The Power of Prayer

As we have gone through our study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians, I’ve mentioned that the Thessalonian believers were confused and upset… Because, some angry Jews had forced Paul out of town… and then they even forged a letter, with Paul’s signature, that was full of false information.

Paul has responded to that letter, with true information and continued to minister wherever the Lord led him to go… but he couldn’t return to these people that he loved… I believe that fact was weighing heavy on his heart, along with all of the other struggles of ministry… So he started the conclusion of his letter with a request that they pray for him.

Let’s look at our passage together… 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 (Read and then Pray)…

Meat:

There are times, as Christians, when we want to be as positive as we can be, that when someone asks “Is there anything that you need?” or “is there anything that I can do for you?”… we just smile and say “Nope, I’m good” or “Nope, everything is going fine”… “we’re doing fine”… We think that admitting we have a need is a sign of weakness…

Y’all,… whether you like to admit it or not… we can all use constant prayer. Yes, that includes Pastors as well! … Paul wasn’t afraid to tell the church he needed them to pray for him. And he even gave them some specific things to pray about.

I believe that one of the reasons so many people don’t see their prayers as being effective or… being answered,… is because they are too general in their requests. They pray things like “May God Bless your family” or they say to others “I am praying for you”… which both are great things to say and/or do… but… How would you like to see God bless my family? In what ways are you praying for me??

Illustration:

During the Vietnam War, U.S. forces employed carpet-bombing. Huge B-52s flying at 30,000 feet released hundreds of bombs over cities. Some of them might hit the target, some may miss—and there was the danger of collateral damage.

But today, our military has laser guided missiles. Soldiers on the ground or pilots in the air, or even drone pilots sitting in an office can designate a target with a laser, and the smart bomb or missile will fly into that target with great precision.

That’s a great illustration for prayer. Some people have a Vietnam War prayer life, they just pray in generalities, like carpet-bombing… But, there is a more powerful and effective type of prayer that employs laser guided technology to our prayer requests… When we pray for specific things to happen, it is like sending God coordinates for our specific requests… and in today’s passage,(Slide) Paul designates four specific targets for our prayers.

Four Specific Targets for our Prayers:

Theses are four things(or targets) that we should be praying for on a regular basis… Especially as we are to be “Ready and Waiting” for the Lord’s return… There are some folks that say “I never know what to pray for”… well, here are four things to get you started… and I have found, that as I am praying, God brings other things and/or people to my mind to pray for as well...

The first target that Paul mentions is for…

1. God’s Message to Spread

v.1 says “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you,”

The NASB words it like this “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;”

Paul was one of God’s workers and he asked the church to pray for him. Those of us who serve the Lord here at Pierson Bible Church need your prayer. And we don’t want carpet-bombing prayer; we need some laser-guided prayers… specific targets.

Prayer for myself and the Sunday School teachers, the Children’s Church teachers, the Venture club teachers… that we would rightly divide the Word of Truth… Pray for our Deacons and Elders that we would make decisions that would help Pierson Bible Church spread the Gospel more effectively…

Paul didn’t just want the Gospel to spread, but he wanted it to spread…

1.1 Rapidly

The language literally means to pray that God’s word will keep running ahead. It’s the word, trecho, like our English word “trek” and it means “To run”…

Paul new the importance of the message of the Gospel and he also new that people were dying without ever hearing it. He wanted the Gospel to continue to spread quickly, swiftly… Rapidly…

Just think of how God’s Word has spread around the world. After the Resurrection of Jesus there were only eleven disciples. Then 120 believers were praying on the Day of Pentecost. Then there were 3,000 added to the church that first day. Later 5,000 believers were added in addition to that…

Folks, there are still people dying without the gospel… There is still a need for the Gospel to spread and for it to spread at a rapid rate… and so, as you are praying specifically for that to happen, don't be surprised when God starts laying people on your heart to talk to and minister to.

That is how it spreads… Romans 10:14“14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without (someone telling them)?”

We need to continue to pray specifically that God’s Word will spread rapidly throughout the world as we look forward to His return.

The Second target to pray for is…

2. Protection From Evil

vv. 2-3 say “ and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”

The first form of evil that Paul says we need protection from is…

2.1 Wicked Men

“that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.”

Paul new all about wicked men… he used to be one! But now that he is following and preaching Christ, he is on the receiving end of the wickedness. When Paul preached in Thessalonica, there was a mob of angry Jews who rioted and literally ran him out of town. He faced opposition everywhere he went.

He was beaten, stoned, and shipwrecked. He wrote that he was in danger of losing his life every day. In Acts 23 we read that there were 40 men who hated Paul so viciously that they took a vow that they weren’t going to eat or drink until they had killed him… But believers were specifically praying for his safety, and God delivered him from those wicked men.

When Paul and Silas were in the Philippian Jail… what do you think the church was praying for… “God, please help Paul and Silas to have a good day in Prison”… I don’t know for sure, but my guess is some of them were praying for an earthquake to happen that would set them free!

What about Peter, when was supposed to be in prison and he shows up and knocks on the door of the house that people were inside praying for him…

Look at Acts 12 (Read vv. 1-5)

“but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.”

