Essentials for Growth in Godliness, Part 1

Prayer is not just a duty is a compulsion that is to say, it does not just arise because of external requirement.

It rises because of internal passion.

In fact, the deepest longings of a spirit filled heart out in prayer than to praise and worship God in prayer.

In fact prayer has been compared to the impulse babies have to breathe once they leave the womb.

Still, if you're like most people.

Prayer isn't quite as spontaneous or as easy as you'd like.

It's more of a discipline you need to work on today on grace to you. John MacArthur shows you how the quality of your prayer life has a direct effect on the joy you experience in life. The unique joy reserved for Christians joy that stays with you no matter what you face learn how to find that joy and never lose it again in the series John calls joy rules, open your Bible to the book of Philippians and here's John we come again in our study of God's precious treasure, the word to Philippians chapter 1 Philippians chapter 1 and most particularly in verses nine through 11. I've entitled these essentials for growth in godliness.

Let me read verses nine, 10, 11, and you follow as I read, and this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. Paul here basically is praying for the continual spiritual progress of the Philippian believers like newborn babies are expected to grow to maturity. So our newborn spiritual babies and Paul's constant concern was for the maturing of the people to whom God had sent him in ministry. In fact, repeatedly. This is pointed out, if we go back to Galatians and chapter 4. One of my favorite insights into Paul's heart.

Verse 19 he says, my children, with whom I am again in the labor pains until Christ is formed in you, he said, I I travail, I experienced pain in concern over your spiritual growth. In Ephesians chapter 4 writing to the saints at Ephesus. He points out. Similarly, the desire that those who are in Christ would come to a mature man.

Verse 13 to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ that they would in verse 15 grow up in all aspects onto him who is the head, even Christ.

In the letter to the Colossians chapter 1 in verse 28. He says we proclaim him, that is, Christ admonishing every man teaching every man with all wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ that desire for spiritual maturity and completeness was always on his heart. Peter echoed it in second Peter 318 when he said grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Paul then had a passion for the spiritual development of his people.

That was his great concern. We see that passion revealed not only in his preaching is teaching in his writing, but particularly in his prayer life in Ephesians chapter 1 he prays for his people.

Verse 15 he says I have heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus, which you have in your love for the saints.

I do not cease giving thanks for you all, making mention of you in my prayers and I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so you may know what is the hope of his calling, and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe in other words, I want you to continue to grow in wisdom and knowledge and love and power, and faith is great concern for their progress. Chapter 3 of that same epistle. Verse 14 says I bow my knees before the father and what you pray Paul I pray verse 16 that you'd be strengthened with power through the Spirit in the inner man. I pray that Christ would settle down in your hearts that you would be rooted and grounded in love, I pray that the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge would be yours that you would be filled with the fullness of God, that you would do exceeding abundantly above all you could ask or think, according to the power working in you and again, I point out to you that the ringing note in his prayers was for their spiritual growth. There spiritual development.

Their spiritual strength and power in writing to the Thessalonians. We give thanks to God for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers. And of course the passion of his prayers was the enhancement of their spiritual life. Same thing we find in his letter to Timothy second Timothy 13 I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience and I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.

And of course he prayed for Timothy's spiritual power that beautiful little epistle called Philemon in verse four says I thank my God always making mention of you in my prayers because I hear of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective praying for their spiritual progress.

That was his passion. That was his burden we find at the outset of all of those epistles, and no different here in Philippians chapter 1, having given them a salutation of sorts through verse eight. Having told them that he prays for them. In verse four, always offering prayer with joy. He now tells them what the content of that prayer is in the content of that prayer is on behalf of their spiritual needs.

We don't find examples of Paul. Praying for physical needs for our generic church success and blessing.

He ties his prayers directly to spiritual need.

