Prayer is our defense | English Devotion | NHFCSG

Prayer is our Defense

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 

Paul constantly asked other Christians to pray for him (Romans 15:30, 2 Corinthians 1:11. Paul knew that the success of his ministry in some measure depended on the prayers of God’s people.

#1 Pray for Word to penetrate 

 

Paul asked the Thessalonian Christians to pray that God’s Word would be free to do its work among others without any hindrance. 

To set him free when he was prisoned

To make him bold to share the word

To help him overcome trails and opposition 

Paul, in all his years have experienced the importance of prayer and power behind prayers. Paul knew that faithful prayers of the believers in the church (in the places where he ministered so far - Churches of Galatians, Ephesians, Corinthians).

God has promised that His Word would be free and perform its work. It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11). But as with many of God’s promises, we are expected to take this promise in faith, and in prayer, to ask God to perform the promise for His glory.

#2 Pray against the Enemy Schemes 

Paul encourages and urges them to pray for themselves so that they will stand firm in their faith and will overcome the power of the enemy. 

Paul realized that there were unreasonable and wicked picked who wanted to hinder the work of the gospel. 

Paul wanted God to either deliver him from such men or change them into reasonable and godly men.

Prayer is a powerful weapon against the works of the enemy. Prayer defends us from anything and everything that is not of God. 

Our Prayers should be backed up with our Faith in God because Faithful Prayer will release:

1.The Power of God over our lives (Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 21:22) 

2.Will break our every chain (sickness, addictions, weakness, trials, and temptations – James 5:15)

3.Will nullify the powers of the enemy (Ephesians 6:11)

4.Will strengthen our spiritual maturity (Ephesians 3:14-19, Galatians 5:22)

#3 Pray for maturity 

Paul was also confident (in the Lord) regarding the Thessalonians themselves, that they would follow through and be obedient to God’s Word.

Paul inspires the work of the Lord into the hearts of the believers by saying that the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect them from the evil one.

God doesn’t just pour spiritual maturity and stability into us. He works it in us through our cooperation with His will.

Paul wisely prayed for both love and patience (endurance) for the Thessalonian Christians. These were two qualities essential for the kind of spiritual stability and strength the Thessalonians needed.

When God is faithful in all His works in our lives, we also need to be faithful in our prayers. 

James 5:16 says “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective”

Therefore, always pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18) and never stop praying (I Thessalonians 5:17).

Let us Pray

Dear Lord, help us to pray that the word will penetrate in areas it as not reached. We pray against the schemes of the enemies. We pray that you will help us mature as believer through prayer, faith, love and endurance. In Jesus Name. Amen.