April 08 2026

Wednesday April 08

Praying For Abounding Love

Philippians 1:9-11

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” 

We are continuing to look at Philippians 1, and today we begin looking at verses 9–11, where the Apostle Paul tells us how he prayed, and what he prayed for, when he prayed for the Philippian believers. Remember, he had already said that he gave thanks for them in every prayer of his (v. 4). So Paul was someone who faithfully prayed specific prayers for these dear people. What do we pray for when we pray for others?

The Apostle Paul, in these verses, prayed that they would have abounding love with knowledge, that they would have spiritual discernment, that they would have sincerity and be without offense, that they would have the fruits of righteousness, and that they would live for God’s glory.

Wow—what a wonderful thing to pray for believers, that they might find real joy as they live the kind of life this prayer would produce in them. We see in verse 9 a love that grows and overflows—a love that is joined with knowledge and guided by spiritual discernment. “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment…” 

Now, my friend, I would encourage you—if you are thinking, “I don’t know how to pray for my wife. I don’t know how to pray for my husband. I don’t know how to pray for my children. I don’t know how to pray for other believers at church”—open your Bible to Philippians 1, read verses 9–11 out loud, and make this your prayer for your friends, your family, and fellow believers.

Notice the first thing Paul prayed for when he prayed for them. He did not pray that they would have more success. He did not pray that they would have more comfort. He did not even begin by praying for knowledge itself. He first prayed for their love. Now, this love he is speaking of here is agape love—God’s love. It is God’s love flowing through us. It is a love we do not naturally possess, but one that comes as we are filled with the Spirit. Remember Galatians 5:22—the fruit of the Spirit. The first aspect of the fruit of the Spirit is love. That means that God Himself is loving through us. It is Christ loving those around us through us.

Jesus said to His disciples, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34). What kind of love was that? He taught them to love one another as “I have loved you” (John 13:35). As God loves us, as Christ has loved us—remember He died for us. He gave Himself on the cross. It was an unselfish love. It was an endless, limitless love. If you want to read about the quality and characteristics this love, look in 1 Corinthians 13. He gives a description of God’s love:

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”

This is the love of God.

Here in verse 9, Paul is praying that their “love would abound still more and more”. That word “abound” means it would grow—it would grow deeper and stronger. It would grow wider. It would grow more intimate. And that love for others only grows as our love for Jesus Christ grows.

Remember what Jesus said to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-5: “You are a great church. I know your works, your labor—everything is commendable—but I have this against you: you have left your first love. Return to your first love.” That love that is from the heart—that love that is intimate, genuine, sacrificial, and sincere. That is what Paul was praying for. Oh, my friend, let us pray that we would abound in love—for Jesus and for one another.

Let me ask you: Are you growing in love? Are you more in love with Jesus today than you were yesterday—than you were last year?

God bless and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!