Paul Asks for Prayer 1 Thes 3.1-5

Paul Asks for Prayer

I Thes. 3.1-5

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 (NIV) ¹  Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.

• Our prayers directly affect the spread of the Gospel
• The early church faced persecution at every turn
  • Severe persecution
• Paul himself faced extreme physical, emotional, spiritual persecution
  • But he doesn’t ask for prayer for comfort
  • For personal needs
• He prays the Gospel would spread rapidly
  • The Gospel is the only hope of the World
  • It is the churches responsibility to spread the Gospel before Jesus returns
    • God has no other plan but you and me!! 
• Spread rapidly and be honored
  • In church & In the homes of Christians
    • In the Sanctuaries - Before it can reach the streets
  • Spread rapidly – running
    • 2 Thessalonians 3:1 (MSG) ¹  One more thing, friends: Pray for us. Pray that the Master's Word will simply take off and race through the country to a groundswell of response, just as it did among you.
• Just as it has with you
  • This is what happened in Thessalonica – and this is what Paul wants everywhere

Acts 13:48 (NIV) ⁴⁸  When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

Psalm 147:15 (NIV) ¹⁵  He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.

²  And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.

• Pray for deliverance of wicked and evil men
  • The Pastor, the missionary, the evangelist, the person who loves Jesus and His Word more than anything or anyone else will face persecution.
• Jesus knew it and prayed for them in his High Priestly Prayer
  • John 17:14-16 (NIV) ¹⁴  I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
    ¹⁵  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
    ¹⁶  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
• Why would a reasonable person attack someone who preaches and teaches?
  • Love – joy – peace
  • Morality – discipline – salvation and Eternal life
    • Because evil exists
    • Not all have faith
    • The essense of sin is wanting to be God
      • To call the shots
      • To do whatever we want to do without consequence
      • To be our own self-governed person
• People who lack reason, morality, goodness, honesty, conscience and decency are dangerous.
• They are angry – aggressive and without remorse
• Pray for those who love Jesus to be protected so the Gospel will go forward

Its not all bad news!!!...

³  But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

• The Lord is faithful!!!
  • He will keep his promises to the believer
    • God will Strengthen you
      • Fix, set firmly, establish; support, confirm.
      • Help us stand firmly in the Faith
    • God will Protect you
      • Guard, defend, watch over, protect, keep safe
        • Psalm 12:7-8 (NIV) ⁷  O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever.
          ⁸  The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.
      • From the evil one
        • Satan – The Devil – The dragon – The Accuser of the Brethren -
          
          

⁴  We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.

• Because this is true – that God is faithful to keep his promises - 
  • We have confidence in the Lord
• God will lead you to obey
  • Continue to obey
    • It is a partnership
      • God will do his part
      • We must do ours
        • 1 John 2:3 (NIV) ³  We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.  
  • To receive the full benefit of his blessings and promises
    • Conditional Promises

⁵  May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

• God will direct your heart to His love
  • He will lead you to love Him more
• Through trials, troubles, tears and temptations  – we learn to love God more, not less
  • We might not understand everything
  • But we love Him just the same

• God will lead you to persevere just like Jesus
  • To patiently wait for God’s plan to be completed
    • Jesus could have been king – he wore a crown of thorns
    • He endured – waiting for God’s plan to be fulfilled
      • John 17:4-5 (NIV) ⁴  I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
        ⁵  And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
  • Through trials, troubles, tears and temptations
    • We can make it!
    • God’s Word is True

God is Faithful to Keep His promises

7 Steps to Walking in Victory

We have been investigating what it means to walk with God by faith.

1.     Obedience
2.     Forgiveness
3.     Humility

This morning we are going to look at how we can walk in victory over the enemy who is not just seeking to trip us up but to devour us. 

Victory is not only possible it is guaranteed, when we follow God and his prescription for how to walk in victory.

Last week we looked at 7 Steps to Peter’s fall and what we can learn from his mistakes

This week we are looking at the 7 Steps to Victory – actually 2 steps today.

1 Peter 5:6-11 (NIV) ⁶  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

⁷  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

⁸  Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

⁹  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

¹⁰  And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

¹¹  To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

I.  Humility

·       Peter’s Fall began with Pride
     o   Proverbs 16:18 (NLT) Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
     o   1 Corinthians 10:12 (NLT) If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.
·       Walking in Victory begins, continues and ends with Humility

⁶  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

·       Therefore humble yourself
   o   The previous verse tells us why
§  1 Peter 5:5 (NLT) ⁵  In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”
HUMILITY
o   Clothed with Humility
  §  “Wear the apron of a the servant”
        ·       This is what Jesus did when he washed the disciples feet in John 13
o   Submitting to those in authority over us – in the Church, in the home, in society
 §  Humility does not make a person weak – It actually taps into the Power of God - 
    ·       Matthew 23:11-12 (NLT) ¹¹  The greatest among you must be a servant.

