Prayer: The Disciples Intimacy, Identity, Power and Authority in Christ
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Introduction: The importance of this letter and its companion from Paul cannot be over overstated. We do not know for certain that the Apostle was ever able to visit them personally. He intended for it to be read by the churches and individuals. These believers were dealing with several issues relating to the second coming and Paul seeks to encourage and build them up. Let’s read our text:
And we exhort you, brothers: warn those who are irresponsible, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. Rejoice always! Pray constantly.
Someone said, “Prayer is the best way to meet God.” That is certainly true in salvation for a sinner must pray a prayer of confession, repentance and faith in Jesus as his/her Lord and Savior. But what about after we become followers of Christ? What does the Bible say to us about the subject? What we find in this passage is one of the shortest statements about prayer found anywhere in God’s Word.
Paul admonishes the community of Thessalonian believers in several areas of community conduct: love and respect your leaders, encourage and correct those among you that are being irresponsible, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. Most of all, do not repay evil for evil, but instead see to it that you pursue good for one another and for all.
What identifies this body of believers as belonging to Christ is their community life. The community is only as strong as their commitment to community living, as Jesus modeled and as the apostles are now modeling, teaching, and encouraging.
Paul instructs the community to always be rejoicing, always be praying, and always to give thanks in everything “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (v.16-18). In doing so, the body will not stifle the Spirit of Christ. Don’t despise prophecy, but test it, to see what is good, and reject what is bad, what is false, thus you will stay away from every kind of evil (v.19-22). These are the practices of a healthy community following Christ. Christian community is not based on what I feel and experience, but in what we hold in common. We hold Christ. We are bound together by our common faith in Christ, and our committment to that faith in Christ allows us to experience community. Those of great committment to faith in Christ, will experience community in Christ, and be held together in Christ. Just as Israel experienced the blessings of God in their committment to God, as a community, the Church will experience the blessings of Christ, as we commit in our relationship to Him as a community; being held together by that very commitment to faith in Christ.
What is one of those sinues that binds us to Christ, in community? Prayer. We will look at the other sinues and ligaments over the next weeks, but today I would like us to look at prayer. How important is prayer to be in the community life of a church?
Prayer is the secret to intimacy with God. Sadly, many Christians never know this kind of relationship. Many never pray unless they are in a crisis. Others pray when they want something. Others have never developed the discipline of prayer. Prayer is life changing but it is also challenging.
I. The Exhortation to Prayer
a. The Scriptural Imperative
The first good reason for doing anything is that God has commanded it. And God has commanded us to pray. Throughout the Bible there are Scriptures with the imperative command to pray. Mt 7:7
Matthew 7:7
“Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
He then told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not become discouraged: “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect man.
And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
“For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect man, yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’ ”
Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay to help them?
I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on earth?” He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else:
b. The Scope of Intercession
A Christ follower is to pray literally about everything.
Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
The Apostle Paul answers this question for us very clearly, “at all times” (Eph 6:18)
Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.
Prayer is so important that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1). Jesus went on to teach what prayer is, how to pray, when to pray, what to pray, even where to pray and why to pray. He even modeled prayer before His disciples and encouraged them to do so themselves. John 17 is an epic recording of Jesus’ prayer where Jesus prays for himself, for His disciples, and then for all believers that would follow after Him for all time.
It has been taught that prayer is not a list of bulletin points of needs and wants, but of listening to God. I will propose that prayer is listening to and for God, but also that prayer is asking for God to meet needs and to intervene. We are instructed to bring all prayers and supplications (or requests) to the LORD God (Eph. 6:18). The Apostle Paul in teaching the young minister Timothy says,
First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone,
We learn from Paul’s instruction that their are four types of prayers:
General Prayer - prayer to God in general for others [4335] προσευχή proseuchḗ (Rom 15:30; Acts 12:5; Lk 6:12; Mt 17:21; 21:13).
Supplications - a divine entreaty; to make known one’s particular need or want, prayer for a particular benefit, petition for oneself (Lk 1:13; Phil 4:6; Heb 5:7; 1 Pet 3:12; Job 27:9; Ps 39:12; 1 Kgs 8:28, 30). [1163] δέησις déēsis. For others (Phil 1:19; James 5:16) in the sense of protection, care, favor and/or benefit, and/or on their behalf (Rom 10:1; 2 Cor 1:11; 9:14; 2 Tim 2:1). In general spoken of any prayer (Lk 2:37; Acts 1:14; Eph 6:18; 2 Tim 1:3; 1Kgs 8:45; 2 Chr. 6:40).
‘Divine entreaty’ meaning an urgent prayer; earnest petition; pressing solicitation or supplication (Prov 18; 2 Cor 8).
Thanksgiving - [2169] εὐχαριστία eucharistía; thankful, grateful, gratitude; grateful speech or discourse (Eph 5:4; Phil 4:6; Col 4:2; 1 Thess 3:9). To God (Rev 7:12).
Intercessions - [1783] ἔντευξις énteuxis. A formal petition; to entreat. Address to God for oneself or others. Prayer according to God’s will. To come to God with boldness (1 Tim 2:1; 4:5).
In James 5:16 the apostle James instructs believers to confess their sins to one another, and to pray for one another, so that one may be healed. The word pray [2172] εὔχομαι eúchomai means to speak out, utter aloud, and thus express a wish. It is to pray to God on the behalf of someone with earnest desire (Acts 27:29; Rom 9:3; 3 Jn 1:2; James 5:16; Ex 8:29, 30; Num 11:2; 21:7; 2 Cor 3:17; 13:9).
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.
