Keep Praying

2 Thessalonians 3:1-3 - Keep Praying

A preacher’s work is never done! By the way, every child of God is a preacher – a proclaimer of the gospel. And when a preacher says, “Finally,” hold on. The message isn’t over yet. This is especially true with Paul because he likes to end all of his letters with a section on practical application of all that he has stated as well as ethical concerns and closing exhortations. Typically, you find very powerful information in these passages.

So as Paul concluded this letter to the Thessalonican Christians, he said, “Keep praying!” No doubt they were asking how they could continue to be part of his ministry, and he let them know that prayer is one of the ways they could join him. But look at his specific requests for prayer. First and foremost he wanted them to pray that he would be able to keep doing what he had been doing so that the Word of the Lord would continue to spread. The New King James Version says pray that the word of the Lord “may run swiftly.” The image of the runner often symbolized the effort required to do well, and Paul reminded his readers that we must do our part. When we do our part by proclaiming the truth, the gospel will spread rapidly in an unhindered fashion. Paul also asked that they pray that as the gospel spreads that it would be glorified/honored/accepted by those who hear. All three of these words are implicit in Paul’s request.

But that wasn’t the end of his prayer requests. Paul asked these Christians to pray that his team would be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. Don’t misunderstand. Paul wasn’t afraid of these men. This wasn’t a selfish request in any way. He wanted deliverance so that the gospel would be unhindered.

When you read of Paul’s missionary journeys in the Book of Acts and combine that with his epistles, you find that the unreasonable and wicked men are both Jews and Gentiles. Legalists and antinomians (lawless ones). Gnostics and Judaizers. All were evil and rejected the gospel, and they resisted all who proclaimed it. Paul was praying for the freedom, both physically and  spiritually, to preach the Word boldly.

 Now here is the key to all of this. We pray, but it is God who works. Look at v. 3. It is the Lord who is faithful – faithful to hear our prayers and to answer our prayers. How will He answer? He will establish and guard. I think the order of these words is important considering the reason Paul is writing this letter. They had been deceived, so more than anything, they needed to be strengthened/established. Without God’s strength and our faith being firmly planted on the Word, we cannot withstand the assaults of the wicked. That’s why so many Christians run from the battle and fall into temptation. But when God strengthens us and we accept His strength, we stand firm and God protects us. He keeps us safe from the evil one.