¹²  But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

      o    True humility naturally evolves out of a heart of love for the exalted Lord.
               ·    It is the attitude of the Christian servant, first exemplified by Jesus. In fact, it is only in an           attitude of humility, heart, that the spiritual life can prosper. Thoralf Gilbrant, ed., “4863. ταπεινοφροσύνη,” in The Complete          Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary – Sigma-Omega, (Springfield, MO: Complete Biblical Library, 1991), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "4863.
       ·       Walking in victory begins with Humbling ourselves before God and Others
    o   Not thinking too highly of ourselves
    o   Not thinking too lowly of ourselves – We are children of God saved by grace
    o   Humility is not thinking less of ourselves but thinking about ourselves less
    o   It is not thinking about ourselves as much
   §  How does this decision or action effect my relationship to God, to his church and to others?
·       But, I want
·       But, I have the right
·       But, I have done this or done that
   o   “I” is Pride
   o   It will lead to a fall – every time!

The first step to Victory – Humility

• I have no will but His Will
• I have no plan but His Plan
• I have no desire but His Desire

He will lift you up in due time

James 4:10 (NLT) ¹⁰  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

·       At the right time
·       In the right way
·       In a way that will bring Glory to God
·       He will lift us up!  

The Second step to walking in Victory…

II.  Casting your cares on Him

⁷  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

·       wanting to be God is at the center of all sin

• To be in control of everything that happens and everyone in our lives
• This is the Sin of Adam and Eve – Cain – People of Noah’s time – Tower of Babel – Israel

§  We know what is best for us – Better than God knows

• So we hold on tight to the burdens that burry us

·       We believe in God but we don’t believe the God we believe in

• So we hold on tight to the burdens that burry us

The Walk of Victory releases those burdens to God
o   Cast your cares on Him

• Throw the burden off of yourself and onto Him!! 
• I am weak but He is strong!! 

Isaiah 40:12-17 (NLT) ¹²  Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?

¹³  Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?

¹⁴  Has the LORD ever needed anyone’s advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach him what is right or show him the path of justice?

¹⁵  No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand.

¹⁶  All the wood in Lebanon’s forests and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough to make a burnt offering worthy of our God.

¹⁷  The nations of the world are worth nothing to him. In his eyes they count for less than nothing— mere emptiness and froth.

Isaiah 40:22-31 (NLT) ²²  God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them.

²³  He judges the great people of the world and brings them all to nothing.

²⁴  They hardly get started, barely taking root, when he blows on them and they wither. The wind carries them off like chaff.

²⁵  “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One.

²⁶  Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.

Why can we and should we cast our cares on Him?

·       Because he cares about us!! 
·       Let that sink in

• Who is like our God?
• God who is beyond our comprehension
• Beyond our imagination

The God who holds the oceans in his hand
Who measured the heavens with his fingers
Knows the weight of the earth

·       Isaiah 40:17 (NLT) ¹⁷  The nations of the world are worth nothing to him. In his eyes they count for less than nothing— mere emptiness and froth.

That God who is higher than any other

·       Wants you to throw off your cares
·       Throw them to Him – He can hold them all an never break a sweat

Humble yourself

Throw your cares to HIM
Look at the rest of the Chapter

Isaiah 40:27-31 (NLT) ²⁷  O Jacob, how can you say the LORD does not see your troubles? O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?

²⁸  Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

²⁹  He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

³⁰  Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

³¹  But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

 

The humble who throw their cares won’t just walk, won’t just run,  They will soar!!  

How Great is our God!! 

A Glimpse of the Future Part II - 2 Thes 9-17

A glimpse into the future

Part II

E.  His work
⁹  The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders,

·       The Lawless One is the Anti-Christ

·       The Coming of the lawless one

o   Same word “Parusea” used for Jesus’ return

o   The Anti-Christ is a poor Satanic substitute for Jesus’ coming

·       In accordance with the Work of Satan

o   Satan will have complete control over the anti-Christ

o   He will be the embodiment of Satan

o   Satan will be energizing him

o   ·       Counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders

o   But while Jesus and his followers did miracles of compassion for the purpose of bringing glory to God, the Antichrist will do miracles characterized by evil and deceit for the purpose of bringing glory to himself.
Bruce B. Barton et al., Life Application Bible Commentary – 1 & 2 Thessalonians, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1999), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "2 THESSALONIANS 2".   

