Help them with Our Prayers

Help Them With Our Prayers

INTRODUCTION

Brag on Paul and Licking AG missions support.

Mansfield 10.19.2014

Serving God in missions can put you in difficult and dangerous situations.

[Tell story of small village, goat for dinner, deacons and choir beat up a few days before we arrived, the new building when we left, and Randall getting smacked in the face with a tree limb by the tree people.]

[Brent, same hotel, weight on chest like death, his wife sensing spiritual battle, ended up flying home, all tests negative, spiritual oppression.]

Text: 2 Corinthians 1:8-11

The Apostle Paul served the Lord as an energetic and hard-working missionary.

CP: Your prayers can make a huge difference in the lives of missionaries.

The Apostle Paul served the Lord as an energetic and hard-working missionary.

LCG: For the people to pray for the missionaries we support.

He travelled over much of the Roman Empire spreading the message of Jesus Christ.

INTRODUCTIONIllustration of missionary helped by prayer.The Apostle Paul was an energetic and hard-working missionary.He travelled over much of the Roman Empire spreading the message of Jesus Christ.He started many churches—he won many people to the Lord.He was a great man of faith.Even though he was a great man of faith and a man who lived close to the Lord, he faced many trying circumstances in his life.Satan opposed him and wanted to stop his work.Leaders of Jews in the various cities he visited often opposed him and wanted to stop him.Influential people opposed him and attempted to stop him.Paul, on various occasions, was placed in jail, stoned, driven from cities and told not to return, was beaten, and faced many other hardships.In 1 Corinthians 1:8-11 Paul tells the Corinthians about and extremely trying circumstance he faced—a situation so difficult he thought he would die: ““We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” (2 Corinthians 1:8–11, NIV)The Lord delivered Paul from this desperate situation and says that he knows that God will deliver him again when the need arises.But notice in the last part of v. 10 and the first part v. 11 Paul says that the prayers of the people in the church at Corinth for him helped his deliverance from difficulty.The church helped Paul by praying for Him.Often in missions emphasis week we only think about financial support and missionaries do need our financial support, but every missionary I ask say that they need our prayer support more than anything else.

He started many churches—he won many people to the Lord.

Your prayers for missionaries makes a huge difference in their life and in their effectiveness in ministry.

He was a great man of faith.

BODYMissionaries, and the rest of us, will sometimes face difficult circumstances in our lives.Scholars aren’t sure what desperate situation Paul is referring to in this passage of Scripture.We know it happened somewhere in Asia—modern Turkey.He was under great pressure —“utterly, unbearably, crushed.”He was under a death sentence.The world translated “despaired” is a rarely used Greek word that means their was absolutely no way of escape.Truly a difficult place for Paul—he felt sure that he would die.This was not the only hardship Paul faced in the course of his ministry.Later in the book of 2 Corinthians Paul gives this short autobiography of his troubles: ““Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:23–28, NIV)We are not strangers to trouble and difficulty—many of us know what it is to face difficulty in our lives as well.Family problems.Health problems.Financial problems.And so on.Now imagine you are thousands of miles from home on a small island in the Pacific Ocean or a remote village in a wide East African plain—all those troubles are magnified.Additionally you face unique difficulties.Living in a strange culture.Learning a foreign language.Trying to raise your children and to find a school for them.Hoping your financial support holds up.Praying the government of the nation you live in doesn’t void your visa and kick you out.In danger from bandits, in danger from witch doctors, in danger from hostile religions, in danger from evil spirits and the opposition of satan.And on top of all this, trying to start church, build tabernacles, and begin Bible schools.All of these difficulties, and more we cannot even imagine, daily threaten our missionaries—that’s why we need to help them in prayer.

Even though he was a great man of faith and a man who lived close to the Lord, he faced many trying circumstances in his life.

