PRAY FOR US
II THESSALONIANS 3:1-2
Introduction:
The Apostle Paul was very aware of his need of pray by the Lord’s people. We are all guilty of saying that we will pray for someone or something only to forget to do so later. The need to pray for others is very important to God’s work and to our own personal spiritual growth.
If we are not concerned about the souls of other people we will not be very concerned about our personal relationship with the Lord. The two work together to our mutual benefit.
I. WE ALL NEED PRAYER AND TO PRAY
A. The Thessalonians needed prayer in their temptations, but they also needed to pray for others, Romans 15:30, w I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;”
1. The Lord was concerned about laborers, Matthew 9:38 “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
2. The Lord saw a great harvest, Luke 10:2, “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.”
B. Paul requested prayer for two matters.
1. That the Lord would prepare the hearts of those who would hear the Gospel, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”
2. The second request was for deliverance from enemies of the gospel, Acts 17:5-9,“But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6- And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; 7- Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. 8- And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things. 9- And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing:”
CONCLUSION