That was his passion and that was his burden and I like to suggest to you, and I'll come back to this in a moment or two that nothing is more definitive of true spirituality, then the nature of a person's prayer life. Paul was compelled to pray because of the tremendous working of God's spirit in his heart. Look at how he begins in verse nine and this I pray and this I pray now let me let you know here that I think it's important for us to recognize that we must look at prayer.

Two ways okay first of all I would agree that prayer is a duty. It is a duty.

In fact, in Philippians chapter 4 verse six it says in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. That is a duty that is something enjoined upon us as a spiritual responsibility in Romans 1212 it says we are to be devoted to prayer in Luke 18 verse one Jesus said we ought always to pray and not to faint. In first Peter 47. We are to pray fervently for one another in terms of expressing our love, which is to be a fervent love. So there is no question but that Scripture teaches us that we must pray there is a duty to pray but there's something much deeper than that. That must go alongside that duty and that is we must perceive prayer not only as a duty, but as a compulsion as a compulsion. In fact, there are very few scriptures really that command us directly to pray. There are many scriptures that tell us how to pray. Jesus said when you pray, pray like this Paul said continue in prayer we are given much instruction about how to pray and how often to pray, pray without ceasing, but prayer is not just a duty is a compulsion that is to say, it does not just arise because of external requirement. It rises because of internal passion. In fact, the deepest longings of a spirit filled heart flow out in prayer we see that compulsion throughout Scripture in the Psalms, Psalm 55 gives us a typical statement from the psalmist in which he says to God, give ear to my prayer, O God, do not hide thyself from my supplication. Give heed to me and answer me. In other words, there is no one here commanding him to pray he is compelled to pray and he's crying out that God would hear the prayer. His heart is compelled to offer Psalm 61 one it says here my cryo God give heed to my prayer from the end of the earth. I called to the when my heart is faint and again prayer is a compulsion in that great 119th Psalm in verse 58 we read the psalmist words.

I entreated thy favor with all my heart and in verse 145. I cried with all my heart.

Answer me oh Lord, so prayer is a compulsion. It is in a sense like breathing. You have to be commanded to breathe air pressure exerted on your lungs forces you to breathe and a believer exist in a sort of a prayer pressure in which praying is a natural response to his environment. In the New Testament we find the same kind of thing. In acts chapter 9 and verse 11. I believe it is regarding Saul of Tarsus. It says the Lord came and spoke to Ananias that arise and go to the street called straight inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul for behold, he is praying. I don't believe after his conversion immediately.

Anybody gave him a command to pray. I believe he was praying out of a compelling in his heart.

In Romans 815 in Galatians 46 it says the spirit planted in us causes us to cry, Abba, father crying out in prayer to God in first Thessalonians chapter 3 in verse 10 it says night and day. We keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face you pray night and day. How can you pray night and day earnestly only one. It's an internal compulsion in first Timothy five verse five Paul says a widow indeed continues in entreaties and prayers night and day now are pointing out these very simple truth and yet one that you must understand, prayer is a duty on the one hand that we don't deny that. But on the other hand, prayer is a compulsion.

Prayer is something that compels us from deep within you say will have what is that compulsion come from its generated by the spirit of God its generated by the Holy Spirit within us to listen carefully, because this is something you need to understand the measure of a person spirituality get the measure of a person.

Spirituality is not how well they conform to the demand to pray, but how internally compelled they are to pray simply because their passion for others in God's kingdom is so strong that space. We have to be compelled from inside and only put it another way, simply the deepest longings of your heart will come out in your prayers. So if you look at your prayers and they're all about you and your needs and your problems and your questions and your struggles and that's where your heart is and if you pray very infrequently and very briefly and very shallow. That means that you have a cold heart because prayer is a compulsion and I'll tell you something very simple. All the calls to the duty of prayer cannot overcome a cold heart.

They can't all the calls to the duty of prayer cannot overcome a cold heart. So if you do not pray it is not simply disobedience is that your selfish on the heart is cool. You look at the apostles annex exported says we will give ourselves continually to the ministry of the word and prayer. Literally the other way around to prayer the ministry the work that was a compulsion.