Prayer helps bring God’s strength, guidance, victory, deliverance, and so on into our lives and into the lives of our missionaries.In Paul’s deadly trial he relied upon the Lord for deliverance and the Lord did not fail him.Paul even expresses faith that should such a trial happen again that the Lord will again deliver him.He then says in the last part of v. 10 and the first part of v. 11 that the Lord “will continue to deliver us as you help us by your prayers.”The prayers of the church for Paul helped deliver him and will continue to help him during the course of his ministry.There really is power in prayer:Moses prayed and the Red Sea opened.Joshua prayed and the walls of Jericho fell flat.David prayed and Goliath took a stone in the middle of his forehead.The three Hebrew boys prayed and God delivered them from a fiery furnace.Daniel prayed and an angel shut the lion’s mouth.Peter and John prayed and a lame man stood to his feet walking and leaping.Paul prayed and a dead man came back to life.The Corinthian First Assembly of God prayed and Paul was delivered from certain death.And when we pray for our missionaries there is no telling what God will do in their lives.I don’t know why God chooses to work in response to our prayers, but He does.There are some things that will never happen unless we pray.We are partners with God in doing his work in this world.He has determined that the prayers we make in faith will change the lives, circumstances, and situations people face in our world.We know in our own lives that prayer changes things; many of you have received miracles, healings, blessings, and all kinds of help from God through the avenue of prayer—either your prayers or the prayers of others.When we pray for missionaries God hears our prayers and he moves to meet their needs.We might not always know what their need may be, but we can pray for them anyway, we can pray in the Spirit, and we can be sure that God hears and answers.Maybe they are stricken with disease.Maybe they are under attack from bandits.Maybe evil spirits are working against them.Maybe a financial shortfall hit them.The list could go on and on.In all these circumstances your prayers could touch God and result in their victory and deliverance.We need to be a praying people; praying for—Our children and/or our grandchildrenOur churchOur communityOur own needsOur nationAnd so on.But we must not forget to pray for our missionaries—their lives may depend upon it.

Satan opposed him and wanted to stop his work.

You can pray for your missionaries.The Corinthian church prayed for Paul specifically.Pray for them by name—i have a few of our missionary posters here with us tonight, when we pray in a few moments pray for them by name.If the Lord lays a specific missionary on your heart be sure you pray for that missionary by name.I would encourage you to pick out one of our missionaries, memorize their name, and pray for them often.Here is a list of needs you can pray for when it comes to our missionaries.Health and protectionChildren’s educationCare and provision when family members are separatedThe spiritual well-being of the familyVictory over evil spirits that oppose themThe success of their ministryOnly in heaven will we see the effect our prayers had on the lives and ministries of our missionaries.Let us be sure that we are generous in prayer for the missionaries God lays upon our hearts.IN CONCLUSIONMissionaries often face difficult and trying situations.

Leaders of Jews in the various cities he visited often opposed him and wanted to stop him.

We can help them through our prayers.

Influential people opposed him and attempted to stop him.

Will you pray for our missionaries?

Paul, on various occasions, was placed in jail, stoned, driven from cities and told not to return, was beaten, and faced many other hardships.

Prayer TimeTonight we will pray for the seven regions of AG world missionsAfricaAsia PacificEurasiaEuropeLatin America CaribbeanNorthern AsiaInternational Ministries

In Paul tells the Corinthians about and extremely trying circumstance he faced—a situation so difficult he thought he would die:

1 Corinthians 1:8–11 NIV

He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.

2 Corinthians 1:8–11 CSB

8 We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia. We were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again 11 while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.

We are going to pray for our missionaries.Some posters are here in the sanctuary that we took down in order to paint—others are on the wall in the hallway, but I want you to choose a missionary, or a few, and pray over them for the next few moments.Let’s be sure we pray for them during the weeks and months ahead.

The Lord delivered Paul from this desperate situation and he says that he knows that God will deliver him again when the need arises.

The US is in great need of a revival as well—let’s pray for our nation and for all the missionaries and others who work to win the lost in America.

But notice in the last part of v. 10 and the first part v. 11 Paul says that the prayers of the people in the church at Corinth for him helped his deliverance from difficulty.

The church helped Paul by praying for Him.

Often in missions emphasis week we only think about financial support and missionaries do need our financial support, but every missionary I ask say that they need our prayer support more than anything else.

Your prayers for missionaries makes a huge difference in their life and in their effectiveness in ministry.

BODY

We need to realize that missionaries often face difficult circumstances and situations.

Scholars aren’t sure what desperate situation Paul is referring to in this passage of Scripture.

