Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The letter to the Philippians was written in the early 60's just before the beginning of the Roman persecution of Nero instigated by the Jews. Paul said, the "Lord was near" indicating the end of the Old Covenant age and the fall of Jerusalem was just around the corner. Of course we know those events happened in A.D. 70 within 10 years of the writing of the letter.
The apostle Paul prays that the Philippians would grow in love, knowledge and insight and that they would remain pure and blameless and filled with righteousness "until the day of Christ". (1:9-11) He wishes to visit them but whatever happens he wants them to conduct themselves "in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ," and "contend "as one man for the faith of the gospel." (1:27)
Paul foresaw the persecution and temptations the Philippians would soon face. He encourages them not to be "frightened in any way by those who oppose" them. He predicts the destruction of the enemy and salvation of the Philippians and says they will, along with himself, suffer for Christ. (1:27-30)
He encourages them to have pure motives and have the same attitude as Christ. (2:1-5) He wishes them to be "blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation" holding "out the word of life" so that Paul can "boast on the day of Christ." (2:14-16)
Paul warns them to watch for the Judaizers who were tempting them to abandon Christ and return to the Old Covenant law. (3:1-3) He reassures them that righteousness comes through the New Covenant in Christ not the the law. (3:4-11) They are to look forward to heaven rather than to the past. (3:12-20)
They were not to be anxious but pray with thanksgiving, expecting God to give them peace that would guard their "hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (4:4-6) If they keep their minds on spiritual things the God of peace would be with them. (4:7-9)
Paul had endured much persecution and hardship. He knew what it was like to be in need and had learned that the key was "to be content whatever the circumstances." God was the one who strengthened him and because of that knowledge he could endure anything. He encourages them to live like that. (4:10-13)
Thus through the context of the letter we can ascertain what things Paul was encouraging them to pray for in 4:6. It was not for physical things. They were to be content whatever the circumstances they were in, not pray for circumstances to change. The result of the prayers they were to pray was a peace that "transcends all understanding." Thus the prayers they were to pray were for spiritual things, to be pure and blameless, to be filled with righteousness, to live in a manner worthy of the gospel, to be fearless in the proclamation of the gospel, to resist temptation, to have pure motives and a Christlike attitude, to be blameless and pure and without fault, and to have their hearts and minds on Christ Jesus. These things would lead to a peace beyond any peace the world could give.
He ends with a list of spiritual things to think about and pray for. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things." (4:8)
But prayer and meditation was not an end in itself. After praying they were to put the things they had been taught "into practice, "and the God of peace" would be with them, and give them the "peace which transcends all understanding." (4:9) The Philippians would shortly be under intense persecution but need not be anxious, if there hearts were right, God would guard their hearts and their minds in Christ Jesus. Their enemies would be destroyed and they would be saved.
For Paul, prayer was for edification and spiritual development. Christian growth is what he wished the Philippians to experience, the kind of prayers God promised to answer within the New Covenant. Prayer was also to be followed up with the concrete actions of Christlike living and spreading the gospel to be effective.
God bless you all as you experience victory in your prayer life and in Christian living as Paul and the Philippians did.
