Those We Pray For: The Brethren
We pray for many circumstances, people, and frequently for one particular group: the brethren. The Lord's church is of great importance to the Lord God and we would be wise to reflect on why the Lord's Apostles prayed as they did. For this article, we will reflect upon the inspired words of Paul in Philippians 1:9-11 to contemplate how he prayed for the church at Philippi.
“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment; so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”
We Pray for the Future
Paul's prayer involved hope for the future growth of the brethren. The first area was love. If the church was going to develop further, the foundation was dependent on abundant love. This was shown in their bond together in the Lord, their dedication to serving one another, and their compassion. Christians who are not growing in love will quickly fall prey to apathy and consequently lose the bond that holds us together in Christ. Praying for growth in love helps us to remember our connection as brothers and sisters in the Lord, a family growing together in productivity, purpose, and peace.
Another area noted here is a growth in knowledge. A Christian who is not growing in knowledge is in danger of falling for any lie the devil may use to discredit God. Christianity is a religion that is based upon a growing knowledge of the God of Heaven, we learn this through time in His Word. One of the elements of worship is preaching, which has a heavy focus on knowledge of God's Word. The elders of a congregation are charged with feeding (tending) the flock (cf. 1 Pet 5:2), and one of the ways they exercise this is by providing times when the congregation meets to study the Word of God in Bible classes (Sunday AM, Wednesday, and varying studies throughout the month). We would certainly grow in knowledge if we studied at those times. To grow in greater knowledge of God's Word, you must also love to study it on your own, as well. The more we grow in knowledge, the more we will be prepared for times when we could answer the skeptic or avoid temptation. Let us pray for our growth in knowledge.
We Pray for Fidelity
Another aspect we ought to pray for the brethren is their fidelity. The reality of the Christian life is that some will forsake the faith. Different circumstances push people away from God. Some who are weak in faith fall. We must be prayerfully considerate of the faithfulness of the Lord's church. No congregation goes into error when all of God's people are prayerfully focused on the commitment to God's Word, congregation-wide.
One way to remain faithful is to regularly focus on discernment. When faced with a decision in life, we have to consider what would be right according to God's Word. Sometimes we have the benefit of having a choice between two good things, and one is just better. Paul experienced this himself as he longed for paradise but saw the need for the brethren as more important. " But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better: yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake (Philippians 1:23). Being with the Lord is the greatest thought, but Paul discerned it was better to assist the church at that time. Similarly, brethren will face job and family decisions that at times have no bad answer. Where discernment comes in is when we look at what will have the best potential to help us grow in fidelity in the long term and prayerfully consider it.
When we make this the standard in how we live, we affirm all that is termed excellent, and it promotes a life that discerns with sincerity. We must pray for the faithfulness of all congregations of the Lord's church and the faithfulness of the individual Christians that comprise them.
We Pray for Fruitful Brethren
The Christian must bear fruit! We must unceasingly pray that each Christian will live a fruitful life in the Lord. When we consider the prayer for fruitfulness, we make mention and focus on the works that accomplish that fruit. As a preacher, it is such a blessing when the brethren pray for me and my family. I know the Lord has heard and responded to your prayers; my life is full of instances of God's blessings, and I know the prayers of the brethren have much to do with that.
When we pray for our brethren, let us remember to pray for the young parents who are raising up their children to know the Lord. They are very busy with work and living, and they are making God the priority. We must pray for them that their work will yield future generations for the Lord.
We must pray for our elders, who oversee the congregation. Their work, much of it behind the scenes, may not be visible but has eternal consequences. Some fruit is visible, but if the Lord tarries, we will never know the full potential of how what is done now changes the future for souls yet unborn. Let us keep praying for fruit-bearing among the brethren. We have such a great example of righteousness in the Lord. He showed us how; let us replicate His commitment to bearing fruit for the Father. What is our motivation? Paul explains it is for the glory and praise of God. When we thoughtfully pray for the future, fidelity, and fruit-bearing of the brethren and couple that with our commitment, God is faithful and will hear His people and deliver us once again.
Grace and Peace,
R.D. Beavers