The pray James talks about is intercessional prayer. It is an earnest, bold desire spoken out, uttered aloud, on the behalf of someone. James connects that intercessional prayer with righteousness and says that person has great power. The word power is [2480] ἰσχύω ischúō meaning ableness, efficacy, prevail, strength (Lk 8:43; Mt 8:28; James 5:16; Acts 19:16; Rev 12:8).
The prayer of a righteous person is able, is effective, prevails, is strong. Who is a righteous person? One who lives by and conforms to the standards of God, through faith in, and through the faith of Jesus Christ (Phil 3:9; Rom 5:19; Hebrews 7:25). It is evident, it’s evidence, is the fruits of righteousness (Phil 1:11). A righteous person is justified by faith and shows his/her faith by their works (James 2:14-26; 1 Jn 3:12).
So, a person of great prayer and intercessional power, and authority, is one who lives by and conforms to the standards of God, found in the Bible, through faith in and faithfulness to Jesus, because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8; Romans 10:9, 10; 1 Jn 5:4; Jn 3:36; 6:40). Am I a person of faith in Jesus? Do I conform to the standards of God? Then I will be a person of effectiveness, authority, and great power in prayer.
c. The Saints Inclusion
Plain and simple - prayer is the duty of every follower of Christ.
Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.
Prayer is expressly commanded of every Christian, all the time, and about everybody and everything, in all circumstances. Not to pray, would be the sin of disobedience to the plain and often repeated command of God! Samuel said to the people of Israel in 1 Samuel 12:23,
“As for me, I vow that I will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. I will teach you the good and right way.
and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.
The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
Christians ought to pray because it is encouraged and our duty before God and the community of believers.
When Are We to Pray?
At all times, in all situations. Prayer exercises the authority of Christ in the believer. It brings the power and position of God to come to bear on any and all situations and persons. This is what it means to intercede: to entreat God to bear his authority, power, and position upon the situation.
Disciples of Jesus are to do this in all and for all persons and situations. Whether it be for healing or relief from sickness or affliction, physically or mentally or spiritually. Or from relief from harrassement, oppression and/or demonization (and extreme cases of possession).
What did Jesus command for His followers to be about? What was our direction, our purpose? To love God and love people, the Great Commandment (Mt 22:38-40). What is that love purpose? To point people to the freedom found in Christ through belief in the Gospel of the Kingdom of God found in the person of Jesus Christ. Teach what He said, what He commanded, what He did (Mt 28:19-20), but also do as He did as a confirmation of Jesus’ truth, power, and authority to change lives and that indeed the Kingdom of God has come near.
As you go, announce this: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with skin diseases, drive out demons. You have received free of charge; give free of charge.
If Jesus did not intent for His people to intecede in prayer for people afflicted by spirits (or demons), both believer and non-believer, why did He say what He did? Why confirm the Gospel with acts of power and authority. So that people might believe. Everything Jesus did and said was for the benefit of people to believe in Him and the coming of His Kingdom.
Do we have the faith that Jesus is who He said He is? Do we have the faith to act as He instructs us to act? Do as He has instructed us to do to give evidence that the Kingdom of God has drawn near to this world?
The Execution of Prayer
Intimacy in a relationship takes time. This is certainly true where prayer is concerned. We must be committed to “asking, seeking and knocking,’ not just occasionally but consistently, persistently. Intimacy in prayer takes perseverance. Listen again to the story Jesus tells His disciples…
Luke 18:3–5HCSB
And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ “For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect man, yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’ ”
The point here is that to achieve intimacy in prayer we must discipline ourselves to spend time in prayer. All believers can pray but not many pray with importunity - a pressing request!
b. The Design of Prayer
God has designed prayer for us, for our benefit, not His. He already knows everything there is to know about us, and as a matter of Scripture, He knows what we are going to ask Him for before we ask it. Prayer is designed so that we can communicate with Him, to get closer to Him, to develop intimacy with Him. Our relationship with Him needs constant attention.
Soren Kierkegaard Quotes
“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
Prayer changes us, not God, who cannot change. When we come into His presence in prayer we are on “holy ground” and like Isiah of old we are transformed by our nearness to Him.
c. The Distinctive’s of Prayer
Finally, a healthy well developed prayer life will deliver us from the kind of superficial, shallow version of Christianity that is so prevalent in the church today. Have you ever heard the term “a mile wide and an inch deep”? Is our faith a mile wide and an inch deep? Or an inch wide and a mile deep? What about our prayer life? An “Inch deep” community does not develop the depth of intimacy that is needed in an ever-challenging cultural environment. There are two measurables where prayer is concerned. There is quantity (time) and quality (intimacy). How is your relationship with God? What would characterize your prayer life? Are you praying without ceasing?
Conclusion
Prayer is the duty and priviledge of the believer and follower of Christ. It is one of the identifying characteristics of a real church community of Christ. It is one of the things that distinguishes the inch deep from the mile deep Christ community. Prayer is the church community listening to Christ, carrying out His will, and confirming His Word. It is asking, waiting, and receiving from Christ. Prayer is to be in communion with God, empowered by God, and to be emboldened by God.
Billy Graham quote: “First, remember that we have the privilege of coming to God only because Jesus Christ died for our sins. Have you given your life to Him? If not, let your first prayer be one of confession and faith, asking Him to come into your life as your Lord and Savior.
William Carey quote: "Prayer - secret, fervent, believing prayer - lies at the root of all personal godliness."
Edwin Keith - Prayer is exhaling the spirit of man and inhaling the Spirit of God.
Intercessory prayer is to bring the power, position, and authority of God to come to bear on a person and situation. Healing of person, release of persons from the power and influence of spirits is part of the testimony and duty that Jesus has given to each believer in Christ. It is what confirms that Jesus is who He claims to be and that the Kingdom is hear.
Amen
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