Philippians 2 Prayer


Lord God, I have encouragement from being united with Christ,
I have comfort from his love,
I have fellowship with the Spirit,
I have tenderness and compassion,
by his grace;
give me to be like-minded with my brothers and sisters,
having the same love,
being one in spirit and purpose.

Help me to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in humility consider others better than myself.
Help me to look not only to my own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Make my attitude the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not cling to his position, to his status, or rights,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

In light of that,
in awareness of that,
help me to live out that very Christ life in me,
help me to work out my salvation with fear and trembling,
and fully cooperate with you, God, who works in me
to bring about Christlikeness and completeness according to your good purpose.

Help me to do everything without complaining or arguing,
so that I may become blameless and pure,
a child of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation,
in which I shine like a star in the universe
as I hold out the word of life,
that distant shores and the islands may see your light
as it rises on me.

For that, Lord, I will be poured out like a drink offering
until I am empty, too,
and I will be grateful and glad to do so.
Amen.

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