“I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus.” (Philemon 1:4-5)

How do we pray for each other? What is the main focus of our prayer as we uplift each other before our Heavenly Father? Paul’s letter to Philemon is a personal letter addressed to a follower of Jesus Christ. While Philemon can share the letter, this letter is meant for him. While there will be an issue spoken of later in the letter, Paul begins by speaking of their union as brothers in Christ. He begins with gratitude. “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are commanded to love one another. Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Jesus gave us His commission to make disciples. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20) We are to go, baptize and teach filled with our love for each other. When we do, then we can take His love throughout the world. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Our boldness and power given to us by the Holy Spirit is shown through our love. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Growing in our faith is also to be our focus as we pray for each other. “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11) As we grow in our faith, we are being developed in faith as we grow closer to Jesus. “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1b-2) This would also develop in Paul’s prayer for Philemon, “I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.” (Philemon 1:6)

Walking with the Living Word of God and learning from the Written Word, let us be people who pray for each other that we may see our love of God and each other mature every day. As we pray, let us also pray for our faith to mature. Therefore, we are to be molded more and more into the character of Jesus Christ.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block