They were compelled to teach the word they were compelled to pray it's a dynamic that works in the believer and Paul had that and that's just by way of an introduction, really. But Paul had that compulsion. There was something down inside of him, namely the working of the Spirit of God. He was so controlled by the spirit so pure in life that the impulses of the spirit in his heart gave him a passion to pray for people. He prayed night and day, night and day, pray without ceasing at all times and all occasions, not because he was trying to do some duty like a Pharisee, but because his heart drove him to that from deep within know what form that is prayer. Take what was the nature of his prayer. Let's look at in verses 9 to 11 as he prays for the spiritual progress of his people. And I remind you again that that is the duty of the leader, the pastor, the pray for the spiritual progress of his people as he prayed for them. What were the issues on his heart.

Here we find five things for which he pray, love, excellence, integrity, good works in glory.

He prays that they made that we may pursue those things now will never arrive at perfect love, perfect excellence, perfect integrity complete good works and fully glorifying God. But that's the pursuit of our life.

So he gives us these five things that are the essentials of spiritual life essentials of godliness.

I want you to note in your mind, and were not going to get through them today will look only the first one because it's so important but I want to know that their sequential love produces excellence, produces integrity, produces good works produces glory there, each one laying a foundation for the next one.

If you want a way to grasp them in your mind. They are the essentials to sound spiritual help okay essentials to godliness Christ likeness spiritual growth.

Spiritual health, whatever you want to use as a concept. Now remember, Paul had a great love for the Philippians he says I have you in my heart. You are precious to me. You are dear to me and it is out of that that I express my prayer on your behalf.

He cared deeply for these people who administered to him in his imprisonment in his trial would been so loving and so kind on so many different occasions and saw his prayer for them involves five key essentials that they must pursue if they are to be all God wants them to be. Let's look at the first one. Basic very very basic love verse nine and this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment now were not surprised that Paul brings up love to begin with, but you might be surprised a little bit about what I say regarding love the issue of love is well known to us and was of course in much of what Paul wrote in his introduction to the Ephesian letter he talks about love in his introduction to the Colossian letter he talks about love in his opening and first Thessalonians. He talks about love in his opening in second Thessalonians. He talks about love and a lot of other places. He talks about love and in those introductions. In his letters, he very often. Links love with two other things, faith, and what and who is he does in first Corinthians chapter 13 where he says in these three faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is what is love, there were many great spiritual virtues. Faith was one and hope was one.

But the greatest is love and so because of his affirming that love is the greatest thing were not surprised that that is at the head of his prayer list for those who would grow in Christ to spiritual maturity. I might just point out to you that in Colossians 314.

He says love is the bond of unity, love, is that unique bond that ties us to one another in the first Corinthians 13 seven he says love believes all things. Love hopes all things, which means that faith and hope are embodied in love so.

Love is the surpassing one. It is the surpassing virtue is the most essential factor in spiritual life. Did you get that because no matter what you do. It says in first Corinthians 13. No matter what you know, no matter how sacrificial you are even if you give your body to be burned. If you have not love, you are what nothing, absolutely nothing. That's very, very direct. The single greatest virtue in spiritual life is love and I don't think he here is particularly talking about love for God, although that certainly is included, but he is focusing here on love for one another that same love that he mentions in chapter 2 verse two maintaining the same love toward one another being united in spirit being of the same mind, the greatest commodity. The Christian possesses his love. Now let's talk about this love from this one verse. So deep and so profound. He gives us several factors to this first essential we must pursue love and he defines it for us in some very, very, very special way. First of all, I'll give you a series of deeds you can jot down is divine love. He is speaking here of divine love how you know that verse nine and this I pray that your love may abound now. He is then asking God for this love to abound. Therefore, we would conclude that God is the source of it and therefore we say it's divinely it has to be divine love or he wouldn't be asking God to provide it in Romans 55 it says the love of God is shed abroad in your hearts. In Galatians 5 the fruit of the Spirit is love, and everything else flows out of love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control, but it's a gift of God. We love him because he what first loved us.

