PRACTICAL MATTERS FOR LIVING A PRODUCTIVE CHRISTIAN LIFE - #1 PRAYER
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
In this closing chapter, Paul turns his attention to practical matters. He has answered some of the questions that had been troubling the Christians because of false teaching they had heard. So, in a very practical, down-to-earth way, these verses give us encouragement and incentives, as we seek to live for the Lord every day of our lives.
Notice the vital place prayer has in living a productive Christian life. Verse one begins,
"Finally, brethren, pray for us..." Here's the great Apostle Paul. The man who wrote at least half of the books of the New Testament. Paul is a great man of God, and yet he says to those believers, “Pray for us.”
Prayer is one of those areas in which all of God's people are on the same level. I have the privilege of praying for you and you have the privilege of praying for me. Each of us can share equally in the ministry of prayer one for another.
It's a great compliment when someone comes to you and asks you to pray for him. It is a compliment to your walk with the Lord and your testimony. Someone believes that you can get hold of God in prayer.
There are two items about which Paul asked the Thessalonians to pray.
1. He asked them to pray for the success of the Word and the message.
Pray for the success of the message, that the Word of the Lord may have free course. He's talking about the Bible. He's talking about the Gospel. He's talking about the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul had come to the city of Thessalonica and preached the Word of the Lord. Back in 1 Thessalonians 1:8, he said, “For from you sounded out the word of the Lord…”
This is a beautiful picture. The Word of the Lord is compared to a trumpet sounding.
There he's talking about the proclamation of the Gospel. Now, in 2 Thessalonians 3:1, he's talking about the progress of the Gospel. "That the Word of the Lord may have free course."
Literally, he's saying to pray that the Word of the Lord may run. The phrase, free course, comes from the Greek word “trecho” which means to run or move in haste. It's a picture of an athlete running in a race, and a beautiful picture, and a lot of imagery. There are many figures of speech in the Bible, and this is one of them. The Word of the Lord is pictured here as running. In Psalm 147:15 it says, "...his word runneth very swiftly." This speaks of the progress of the Word of God.
Paul is saying that he wants you to pray that God's message will do what it is intended to do and that it will go where God intends for it to go. He says, in the last part of verse 1, "even as it is with you." He is saying the Word of God made progress with you. The picture here is that Word of God, like a runner, came running into your city and did what God's Word is intended to do.
He's talking about the success of the message of God's Word. Then he says, "And be glorified." He means that as the Word of God does what it's meant to do, and people are saved and lives are changed and miracles take place, God's Word will bring honor and glory to the Lord Himself.
That is exactly what happens when God's Word is preached and people are changed.
You ought to be praying for your pastor every time he steps into the pulpit. Preachers are greatly dependent upon your prayers. Do you pray before you come to the church services? Let me encourage you to do so. Pray on Sunday morning, on Sunday evening, and again on Wednesday afternoon that God will honor His Word and that the Word might run and be successful in the services so that God might be glorified.
You can look at a beautiful painting you see in a museum. When a person sees that painting, the first question that comes to mind is -- who painted such a beautiful painting? It calls attention to the painter. The same thing is true when the word is preached, and people get saved.
Somebody says, "My, what a change in that person's life." "My, how different that person is." "How did that happen?" Somebody else says, "That's what Jesus can do in a person who accepts Jesus as their Saviour." Jesus can paint a beautiful portrait in your life. The Word of God, as it is preached and received into your heart, can change your life. Your life can be a testimony of glory and honor to the Lord.
He says to pray. It is through prayer that the Word of God is successful. It is as we undergird the word that the Word of God does its work.
When I go out witnessing on visitation, I always pray before I go. I ask that God will use me, and make His Word effective in the hearts and lives of people because I know that it is through prayer that the Word progresses and God is honored.
We are to pray for the success of the message.
2. He asked them to pray for the safety of the messengers
"And that we may be delivered (rescued) from unreasonable (outrageous, unbecoming, out of place individuals) and wicked men: for all men have not (the) faith." – vs. 2
He is saying that not everybody is saved. Not everybody is happy when the Word of God goes forth. There are outrageous and wicked individuals in our towns. "All men have not faith," so, we need to pray for the safety of the messengers.
Please pray faithfully that the Word will have great influence upon those who hear it, and pray for the safety of every servant who preaches and shares the Word.
Your Friend and HIS,
Pastor Abbott
MEDITATIONS
1. Do you have a consistent prayer life?
2. How should Paul’s request in verses one and two impacts the way we pray?
3. Do you think prayer changes things? Explain your answer.
4. How can prayer change the life of one who is lost?