2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5 Prayer that Changes Things

Read 2 Thess 2:13-17

Intro

Scripture: Greg Eisen

After clarifying his teaching on the end times Paul begins to pray for the people in Thessalonica

They have been a faithful church and he wants the work to continue

In his prayer we see a model that we can apply to our life

We are going to see four types of prayer that changes things

Thankful for God’s Work vs. 13-15

The first prayer that changes things is being thankful for God’s Work

Paul says he was under obligation to give thanks for the Thessalonians

He is thankful they were chosen to be saved, sanctified by the Spirit, and believe in the truth

There are three things that Paul lists that we can be thankful for

Beloved by the Lord

Paul calls the Thessalonians Beloved by the Lord

That means God finds joy in them

The same is true for you

God finds joy in you

Even if you don’t think you deserve it or have done stupid things, He still delights in you

It’s more than just loving you because your related.

You are beloved by God

Chosen by God

Paul also praised the sovereign choice of God in bringing the Thessalonians to salvation.

1 Thessalonians 1:4 ESV

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

You didn’t choose God, He chose you

Before they chose God, He chose them, and He chose them for salvation through sanctification.

Paul is thankful that God chose to do a work in Thessalonica because it ignited a move of the Gospel through the whole region

It was a work of the Spirit

God’s work of sanctification uses two great forces, the Spirit and the belief in the truth.

The Spirit of God and the Word of God are essential to our sanctification.

Obtain the Glory of the Lord

The final thing that we are to be thankful for is that we obtain the Glory of the Lord

When you accept Jesus as your savior you obtain the glory of the Lord

Paul calls it an aroma in 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 2:14–15 ESV

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

Thru us spreads a fragrance

To those who are being saved it is a smell of life

To those who are perishing it is a reminder of their looming death

We are to be thankful that we obtain this glory

Stand Fast

So since we can give thanks in our prayer we need to stand fast

We need to hold to the traditions

Prayer is not flight; prayer is power. Prayer does not deliver a man from some terrible situation; prayer enables a man to face and to master the situation.

William Barclay

Pray for Comfort & Strength vs. 16-17

The second prayer that changes things is for comfort and strength

These two verse serve as what is known as a benediction

Comfort Your Hearts

Revelation 1:5 ESV

and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

Establish Good Works

Pray for Gospel vs. 1-2

The third prayer that changes things is for the Gospel to go forth

Pray for Us

Paul asks for prayer for his team

They experienced a lot of persecution and trials

2 Corinthians 11:25–26 ESV

Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;

They needed an army of saints praying for them

This is why we pray for our missionaries

One Saturday a month our missions team gathers to pray for our missionaries

Word May Spread

What do you pray for?

That the word may spread

Paul is asking that the Gospel will spread like it did in Thessalonica

Thessalonica wasn’t a revival, It was an awakening

No one knew Christ when Paul arrived

God opened a door and it spread like wildfire

Delivered from Wicked

He also asked for prayers that they would be delivered from the wicked

There were many who opposed to the work that Paul was doing

When the Jews in Philippi heard Paul was working in Thessalonica they traveled there and stirred up the crowds

He had to be snuck out of the city at night and escape to Berea

Pray for Directed Hearts vs. 3-5

The final prayer that changes things is that we will have directed hearts

Paul tells us that the Lord is faithful

He will never leave nor forsake us

Paul also prays that the Lord will direct your heart

In a world full of distractions we need this direction

The first three prayers weren’t what we would call supplication prayers

That is asking for our personal needs

This last category is personal in nature

We need to ask that God that he will accomplish these in us

Guard Against Evil

John 17:15 ESV

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.

Being Obedient

Love & Steadfastness