becoming a partner in helping spread the message and love of Christ.

The gospel is FREE.

 “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.” - Philippians 1:6

Paul is not say that he who started a work in you but He that started a “good” work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Our walk as young adults is a walk of sanctification.

Sanctification is the daily process of working out our salvation with God working in us.

It is a walk where we will have to say no to sin, no to temptation, no to the ways of the world, no to temporary pleasures that go against God’s holiness.

God’s work for us began on the cross when Christ shed his blood.

God’s work in us began when we repented and put of entire trust in Jesus Christ.

Now the Holy Spirit lives in us and enables us to to be more like Christ everyday. It is a promise that if we truly put our faith in Christ Jesus his Holy Spirit will company us to walk into this life of transformation everyday.

Nobody can truly put there entire trust in Christ Jesus for God to save them later for that person to have an incomplete work. It is a promise that if you TRULY put your entire trust in Christ Jesus He will carry you to the very end.

Believing in Christ is not just a thought. Believing in Christ means to TRUST in his saving grace and only in his saving grace for you to be saved. It is not by our works but by simply trusting in Jesus.

People do not persevere because they don’t produce works, people don’t persevere because they put their trust IN their works.

 “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.” - Philippians 1:7-8

Here Paul is expressing gratitude tin regard to the fruits that the church of Philippi has demonstrated to him.

“It’s right to think that the Lord who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion on the day of Christ Jesus. Why? Because your action in partnering with me is a demonstration of your faith.

Faith without action is just mere belief.

Our actions confirm our faith in Christ Jesus.

Though we are not justified by our works, our works is the fruit that we have been justified in Christ Jesus.

As many of us I’m sure have had a longing to catch up with a close friend or relative, someone we haven't seen in a long time so Paul as well is demonstrating a desire to visit the church of Philippi in person and to share with them in fellowship.

“9 And I pray this: that your love will 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.” Php 1:9–11.

“And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge.”

What does Paul mean by “love that keeps growing in knowledge”? He simply means that the more we know God, the more we will love him. Though God cannot be seen or touched he is definitely knowable and is a God that desires to be known.

“19 since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse.” - Ro 1:19–20.

This is what we call in the theology General Revelation. To look out into the world, to see the beauty of animals, rivers, mountains, rain-forest, the solar system. These are all things that reveal God’s General Revelation.

But in order to know God not only as existing but to know him intimately and personally he offers us his Special Revelation, what we call the Holy Scriptures.

You cannot know God personally unless it is through the Special Revelation of God’s word.

Coming to church is essential, worship music is a healthy way in which we use certain expressions to show our gratitude to God. But it is through the word and only through the word that we can know God.

Prayer is also essential but prayer must go in accordance to our knowledge of who God is through the knowledge of his word.

The more you know God the more you will love God.

2. “Every kind of discernment”

Discernment can be asked through prayer. It is also something every single Christian ought to ask for in prayer.

Learning to have discernment is best received through the knowledge of God’s word.

Discernment is not divination nor guessing.

Don't blindly accept teachings, feelings, or experiences — test them.

1 John 4:1 — “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…”

Good discernment means measuring everything against the character of Christ and the truth of the Gospel.

Pride blinds discernment. True discernment comes from humility before God.

Proverbs 3:5-7 — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding… Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”

Stay teachable, willing to be corrected by Scripture, godly counsel, and the Spirit.

3. “Filled with the Fruit of Righteousness”

In the Bible, the "fruit of righteousness" is the visible result or outcome of a life that is made right with God and walks in His ways. It’s not just about being declared righteous (which happens through faith in Christ), but also living out that righteousness in real actions, attitudes, and character.

The New Revised Standard Version Paul’s Present Circumstances

12 I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ; 14 and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word with greater boldness and without fear.

12-14 - Paul wants the church of Philippi to be assured that the consequences of his home imprisonment was serving a good purpose.

For what reason? Paul tells us in verse 13 that the whole imperial guard was aware that Paul was imprisoned simply for preaching the gospel of Jesus.

Paul is referring to the Praetorian Guard—a special unit of elite Roman soldiers who served as the emperor’s personal bodyguards.

Paul was under house arrest in Rome (Acts 28:16–31), and because he had appealed to Caesar, he was in imperial custody. As part of that custody:

He was chained to a Roman soldier—likely a member of the Praetorian Guard.

These guards would rotate shifts, so many guards would have heard Paul's message over time.

Paul is highlighting that even the elite soldiers of Rome were hearing the gospel because of his imprisonment—a powerful example of how God used suffering to advance the gospel.

