“Never stop praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT)
”So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:16 NLT)
“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24 NKJV)
Holy Spirit please continue to speak to us through Philippians 3:3-11…
……“My prayers for you are full of praise to God as I give him thanks for you with great joy! I’m so grateful for our union and our enduring partnership that began the first time I presented to you the gospel. I pray with great faith for you, because I’m fully convinced that the One who began this gracious work in you will faithfully continue the process of maturing you until the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ! It’s no wonder I pray with such confidence, since you have a permanent place in my heart! You have remained partners with me in the wonderful grace of God even though I’m here in chains for standing up for the truth of the gospel. Only God knows how much I dearly love you with the tender affection of Jesus, the Anointed One. I continue to pray for your love to grow and increase beyond measure, bringing you into the rich revelation of spiritual insight in all things. This will enable you to choose the most excellent way of all — becoming pure and without offense until the unveiling of Christ. And you will be filled completely with the fruits of righteousness that are found in Jesus, the Anointed One—bringing great praise and glory to God!” (Philippians 1:3-11 TPT)
Let’s keep moving forward with…
…Step 1: Probe the prayer under the light of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 10…
…“This will enable you to choose the most excellent way of all — becoming pure and without offense until the unveiling of Christ.”
There is an enabling power that flows from the type of love that the Apostle Paul is praying will “grow and increase beyond measure” in the hearts, minds, and lives of those for whom he is praying. This love leads believers into “rich revelation of spiritual insight” which in turn enables them to “choose the most excellent way of all.” Once again I would like to share how this is expressed in a few other versions…
…“discern what is best” (NIV)
…“understand what really matters” (NLT)
…“approve what is excellent” (ESV)
…“recognize and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences]” (AMP)
…“approve the things that are superior” (CSB)
…“make the right choices” (CEV)
…“be men of transparent character” (WNT) – This one piques my interest.
…“distinguish things that differ” (ANT)
Putting these together is an eye opener. Here is the Eric Raby combined translation version of what we have probed thus far in verse 10…
… “This will enable you to approve, understand, recognize, treasure, and distinguish things that differ, and are superior, excellent, and are best as people of transparent character who make right choices…”
I don’t think the Holy Spirit needs me to go any further in probing this part of the verse. It goes on to read, “becoming pure and without offense until the unveiling of Christ.”
Taking the same approach, here are the conclusions to this verse in the previously cited versions…
…“and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” (NIV)
…“so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.” (NLT)
…“and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” (ESV)
…“and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin].” (AMP)
…“and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ.” (CSB)
…“Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day,” (CEV)
…“Then you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ.” (WNT)
…“to the end that you may be pure and blameless till the day of Christ.” (ANT)
Now to put them together for the Eric Raby combined translation version of the second half of this verse…
…“becoming pure and without offense, blameless, innocent, free from all impurity [actually living lives that lead others away from sin] until the unveiling day of Christ’s return.”
Put all of this together and we have Eric Raby’s combined translation version of Philippians 1:10 in its entirety…
…“This will enable you to approve, understand, recognize, treasure, and distinguish things that differ, and are superior, excellent, and are best as people of transparent character who make right choices – becoming pure and without offense, blameless, innocent, free from all impurity [actually living lives that lead others away from sin] until the unveiling day of Christ’s return.”
All of this is rooted and grounded in the love that comes directly from our heavenly Father through his son Jesus Christ and is applied to our hearts, minds and lives by the Holy Spirit.
The Word speaks for itself. I am asking that the Holy Spirit personalize this and apply it to each of our lives as we consider…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 480: Praying With Paul – Philippians 1:3-11: Part 6