He will deceive millions upon millions of people

F.  The Anti-Christ’s Followers
¹⁰  and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 (NLT) ¹⁰  He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them.

·       Who are going to be deceived?

o   Those who are perishing

§  Headed in the wrong direction

·       Why are they perishing?

§   Because they refused to love the truth and so be saved

§   Willful choice on their part

§  Behind the great deception there lay the great refusal" (Stott, Gospel and the End, 172).
Mark Howell, Christ-Centered Exposition – Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Thessalonians, ed. Daniel L Akin, Tony Merida, David Platt, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2015), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 231.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (MSG) ⁹  The Anarchist's coming is all Satan's work. All his power and signs and miracles are fake,
¹⁰  evil sleight of hand that plays to the gallery of those who hate the truth that could save them.

¹¹  For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie
¹²  and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

·       God is in control even through this

o   He sends a powerful delusion

o   He will give them what they want and have been living for

§  They refuse to love the truth

§  They will be turned over to delusion – lies

·       Bruce says that "a power is set in operation within them which makes them prone to embrace error" (Word Biblical Commentary, 45:174
Thoralf Gilbrant, ed., The Complete Biblical Library – Galatians-Philemon, (Springfield, IL: World Library Press, Inc., 1995), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 357.

o   Not believed the truth and delighted in wickedness

§  Proverbs 5:22-23 (NLT) ²²  An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him.
²³  He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness.

·       Human beings are notoriously reluctant to take responsibility for their own actions. Nearly everyone wants to pass blame on to someone else. Paul's reminder is that all will face the inevitable consequences for their own actions. Those who face judgment and condemnation will have no one to blame but themselves. The downward spiral of deliberate disregard for God is clearly illustrated in this passage: rejecting God's truth; believing what is false; enjoying unrighteousness; facing condemnation.
Mark Howell, Christ-Centered Exposition – Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Thessalonians, ed. Daniel L Akin, Tony Merida, David Platt, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2015), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 231.

·       How should we pray for “those who are perishing” now?

o   That they would stop believing lies

o   Truth would break through

§  Jesus is the truth

Hallelujah…not all perish although all deserve to perish

G.  The Salvation of God’s Followers
¹³  But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

·       How are we saved?

o   Through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit

§  Process of being made holy through the work of the Holy

§  To be made more like Jesus

o   Through belief in the truth

§  Who is the Truth? 

·       Jesus

¹⁴  He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

·       Called through the Gospel

·       Share in the glory of Jesus Christ

·       There is no need to worry about the future

·       The Trinity is on your side

o   God the Father Calls

o   Jesus dies

o   Holy Spirit sanctifies

·       Salvation was not our plan

·       It was not our doing

·       It is God’s

o   We can stand secure in Him as we love and follow Him

¹⁵  So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 (NLT) ¹⁵  With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.

·       Stand firm

o   Do not be shaken off the firm foundation

o   Persevere

§  Grundmann (ibid., 7:637) observes: “In faith man attains to the position which allows him to stand firm. This standing does not result from secular securities such as health, power, property, or connections. It is based on the transcendent God on Whose promise faith is fixed.”

§  Thoralf Gilbrant, ed., “4590. στήκω,” in The Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary – Sigma-Omega, (Springfield, MO: Complete Biblical Library, 1991), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "4590. στήκω".

·       Hold to the teachings

o   Keep a strong grip on the teachings

§  False teachers will come along

§  Ephesians 4:14 (NLT) ¹⁴  Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.  

A STRONG GRIP

How do we "stand firm and keep a strong grip"? We should hold on to the truth of Christ's teachings because our lives depend on it.

To believe in Jesus and stand firm will take perseverance because our faith will be challenged and opposed. Severe trials will sift true Christians from fair-weather believers. Enduring to the end does not earn salvation for us but marks us as already saved. The assurance of our salvation will keep us going through times of persecution.

Because Christ lives in us, we can remain courageous and hopeful to the end. Without this enduring faithfulness, we could easily be blown away by the winds of temptation, false teaching, or persecution.

Bruce B. Barton et al., Life Application Bible Commentary – 1 & 2 Thessalonians, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1999), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "2 THESSALONIANS 2".

¹⁶  May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
¹⁷  encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

·       In the midst of the mess of the world around us

o   BE ENCOURAGED!!

§  God is in control

§  God saved us

§  His Word will stand

Hold on – He will hold on to You!!!!