As I write this week’s blog, I am in São Paulo, Brazil. Several ministry groups work together in this city to strengthen believers’ faith and encourage them to live out the gospel of Jesus Christ in their everyday lives.
I like to look back over the years and remember the people I have crossed paths with. Where did I meet them? What was our connection — work, church, family, or friendship? How long have we known each other?
The apostle Paul planted the church in Philippi. It was the first church he established in Europe. The believers there received the gospel and became his partners for years, supporting his ministry again and again, even when he was far away or in prison. When Paul calls them “partners,” he means it literally. This wasn’t a general sentiment. It was a real, sustained relationship.
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
- Philippians 1:3-6
I Give Thanks to God for You
Paul thanks God every time he thinks of the believers in Philippi. This wasn’t a one-time thing. Paul prayed for them whenever they came to mind. Think about the people on your list — the ones who taught you, encouraged you, or prayed for you over the years. Paul reminds us to bring those people before God and to pray for them consistently.
I Pray for You with Great Joy
Paul prays for the Philippians with joy and explains why. They have been his partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the first day until now. Paul didn’t see himself as a leader looking down on them. He saw them as partners, working alongside him toward the same purpose.
God Began a Good Work in You
Every believer has a starting point. There was a day when the gospel first took root in your heart. Paul is clear about whose work this is. It wasn’t your own effort or willpower that started it. It was God’s mercy and grace taking root in you, and that root continues to grow. God doesn’t stop working in our lives.
God Will Continue His Work in You
The work begins with God, and He will continue His work of sanctification in your life. Paul isn’t confident because the Philippians have faithfully supported him in the gospel ministry. He’s confident because God is at work. Wherever you are in your walk with God, He will continue to teach and refine you.
A Finished Work When Christ Jesus Returns
Paul looks all the way to the end, to the day Christ returns. That’s when the work will finally be finished. Until then, God is still working — in the believers Paul prayed for and in each of our hearts and lives.
Head to Heart
How will we choose to live today? It’s not a checklist. It is a faith walk marked by daily dependence on the Holy Spirit. He is our Helper and Guide.
Who are the “partners in the gospel” in your life? What are the names of those who have prayed for you, encouraged you, or worked alongside you as you live out your faith?
Is there someone you haven’t thanked God for in a while, even though they’ve shaped your walk with Him? Take a moment now to pray for the people who come to your mind. Thank the Lord for how they’ve walked beside you.
Lord, thank You for the people You have placed on my path. I am grateful for those who prayed for me before I knew I needed it, and for those I now have the privilege of praying for. Thank You that the good work You began in me is Yours to finish. Teach me to walk with You in daily dependence on Your Spirit. Amen.
Discover God’s Truth is now on YouTube
Watch, share, and subscribe at youtube.com/@discovergodstruth.
