Philippians 1:3–6
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Paul gives a prayer of thanksgiving remembering the church. He is thankful for the fellowship of the church. He is confident in knowing that which God has begun will be accomplished, completed in the church.
Paul continually prayed for the church. The church was always on Paul’s mind and therefore in his prayers. We too should have the church in our thoughts and in our heart. We must remember the church is not a building but people who have been called by God and chosen to follow Him. When we pray for the church, we are praying for those who have given themselves to God.
Jesus prayed for the church. Christ Prayed for All Believers in John 17:20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.”
Paul writes when he prayed for the church, it was with joy. The church brought joy to Paul. The joy Paul wrote about was a “divine joy.” It was a joy of the Spirit of God and based not in worldly thought but in the Lord. The joy Paul speaks of is the joy God establishes in our lives. Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
When you pray for the church pray for the pastor and other spiritual leaders of the church.