There is no better thing for us to regularly pray for ourselves, our pastors and for each other than successful delivery of the Gospel, deliverance from evil men, for the Lord to make us stable, protect us from evil, and guide us into obedience. Along with those things, we should pray that our love and endurance would blossom as we look at Christ.
As Christians we know that we are supposed to pray, but do you ever get stuck on exactly what to pray for? If you are looking for some prayer prompts that will take you beyond, “uh, Lord…uh… be with them today?” look no further than the four important prayer points that are found in 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5.
“(v1) Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, (v2) and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. (v3) But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. (v4) And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. (v5) May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”
Paul asks the Thessalonian Christians to pray that the Gospel may “speed ahead” or literally “speed on.” In the same way that a marathon runner continues charging ahead, we are to pray that God’s glorious Gospel would keep going forward unhindered. They are to pray, not only that the Gospel would go forward, but that it would “be honored.” Paul has in mind here that the Gospel would be accepted and respected as saving truth. He reminds the Church that this is how the Gospel was received among them.
This kind of joyous reception of the Gospel is graphically displayed in Acts 13:47-48, “For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.”
Prayer Prompts: God embolden me, my pastors, and our church to be about spreading the Gospel message. Prepare the way for the Gospel to be received with great joy in my family, my workplace, my neighborhood, and my town.
Pray for Deliverance from Wicked Men
One of the most effective ways that Satan has devised to hinder the Gospel is through the works of wicked and evil men (and women). Here Paul asks the church to pray that they would be delivered from these wicked ones. There are several aspects of deliverance that are in mind here
- Deliverance from those that are wicked (atopos) Lit: out of place ones. In the context of your local church, those that attend are a mixed crop of wheat and tares (Matthew 13:24-30).
