Praying for Those Who Suffer

Transcript

Praying For Those Who Suffer
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

The Content of Paul’s Prayer

1. God will count you worthy of your calling
the estimation formed by God; to reckon as favorable

1 Corinthians 6:11, Ephesians 1:3-14, Matthew 25:21

Pray that God would count them worthy of their calling in midst of suffering.

Habakkuk 3:17-18 ~Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

Pray their testimony would cause others to imitate their trust in a faithful God.

2 Thessalonians 1:4 ~Therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for you perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

2. Fulfill every desire for goodness

“Good” ~ that which is beneficial in its effect (Vine’s Dictionary)

Pray that the good they desire would be nothing short of God’s perfect plan.

Matthew 26:39 ~My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me, yet not as I will, but as You will

3. (Fulfill) their work of faith

The work of faith is the work done for the Lord as a result of our faith in Him.

• . . . . with power

Pray for them to continue to serve with power

1 Peter 4:10 ~ As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5



The Reason for Paul’s Prayer


1. The name of the Lord Jesus will be glorified in you . . .

2 Corinthians 4:7, 2 Corinthians 12:9


2. . . . and you in Him

2 Corinthians 3:18

2 Corinthians 3:18 ~ But we all with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, jus as from the Lord, the Spirit.

When you are going through a trial, what do you want more? To be released from the trial, or to glorify God in the midst of it?

Do we want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” ?

Do we want what God wants, regardless of what that might be?

Do we want to say with Christ, “Not my will but Your’s be done”?

Glorifying God and becoming more like Jesus in our walk is our ultimate purpose for which we were created.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, at the heart of all our praying must be a biblical vision. That vision embraces who God is, what He has done, who we are, where we are going, what we must value and cherish. That vision drives us toward increasing conformity with Jesus, toward lives lived in the light of eternity, toward hearty echoing of the church’s ongoing cry, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” That vision must shape our prayers, so that the things that most concern us in prayer are those that concern the heart of God. Then we will persevere in our praying, until we reach the goal God Himself has set for us. (D.A.Carson)
Sheila Abresch January 23, 2018

Page 1