The Power of Interceding
While battling terminal cancer, my dear friend, Eddie Rodriguez, confidently declared, “I’m in a win-win situation. If the Lord heals me, I get to continue to serve Him and my family on this earth; and if I die, I will be in the presence of my Savior. There’s no greater glory than that.” Eddie’s hope-filled words were not "pie in the sky" platitudes, but the undeniable reality of the living hope that he possessed in Christ.
While sitting in a Roman prison and waiting to stand trial before Caesar, the apostle Paul declared: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
Essentially, Paul was saying, it’s a win-win situation for me. Typically when the phrase “it’s a win-win” is used in our modern context, it involves a situation with little to no risk that results in personal gain. In Paul’s case, it was a matter of life and death. Paul wasn’t coming close to retirement. He was in a situation where he could be martyred for his faith. On the other hand, if he escaped martyrdom, he was certain that he would continue to suffer for the cause of Christ. And yet, Paul was not paralyzed by fear, but instead he was confident that whatever situation he would find himself in, the power and presence of Christ would be there to help ensure his deliverance.
Paul was confident that the church, knowing his adverse circumstances, would pray on his behalf. And because they would be praying, he was confident that the Spirit would help him, and, as a result, all will turn out for his deliverance.
Do you pray with confidence that God is going to answer your prayers? Confidence in prayer is a prerequisite to answered prayer. The Bible clearly teaches us that our prayers can be hindered by things like sin or a lack of faith (Mark 6:5–6; Matthew 9:22, 9:29; Luke 17:19). Although healing is not guaranteed in this life and God will not always answer our prayers the way we want Him to, faith is an essential prerequisite to answered prayers.
So let me ask you again, do you pray with confidence? Do you believe God loves to give good gifts to His children? (Matthew 7:11) Do you have the boldness to ask Him in faith to do the impossible? If we find that we lack faith, the best thing to do is to first seek God to increase our faith in Him and then make our requests known to God.
When a man brought a boy to Jesus with an unclean spirit and asked for help, Jesus responded: “All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:23b-24
It’s rightly been said: “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It’s laying hold of God’s willingness.”
Again, notice the confidence that Paul had in the power of intercessory prayer. He wrote that through the prayers of the Philippians, his adverse circumstances “will turn out for [his] deliverance.” Philippians 1:19
What did Paul mean by deliverance? Did he mean deliverance from prison? Did he mean that he’s going to be delivered to live a life of ease, or that’s he’s going to be delivered from a prison to a palace, like Joseph was in Genesis? Did he mean vindication because of those who spoke against him?
One clue about the deliverance that Paul had in mind according to verse 19, is that it involved the help (presence) of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit was going to enable him to get to the finish line, having lived a life that honors Christ and, if need be, give his life for the cause of Christ. He writes:
So, to Paul, the deliverance that would come in answer to prayer meant that whether in life or death, the Spirit would help him to show the worth of Christ. Paul wanted to finish his race—to not give into the flesh or the temptation to lose heart. He wanted to finish strong, whether that meant remaining on the earth to serve others with the help of the Spirit or departing to be with Christ, which was far better.
Paul knew a deliverance from what seemed to be certain death as a result of the prayers of God’s people (2 Cor. 1:9-11). He experienced deliverance from prison in Philippi after praying and praising God (Acts 16:25-24). God delivered Peter from prison when the church gathered together and prayed for him (Acts 12:5).
But the deliverance that Paul is speaking about here is much deeper. There’s a deliverance from suffering and there’s a deliverance that enables one to endure suffering through the Spirit and still praise God.
How have faithful believers over centuries been able to endure suffering with hope, peace, and joy in their hearts, and as a result advance the cause of Christ? God promises to give extraordinary grace for extraordinary seasons of life. And He does so through the promise of His presence, which we can experience in greater measure through prayer.
Although Paul was in a difficult spot, (imprisoned and facing a sentence of death), He was confident that he would be delivered. He was confident for two key reasons: First, he knew that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead resided in him (Gal 2:20). Secondly, he was confident because he knew that the Philippians prayed for him. His deliverance in the present situation was connected to the prayer of the Philippians.
Like Paul, can other believers laboring for the cause of Christ and facing the spiritual, physical, and emotional battles that come with it count on us to pray them through? May the Spirit of the living God help us to be found faithful!
In His service,
Pastor Marco
While sitting in a Roman prison and waiting to stand trial before Caesar, the apostle Paul declared: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
Essentially, Paul was saying, it’s a win-win situation for me. Typically when the phrase “it’s a win-win” is used in our modern context, it involves a situation with little to no risk that results in personal gain. In Paul’s case, it was a matter of life and death. Paul wasn’t coming close to retirement. He was in a situation where he could be martyred for his faith. On the other hand, if he escaped martyrdom, he was certain that he would continue to suffer for the cause of Christ. And yet, Paul was not paralyzed by fear, but instead he was confident that whatever situation he would find himself in, the power and presence of Christ would be there to help ensure his deliverance.