We have the capacity to love because he gave it to us so the prayer here includes the great truth that God is the source of love were talking beloved about a divine kind of love, not humankind about a sort of an object attraction were not about a sentimentality were not talking about an emotion when I talk about a feeling were talking about a divine virtue given by God is not without feeling is not without no emotion, but that is not its definition. As we will see what is calling for his divine love and that divine love is known because it is love which is not the result of an emotional attraction not God and love us because we were so attractive. That's not the point at all recognize then that what he prays for his divine is not asking you to stir up your human love is not asking the Philippians to try to be more sentimental, more emotional, more sensitive to people on a human plane that is not the idea at all, is asking God to grant them more and more bounding love from his own resource is divine law. The kind of love with which God loves with which Christ loves is a second word that I would give you in this littlest de facto is de facto love what you mean by that notice again in verse nine and this I pray that your love may abound, the fact that he says your love may abound in the indicates that they already have some love and he's calling for a greater expression of that love the form of his words indicate they already have this measure of love, they have divine love as I said in Romans 55 the love of God is shed abroad in your heart since there is not a question of acquiring it. It's a question of seeing God increase it. Every believer possesses divine love. It's de facto it's there, it's present.

It's a given listener. First John 314 we know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers were simple. I know your Christian you love brothers in Christ, he doesn't love abides in death and everyone hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life if you love you have eternal life if you don't love you don't have eternal life is not talk about human love song about divinely it's it's de facto it's it's there. It's in your life is not a question of asking for it. I don't have any. God give me some.

It's simply a question of give me more give me a greater measure, a greater abounding of the love which is already mine. That's John MacArthur showing you how prayer leads to greater spiritual maturity and joy, John's current series is a look at how you can know the joy of your salvation.

No matter what comes your way.

It's titled joy. Rules along with teaching each day here on grace to you. John also serves as Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary, John, today you said that prayer should be both a duty and a delight. And I think many times we understand the duty part. We feel that, but the delight isn't there. Why is that, what is it that makes prayer such a struggle. Why think of all the spiritual disciplines. Prayer is the hardest because it's such a private experience and you have to shut down the noise.

You have to shut down the distractions you you you have to find your way in and I think that's why the Bible says when you pray, go in your closet right even in the of the biblical world. The distractions were ubiquitous and and that is the difficulty.

I think the second difficulty is sometimes we don't know how to pray.

We we don't know specifically how our prayer should be directed in the Bible says that we know not what to pray for as we ought. Romans eight so the second thing that we would like to address would be that the part where you're coming don't know how to pray and I want to mention a book, Lord, teach me to pray now look how would you feel if the Lord Jesus came alongside you and taught you how to pray. While he did the disciples asked him how do we pray and he gave them what is called the Lord's prayer but it's actually the disciples prayer and it has all kinds of helps as to how we frame our prayers. Lord, teach me to pray.

Why should I pray one of the conditions for prayer when and how often, what should I pray for the sins that hinder prayer. This book looks at all of that and the intent of it is to to rekindle your passion for prayer because the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous person effects much beautiful gift size hardback book hundred 40 pages brief but powerful.

You can order a copy today.

Just let us know you want the book Lord, teach me to pray right and friend. If you want to pray with more discipline, more consistency and see greater joy as a result, you need to pick up this book. It makes a great gift for both new believers and for those who've walked with the Lord for years to order a copy of the book titled Lord, teach me to pray for yourself or get a few to give away. Get in touch today. Lord, teach me to pray costs $14 and shipping is free again to place your order.

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Box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 or you can go to our website TTY.org or call us at 855 grace now for John MacArthur and the entire grace to you staff, I'm Phil Johnson. Thanks for being here today and join us Wednesday when John continues his look at how you can know joy that trumps any circumstance. It's another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace to