Sermon Tone Analysis

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:

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:

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.