We know it happened somewhere in Asia—modern Turkey.

He was under great pressure

Verse 8 says “Completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength.”

We can translate this as —“utterly, unbearably, crushed.”

So utterly burdened that he despaired of life itself.

He was under a death sentence.

The world translated “despaired” is a rarely used Greek word that means there was absolutely no way of escape.

Truly a difficult place for Paul—he felt sure that he would die.

This was not the only hardship Paul faced in the course of his ministry.

Later in the book of Paul gives this short autobiography of his troubles:

2 Corinthians 11:23–28 CSB

23 Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death. 24 Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26 On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers; 27 toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing. 28 Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.

We are not strangers to trouble and difficulty—many of us know what it is to face difficulty in our lives as well.

Family problems.

Health problems.

Financial problems.

And so on.

Now imagine you are thousands of miles from home on a small island in the Pacific Ocean or a remote village in a wide East African plain—all those troubles are magnified.

Additionally you face unique difficulties.

Living in a strange culture.

Learning a foreign language.

Trying to raise your children and to find a school for them.

Hoping your financial support holds up.

Praying the government of the nation you live in doesn’t void your visa and kick you out.

In danger from bandits, in danger from witch doctors, in danger from hostile religions, in danger from evil spirits and the opposition of satan

[Tell story of me in hotel in Duakoua, Cote’ d’ Ivoire, witch doctors marching as we came into town, demon clicking tongues at end of bed, my, perhaps unwise, “Lord I don’t have time for this, i need sleep, please protect me” response.][Brent, same hotel, weight on chest like death, his wife sensing spiritual battle, ended up flying home, all tests negative, spiritual oppression.]

On top of all this, you are trying to start church, build tabernacles, and begin Bible schools.

All of these difficulties, and more we cannot even imagine, daily threaten our missionaries—that’s why we need to help them in prayer.

Your prayers for missionaries helps bring God’s strength, guidance, victory, deliverance, and help into their lives.

In Paul’s deadly trial he relied upon the Lord for deliverance and the Lord did not fail him.

Paul even expresses faith that should such a trial happen again that the Lord will again deliver him.

He then says in the last part of v. 10 and the first part of v. 11 that the Lord “will deliver us again while you join in helping us by your prayers.”

The prayers of the church for Paul helped deliver him and will continue to help him during the course of his ministry.

There really is power in prayer:

Moses prayed and the Red Sea opened.

Joshua prayed and the walls of Jericho fell flat.

David prayed and Goliath took a stone in the middle of his forehead.

The three Hebrew boys prayed and God delivered them from a fiery furnace.

Daniel prayed and an angel shut the lion’s mouth.

Peter and John prayed and a lame man stood to his feet walking and leaping.

Paul prayed and a dead man came back to life.

The Corinthian Assembly of God prayed and Paul was delivered from certain death.

When we pray for our missionaries there is no telling what God will do in their lives.

I don’t know why God chooses to work in response to our prayers, but He does.

There are some things that will never happen unless we pray.

We are partners with God in doing his work in this world.

He has determined that the prayers we make in faith will change the lives, circumstances, and situations people face in our world.

We know in our own lives that prayer changes things; many of you have received miracles, healings, blessings, and all kinds of help from God through the avenue of prayer—either your prayers or the prayers of others.

When we pray for missionaries God hears our prayers and he moves to meet their needs.

We might not always know what their need may be, but we can pray for them anyway, we can pray in the Spirit, and we can be sure that God hears and answers.

Maybe they are stricken with disease.

Maybe they are under attack from bandits.

Maybe evil spirits are working against them.

Maybe a financial shortfall hit them.The list could go on and on.

In all these circumstances your prayers touch God and result in their victory and deliverance.

We need to be a praying people; praying for—

Our children and/or our grandchildren.

Our church.

Our community.

Our own needs.

Our nation.

And many other issues and needs.

But we must not forget to pray for our missionaries—their lives may depend upon it.

You can pray specifically for your missionaries.

The Corinthian Assembly prayed specifically for Paul and his missionary team.

I believe in praying specific prayers.

Perhaps you could ask the Lord to give you a burden for a missionary family, or two, or three that you can dedicate yourself to praying for.