My guess is they weren’t praying for the Lord to “be with Peter in Prison”… Somebody specifically asked God to miraculously get him out of there… and guess what… That’s exactly what happened! (Read vv. 6-11)

There is a lesson for all of us within both of these situations… People were specifically praying for miraculous things to happen, because they fully believed that God could do it!

But if you don’t believe God uses earthquakes and sends angels, then you won’t specifically ask Him for those things.

Back in today’s passage, Paul also names a second evil that we need protection from…

2.2 Satan

“But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”

Christians around the world are facing severe persecution. In 3rd world countries, you could be killed just for acknowledging that you are a Christian. In some countries, being killed would be the most merciful thing that could happen to you… Here in the U.S. we still have “some” freedom, but the persecution is still evident… especially if you own a business and somebody wants you to create something that goes against what you believe or perform a task that goes against something you believe.

There are people who are out to oppose anyone who is standing up for Jesus Christ… Atheist and freedom-from-religion groups are trying to use the courts to muzzle the church in anyway that they can… And it should come as no surprise when I say that, we’re involved in spiritual warfare and we need to be praying specifically for the safety of everyone involved in sharing the gospel.

Which leads to our 3rd target that we need to pray for… and that is…

3. Other Believers

In v.3 Paul starts to change his focus… and in v.4 you can clearly see that he has gone from his “pray for us” attitude of v.1 to an attitude of “we are praying for you”.

v.4 says “And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.”

Do you realize what Paul is asking his Brothers and Sisters in Christ to do???

3.1 To Live Out What They Say They Believe

“And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you.”

Paul’s prayer is that they will heed and live according to what he has already taught them and that is he give new commands (that have been inspired by The Holy Spirit), that they would accept them and do them as well.

Folks, it is important for us to lift up our brothers and sisters before the Lord. There are some people that we have no idea what is going on in their lives… Sure they show up on Sunday morning, smiles on their face, you ask them how they are doing and they respond with “I’m doing fine”, when in reality they are struggling to keep their heads above water.

If somebody reveals something to you in confidence, start praying specifically for that issue… don’t condemn them because their sin is different from your sin… pray for them… find different ways to encourage them and possibly help them to have victory over their sin…

This is another reason to pray for other believers…

3.2 There Could be a Wedge Between Them and God

I am not saying that they have lost their salvation, because we are eternally secure in Christ. But, if they have sin in their life that they haven’t dealt with or are continuing to indulge in on a regular basis… then there is going to be a wedge in between them and God.

If someone is out of fellowship with God, then, I believe, that the only prayer He will attentively listen too, would be a prayer of repentance for whatever sin is controlling that persons life. Confession of the sin and repentance, meaning you are going to take the necessary steps to get rid of that sin from your life.

Let me take this a step further… If there is a wedge between you and a fellow believer, then there is a wedge between you and God. How can you say that you have unity with God, when you are unable to have unity with someone else that is indwelt with same Holy Spirit that you are?

If you and your spouse are arguing… The Bible says “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger...” I always add… “Stay up and fight!”… … The principle is, get things worked out… If there is a wedge between you and your spouse, then there is a wedge between you and God.

We need to pray for each other!

James 5:16 NASB95

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

As we are praying for one another… we need to be praying for…

4. Hearts to Overflow with God’s Love

v.5 “Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.”

Remember what Paul said in…

1 Thessalonians 3:12 NASB95

12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;

That means that we need to show God’s love to our brothers and sisters in Christ… as well as whoever else God places in our lives.

Illustration:

A lady was checking out in the grocery store. She opened her purse to pull out her wallet and the cashier noticed a television remote control. The Cashier asked, “Do you always carry a remote control in your purse?” The lady responded, “No, but my husband refused to go shopping with me because there are three football games on. I figured taking his TV remote was the meanest thing I could do.”

As humorous as this illustration is… I have to tell you… A heart that is full of love never asks, “What’s the meanest thing I can do.” It always asks, “How can I show God’s love in this situation?” Your heart can only overflow with God’s love if it is filled to the brim with His love.

That is why it needs to be a focal point of our prayer life… And when our hearts are overflowing with the Love of God… it will end up…

4.1 Resulting in the Patience of Christ

Closing:

Recap:

You can never again say that you don’t know what to pray for…

Spreading of the Gospel

Protection from Evil

Other Believers

God’s love to overflow

Final Illustration:

Dr. Tony Evans, in one of his sermons this past week, said... “Prayer is the means that we access God’s spiritual authority”… In this particular sermon he said that people have asked the question; “If God is going to do what He wants to do any ways… then why do we have to pray??”… Legitimate question…

Dr. Evans said “There are certain things that God will not do, apart from prayer”…

When we pray and ask God to do something for us or for others, we are admitting that we cannot do it on our own… we are showing that we are dependent on Him.

So let me ask you this… are you a B52 Bomber type prayer warrior??... or are you a laser guided missile type…

There is power in prayer, because when done according to His will, we are unleashing the Power of God Almighty to get things done!

As we stand ready and waiting for His return… and as the world continues to fall further away from godly living, we need to make sure that we are harnessing the Power of Prayer!