Coming Up Sonday September 13, 2015
Philippians 1:9-11. A Powerful Prayer
Read 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12
If you were to take a survey of the prayers prayed in churches across the nation, I wonder what a graph of the various types of prayers would reveal or look like. I suspect that it would look something like the following graph, with prayers regarding physical issues at an overwhelming high level and prayers regarding “spiritual” issues at an incredible low. I suspect that most of the prayers offered up to the Lord in our churches are based around
physical health, physical needs and finances.
Before we even begin to talk about the nature or type of prayers we pray, let me say unashamedly that these physical matters must be prayed about. Jesus himself directs us in the Lord’s Prayer to ask for our daily bread, a purely physical need.
But it’s fascinating that the overwhelming majority of recorded prayers for us in Paul’s letters are centred around spiritual needs not physical! Paul even left Trophimus sick in Miletus with no indication that healing was being prayed for!
In 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12 we see the heart and mindset of Paul regarding prayers. In the midst of persecution and trial Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers that the Lord Jesus Christ will return to bring trouble to those who are troubling the Christians. He will come with blazing fire, with his Holy Angels to pronounce judgement upon the enemies of God.
As verses 9-10 tell us
“They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed…”
It’s this return of the Lord Jesus Christ that is upper most in Paul’s heart and mind. It’s this return that directs his prayers for the churches he ministers to. How our prayers would change if we prayed in the light of the blazing return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Would we pray only for physical healing for our sick brothers/sisters in the light of Jesus’ return? Would we pray just for travelling mercies for our brothers/sisters on holiday or mission if Jesus’ second coming filled our thoughts? Would we simply pray for financial concerns if this return filled our hearts?
With that in mind Paul prays that the believers in Thessalonica would live lives worthy of their calling. He prays that they would have every good purpose fulfilled and completed by God’s power and that their acts of faith would bear much fruit. He prays that Jesus’ name would be glorified in them. This is rather startling given that verse 4 makes it evidently clear that the church is suffering great persecution and trial. As you pray this week, keep praying for people’s physical needs but consider their spiritual needs, especially in the light of the return of Christ Jesus to judge the living and the dead. How will this reality change and modify your prayers this week?
Prayer:
Using today’s Bible passage and notes write down points for
Adoration:
Confession
Thanks
Supplication:
· Pray that you and your congregation would be living lives worthy of the calling of God. Pray that God would fulfil every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.
· Pray that God would be glorified among your congregation this week.
1. What kind of prayers do you normally pray? Why is this?
2. How can you make sure that you include more prayers of what we might call spiritual prayers?
One on One
Here are some great quotes on prayer
“Our praying, however, needs to be pressed and pursued with an energy that never tires, a persistency which will not be denied, and a courage which never fails.” — E. M. Bounds
“God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it.” — John Wesley
“Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.” — Oswald Chambers
“In no other way can the believer become as fully involved with God’s work especially the work of world evangelism as in intercessory prayer....When the prayer warrior intercedes, he forgets his personal need and focuses all of his faith and prayer attention on others.
”To intercede is to mediate. It is to stand between a lost being and an Almighty God, praying that this person will come to know about God and His salvation.” — Dick Eastman, The Hour That Changes The World
“Search for a person who claims to have found Christ apart from someone else’s prayer, and your search may go on forever.” — E. Bauman
“Have you any days of fasting and prayer? Storm the throne of grace and persevere therein, and mercy will come down.” — John Wesley
“No one’s a firmer believer in the power of prayer than the devil; not that he practices it, but he suffers from it.” — Guy H. King
“Perhaps you will have to spend hours on your knees or upon your face before the throne. Never mind. Wait. God will do great things for you if you will wait for Him. Yield to Him. Cooperate with Him.” — John Smith
“If the church would only awaken to her responsibility of intercession, we could well evangelize the world in a short time. It is not God’s plan that the world be merely evangelized ultimately. It should be evangelized in every generation. There should be a constant gospel witness in every corner of the world so that no sinner need close his eyes in death without hearing the gospel, the good news of salvation through Christ.” — T. S. Hegre
“O brother, pray; in spite of Satan, pray; spend hours in prayer; rather neglect friends than not pray; rather fast, and lose breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper—and sleep too—than not pray. And we must not talk about prayer, we must pray in right earnest. The Lord is near. He comes softly while the virgin slumbers.” — Andrew A. Bonar
“Next to the wonder of seeing my Saviour will be, I think, the wonder that I made so little use of the power of prayer.” — D. L. Moody
Read more: http://www.epm.org/resources/2009/Mar/28/great-quotes-prayer/#ixzz3iei0FUTU
Prayer is the greatest work that you and I can be involved in. Any ministry, any good work, any act of faith must be bathed in prayer before it begins, during its course and after the work has completed. To do anything apart from prayer is to walk in your own strength, your own wisdom and your own surety. Don’t make such a tragic mistake. First and foremost, be a man or woman of deep concerted prayer and everything else will fall into place.