Memorize their name, but their prayer card where you can see it often, think of them, and pray for them.

Be quick to hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit, even if it comes in the dark hours of night, and respond by praying for them at that moment.

You really can help them with your prayers!

Our missionaries have certain needs unique to their ministry and we should pray specifically for these needs.

Health.

Physical protection (unsanitary conditions, diseases, poor to non-existent healthcare, etc.)

Children’s education.

Care and provision when family members are separated.

The spiritual well-being of the family (they are in a pressure cooker).

Victory over the evil spirits opposing them.

God’s giving their ministry favor with government officials and indigenous people.

The success of their ministry.

Only in heaven will we see the effect our prayers had on the lives and ministries of our missionaries.

Let us be sure that we are generous in prayer for the missionaries God lays upon our hearts.

When you partner with missionaries by praying for them it results in great works being accomplished and great thanksgiving offered to God.

The last part of says:

2 Corinthians 1:11 CSB

while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.

Your prayers result in missionaries receiving help and in God receiving great glory!

Why did Paul say that many would give thanks for the answer to the prayers of many?

Because his life was saved.

Because his team was delivered.

This is more than enough reason to give thanks.

But there is more.

Paul wasn’t afraid to die for the Gospel.

In Paul says:

Philippians 1:21 CSB

For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

He understood that death would come to him at some point.

He knew God would deem his ministry complete.

He knew that at some point he would go to be with Christ.

He understood that when that time came no amount of prayers would deliver him from his promotion to heaven.

So while Paul was genuinely thankful for deliverance from death he knew that death meant new life in the presence of Christ in glory.

tells the rest of the story:

Philippians 1:22–24 CSB

Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. I am torn between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ—which is far better—but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

Paul’s continued life meant that he could go on doing fruitful work for Christ in the world.

He went on to tell the Philippians believers that his continued work would result in their progress and joy in the faith.

So, what does all this mean in the context of Paul’s deliverance with the help of the prayers of the Corinthian believers.

It means he would continue his mission.

Souls would be saved.

New converts would be trained.

Churches would be established.

The work of God through Paul would continue.

Paul says in v. 11 of our text that many will give thanks for his deliverance from death that came through the Corinthians prayerful help.

We should pause and think of who this includes:

Paul and his team give thanks.

Every person that came to faith in Christ after Paul’s deliverance gave thanks.

s deliverance

Every person who received instruction from Paul after his deliverance gave thanks.

Every city that Paul started a church in after his deliverance gave thanks.

Many, indeed, gave thanks for the fruit of his ministry after the Corinthians helped him with their prayers.

The conversion of lost souls gives us a powerful reason to rejoice.

stand as both a literary masterpiece and a theological gem.

It tells the stories of:

The lost sheep.

The lost coin.

And most famously of all, the lost, or prodigal, son.

Each of these parables speaks of the joy resulting in the salvation of sinners.

In the parable of the lost son the younger son takes his inheritance early and leaves home for a far country and wild living.

He ran out of money, food, shelter, and so-called friends.

He decided to return and ask to be not a son, but a servant.

While a long ways off, the father saw him, ran to him, rejoiced, and ordered a celebration.

In response to a jealous older brother, the father said in .

Luke 15:32 CSB

But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

In the case of the lost sheep Jesus said ().

Luke 15:7 CSB

I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.

In the case of the lost coin He said ():

Luke 15:10 CSB

I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

Do you see the pattern?

There is rejoicing and giving thanks when people trust Christ for salvation.

Heaven rejoices.

Angels rejoice.

Loved ones on earth rejoice.

Those who prayed for lost souls rejoice.

Those who help soul-winning missionaries by praying for them rejoice.

The Corinthians could rejoice and give thanks both for Paul’s deliverance and the salvation of souls that resulted.

One day God’s children will enter heaven and it will be amazing.

Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, and neither has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for them that love.

Pearly gates and golden streets.

Throne of God and river of life

The presence of Christ.

And the people who your missionaries won to the Lord—hundred, thousands even, of people, in heaven, in part because you helped your missionaries with your prayers.

And that friends, is reason to give thanks to God!

CONCLUSION

Our missionaries face many hardships and challenges as they serve the Lord.

We can help them with our prayers.

Will you pray for them?