2 Timothy 1:3

Opening Prayers from Paul

Romans 1:8–10 ESV

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.

1 Corinthians 1:4–9 (ESV)

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ephesians 1:15–22 ESV

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,

Philippians 1:3–11 ESV

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Colossians 1:3–8 ESV

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 1:2–10 ESV

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

2 Thessalonians 1:3–4 ESV

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

Philemon 4–7 (ESV)

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

Patterns of Pauls Prayers

Introduced himself, the recipient, greeting, and then a prayer of thanksgiving

Pattern in these prayers

Thanks of God

For y’all

Faith proclaimed

Always/continually/without ceasing

Jesus Christ

This is not an order and a formula

This is what he prays for

It is natural to his prayer life to pray in this manner to God

Let’s read this section of Paul’s letter to

2 Timothy 1:1–7 ESV

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Paul

Titles

Apostle

Shepherd

just like Peter

Father to Timothy

These roles require Paul to pray and lead him in the what and who to pray for.

What we see from the apostle is that he was not just someone who sat on high and wrote off commands

He followed the example of Christ and served

In so getting to know the people in the church

Their struggles

What they did well

He built a close intimate relations

If we are going to properly pray for those in our church we must first build relation

The Elder, Deacon, Preacher, longtime member, new member

How could Paul write these letters without relationship

But Paul would ask how could any of this be done without prayer?

I Thank God

We sometimes approach prayer like God needs us

He is lonely in heaven waiting for us to talk to Him

What kind of creator and God is that

Here is the truth

God doesn’t need us

We desperately need him

So therefore our prayers need come to him from this mindset

God is eternal, all mighty, and all powerful

Without him our lives are but a vapor

Here today and gone tomorrow

Is that how we normally approach God?

The way we know we wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for his grace

Paul knows where he was before Christ, this ministry that he has been called to he says, “by the grace of God I am what I am.”

When we approach God in prayer like this we are already starting to align ourselves with his will.

2 Timothy 4:6–8 “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”

He knows his time is coming when he is no more

but the work is God’s work

Timothy is telling Timothy at the end of his life you need God not Paul

Psalm 8:4 “what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”

It is something to marvel at

In prayer we admit God is in control

when things happen that we don’t won’t

do we still believe God is control and he is working things together for the good of those who love him?

For Y’all

When Paul comes to God he thanks God for what is valuable to him

His people

Remember what we said about our lives

Even an apostle realizes that the church doesn’t need him but needs God

He was simply an instrument

The glory and crown he now has is in him

The church in Ephesus was not built on Paul or founded by him

It was founded by God and the gospel of Jesus Christ

Which Paul preached

Always

First

His communication with God

Always/Constantly/Continually/Without Ceasing

Second

Paul constantly has Timothy and the church on his mind and his brothers and sisters

As I remember your tears

Reminded of your sincere faith

they know where they came from

how to pray for them

Timothy I pray

2 Timothy 1:6–7 “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

Guard and Proclaimed the True Faith in You

That the church now knows it’s not about them

The kingdom of God expands

2 Timothy 1:14 ESV

By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

2 Timothy 4:2 (ESV)

preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

Here is the situation

Suffer in doing so through

Paul mention his suffering in 2 Timothy 1:12 “which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.”

2 Timothy 1:8 “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,”

2 Timothy 4:5 “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

In Christ

What should we mean by in his name?

Not that I said these things in Christ name so it should happen

Rather that through Christ your will be done

what does this look like

We only feel like we should get better

I’m not trying to be calloused by the reality is one day we won’t get better

Lord we pray for Jimmy

We desperately desire that he be healed

but if not Lord

That he die well

That he die in you

Timothy (more than likely) prayed for Paul

Paul still suffered in prison to the point of death

Paul prays for Timothy

That just as he is willing to die for the faith

So also would Timothy

This is in the name of Christ