One on One
Here are some great quotes on prayer
“Our praying, however, needs to be pressed and pursued with an energy that never tires, a persistency which will not be denied, and a courage which never fails.” — E. M. Bounds
“God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it.” — John Wesley
“Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.” — Oswald Chambers
“In no other way can the believer become as fully involved with God’s work especially the work of world evangelism as in intercessory prayer....When the prayer warrior intercedes, he forgets his personal need and focuses all of his faith and prayer attention on others.
”To intercede is to mediate. It is to stand between a lost being and an Almighty God, praying that this person will come to know about God and His salvation.” — Dick Eastman, The Hour That Changes The World
“Search for a person who claims to have found Christ apart from someone else’s prayer, and your search may go on forever.” — E. Bauman
“Have you any days of fasting and prayer? Storm the throne of grace and persevere therein, and mercy will come down.” — John Wesley
“No one’s a firmer believer in the power of prayer than the devil; not that he practices it, but he suffers from it.” — Guy H. King
“Perhaps you will have to spend hours on your knees or upon your face before the throne. Never mind. Wait. God will do great things for you if you will wait for Him. Yield to Him. Cooperate with Him.” — John Smith
“If the church would only awaken to her responsibility of intercession, we could well evangelize the world in a short time. It is not God’s plan that the world be merely evangelized ultimately. It should be evangelized in every generation. There should be a constant gospel witness in every corner of the world so that no sinner need close his eyes in death without hearing the gospel, the good news of salvation through Christ.” — T. S. Hegre
“O brother, pray; in spite of Satan, pray; spend hours in prayer; rather neglect friends than not pray; rather fast, and lose breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper—and sleep too—than not pray. And we must not talk about prayer, we must pray in right earnest. The Lord is near. He comes softly while the virgin slumbers.” — Andrew A. Bonar
“Next to the wonder of seeing my Saviour will be, I think, the wonder that I made so little use of the power of prayer.” — D. L. Moody
Read more: http://www.epm.org/resources/2009/Mar/28/great-quotes-prayer/#ixzz3iei0FUTU
Prayer is the greatest work that you and I can be involved in. Any ministry, any good work, any act of faith must be bathed in prayer before it begins, during its course and after the work has completed. To do anything apart from prayer is to walk in your own strength, your own wisdom and your own surety. Don’t make such a tragic mistake. First and foremost, be a man or woman of deep concerted prayer and everything else will fall into place.
Personal Questions
1. How’s your prayer life?
2. Describe your current thought life?
3. How’s your relationship with your spouse or your parents?
4. Discuss how and if you’ve struggled with sin/temptation this week.
5. How are you worshipping God through work, family and social networks?
• that your congregation would be growing in love through an increase in knowledge of God.
• that your congregation would be taught faithfully and fearlessly from the Word of God week in week out.
• that you would abound in love as you grow in Christ.
1. What is your attitude towards prayer?
2. How much priority do you give to prayer in your life both individually and corporately with other believers?
3. Where could you find time in your busy week to pray more?
4. Why should we be praying more?
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