Why does this matter? This shows us that God will often use our suffering to display hope unto others. Very often God will bring us to places where all we have is him.

Paul was in prison. He couldn’t go out and preach, but the guards came to him. Every day, a new guard heard Paul talk about Jesus. Because Paul didn’t complain but shared hope, the whole imperial guard knew he was in chains for Christ!

When you go through sickness but still talk about God's goodness, nurses and doctors see a different kind of hope.

When you're treated unfairly at school or work but choose forgiveness and kindness, others see Jesus in you.

When you're lonely or hurting but still encourage others and pray, people ask, “How do you have peace?”

Verse 14 - The very fact that Paul proved the message of the gospel to be true that he was WILLING to be imprisoned and suffer for the sake of spreading the gospel message revealed the reality of Paul’s message to other confessing Christians during that time.

Your faithfulness in suffering is demonstrated proof that reveals the reality of counting the cost to follow Jesus.

James 1:2–4 (ESV)

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

✅ Key Point: Trials build endurance and help us grow into maturity in Christ.

3. John 9:1–3 (ESV)

"‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned... but that the works of God might be displayed in him.’"

✅ Key Point: Sometimes suffering happens so that God's power can be revealed.

Verse 15

"To be sure, some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of good will."

Paul acknowledges two groups of preachers:

One group is preaching out of good will—they are sincere and support Paul.

The other group is preaching out of envy and rivalry—they are jealous of Paul’s influence or ministry success.

Verse 16

"These preach out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel;"

The sincere group knows that Paul has been appointed by God to defend the gospel.

They preach out of love—for God, for the gospel, and for Paul.

Verse 17

"the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, thinking that they will cause me trouble in my imprisonment."

The other group is still preaching Christ (note: they’re not preaching heresy), but their motives are selfish.

They hope to stir up trouble for Paul—perhaps by trying to undermine his reputation or provoke harsher treatment from authorities.

Their actions reflect self-promotion, not Christ-centered service.

Key Insight

Paul doesn’t focus on defending himself or attacking them. Instead, in verse 18, he says:

“What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is proclaimed, and in this I rejoice.”

Even though some preach with bad motives, Paul is grateful that Christ is being preached. His joy is rooted in the gospel advancing—not his own comfort or status.

Application

God can use even wrong motives to spread His truth.

Don’t let jealousy or rivalry get in the way of gospel unity.

We should care more about Christ being known than our own recognition.

Verse 18

Whats important to Paul is that Christ is being preached. As long as Christ is being preached at the end of the day that is all that matters.

Verse 19

Paul is saying that it is his inner Joy through Christ Jesus that will lead him to his salvation.

How important is it to pray for one another? It is vital for us to pray for one another and practice it without ceasing.

Verse 20

Whether Paul suffered in the body or died Christ would be highly honored.

Forms of Persecution in the Early Church:

1. Torture and Execution

Christians were tortured in public as entertainment.

They were burned alive, beheaded, crucified, or dragged to death.

Some were boiled in oil or had limbs torn apart.

2. Thrown to Wild Animals

In Roman arenas like the Colosseum, believers were thrown to lions, bears, or leopards as crowds cheered.

This was meant to humiliate and intimidate others from becoming Christians.

3. Burned as Human Torches

Emperor Nero famously burned Christians alive to light his gardens at night after blaming them for the fire of Rome (64 A.D.).

4. Imprisonment and Hard Labor

Many Christians were imprisoned in underground cells, sometimes for years.

Others were sent to mines or forced into slavery.

5. Loss of Property and Rights

Christians lost their homes, jobs, and legal protection.

Refusing to sacrifice to Roman gods was seen as treason.

6. Social Exclusion and Hatred

Christians were falsely accused of crimes like cannibalism (due to misunderstanding the Lord’s Supper) and incest (due to calling each other "brother" and "sister").

They were treated as dangerous outsiders.

Why?

Christians refused to worship Roman gods or the emperor.

Their loyalty to Christ alone threatened Roman unity and religion.

Their countercultural morals (like rejecting infanticide, sexual immorality, and violence) made them targets.

In the first three centuries after Christ, the Roman Empire repeatedly tried to wipe out Christianity through brutal persecution. Thousands of Christians—men, women, and even children—were martyred for refusing to deny Jesus. These included famous martyrs like Polycarp, Perpetua and Felicity, and many unnamed believers.

Yet instead of destroying the Church, persecution only made it stronger.

The early Church father Tertullian boldly declared:

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”

As Christians suffered and died with peace, joy, and love even for their enemies, people were drawn to the faith. The courage of the martyrs became a testimony that Jesus was truly alive, worth dying for—and therefore, worth living for.