“For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,” Philippians 1:18-19
Paul was confident that the church, knowing his adverse circumstances, would pray on his behalf. And because they would be praying, he was confident that the Spirit would help him, and, as a result, all will turn out for his deliverance.
Do you pray with confidence that God is going to answer your prayers? Confidence in prayer is a prerequisite to answered prayer. The Bible clearly teaches us that our prayers can be hindered by things like sin or a lack of faith (Mark 6:5–6; Matthew 9:22, 9:29; Luke 17:19). Although healing is not guaranteed in this life and God will not always answer our prayers the way we want Him to, faith is an essential prerequisite to answered prayers.
So let me ask you again, do you pray with confidence? Do you believe God loves to give good gifts to His children? (Matthew 7:11) Do you have the boldness to ask Him in faith to do the impossible? If we find that we lack faith, the best thing to do is to first seek God to increase our faith in Him and then make our requests known to God.
When a man brought a boy to Jesus with an unclean spirit and asked for help, Jesus responded: “All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:23b-24
It’s rightly been said: “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It’s laying hold of God’s willingness.”
Again, notice the confidence that Paul had in the power of intercessory prayer. He wrote that through the prayers of the Philippians, his adverse circumstances “will turn out for [his] deliverance.” Philippians 1:19
What did Paul mean by deliverance? Did he mean deliverance from prison? Did he mean that he’s going to be delivered to live a life of ease, or that’s he’s going to be delivered from a prison to a palace, like Joseph was in Genesis? Did he mean vindication because of those who spoke against him?
One clue about the deliverance that Paul had in mind according to verse 19, is that it involved the help (presence) of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit was going to enable him to get to the finish line, having lived a life that honors Christ and, if need be, give his life for the cause of Christ. He writes:
“as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” Philippians 1:20-23
So, to Paul, the deliverance that would come in answer to prayer meant that whether in life or death, the Spirit would help him to show the worth of Christ. Paul wanted to finish his race—to not give into the flesh or the temptation to lose heart. He wanted to finish strong, whether that meant remaining on the earth to serve others with the help of the Spirit or departing to be with Christ, which was far better.
Paul knew a deliverance from what seemed to be certain death as a result of the prayers of God’s people (2 Cor. 1:9-11). He experienced deliverance from prison in Philippi after praying and praising God (Acts 16:25-24). God delivered Peter from prison when the church gathered together and prayed for him (Acts 12:5).
But the deliverance that Paul is speaking about here is much deeper. There’s a deliverance from suffering and there’s a deliverance that enables one to endure suffering through the Spirit and still praise God.
“Some interpret [what Paul meant by deliverance] to mean that Paul was hopeful of being released from prison. But Phil 1:20 precludes this view, because Paul acknowledges that he may well be executed. Paul’s words in Php 1:19 are verbatim from the Greek Old Testament of Job 13:16. In that context, Job was on trial by his “friends,” and he wanted to be “saved” from being found to be a hypocrite, that is, he wanted to be vindicated.
In the same way, Paul is saying that as the Philippians prayed for him and as God’s Spirit enabled him, he would be delivered from denying Christ and disgracing the gospel at his trial before Caesar. Thus he would be vindicated in the ultimate court, before God, by exalting Christ, even through martyrdom if need be. The only cause for shame to Paul would be not to hear “well done.” Steve Cole
How have faithful believers over centuries been able to endure suffering with hope, peace, and joy in their hearts, and as a result advance the cause of Christ? God promises to give extraordinary grace for extraordinary seasons of life. And He does so through the promise of His presence, which we can experience in greater measure through prayer.
“Don’t think your prayers don’t matter! God uses means, and one of the means for sustaining His servants is the prayers of His people. Don’t presume on a strong degree of the Spirit’s [manifest] presence either. Such power comes through prayer. The omnipresence of God isn’t synonymous with the effects and influences of the Spirit. While we can’t presume on these influences even when we pray, we know that prayer is the normal means that God uses to provide abundant help to the believer” (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary, Philippians).
Although Paul was in a difficult spot, (imprisoned and facing a sentence of death), He was confident that he would be delivered. He was confident for two key reasons: First, he knew that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead resided in him (Gal 2:20). Secondly, he was confident because he knew that the Philippians prayed for him. His deliverance in the present situation was connected to the prayer of the Philippians.
“We can hypothetically say that if the Philippians didn’t pray for Paul, then God’s deliverance for Paul would be hindered. It certainly seems that Paul thought this way, and it shows what a serious matter prayer is. However, it was not the prayer of the Philippians in and of itself that would meet Paul’s need. It was the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ that came to Paul through the prayer of the Philippians. Paul’s needs were met by the Spirit of God, but this provision to Paul was brought about by the prayers of the Philippians.” Guzik
Like Paul, can other believers laboring for the cause of Christ and facing the spiritual, physical, and emotional battles that come with it count on us to pray them through? May the Spirit of the living God help us to be found faithful!
In His service,
Pastor Marco