PRAYING MEN OF THE BIBLE APRIL 24, 2024
#7 PRAYER REQUESTS OF PAUL

I desire above all things to learn to pray. We want to sound the reveille for the Christian warriors. We desire to find truth of the lack of real praying. What is it? Why is it? Why so little time spent in prayer when Christ, who had command of His time, chose to spend great part of it in INTERCESSION? “He ever liveth to make intercession for us.” We believe the answer to be the desire is in the heart, but the will is undisciplined, the motive is present, but the affections have not melted under hours of heavenly meditation; the intellect is keen, yet not for hours of tireless research. The intellect and the affections have never been linked together by the sealing of the blessed Holy Ghost to do or die for God’s glory in the secret places, with doors shut, lusts crucified. Rev. Homer W. Hodge

Central Truth: Because of Paul’s growing relationship with Christ, his maturity of faith which came by life experience, trials, and encounters with Jesus, in an act of humility, he deliberately asks the church and fellow believers to pray for him throughout his life and ministry. Paul understood the value of having others pray for him!


SCRIPTURE

There are five passages in which the apostle Paul asks churches to pray for him and his co-laborers in the ministry.

1. “Brethren, pray for us.” (1 Thessalonians 5:25)

Chronologically, this is the first time Paul asks a church for prayer for himself and his ministry.

This general prayer request may sound like it was added hastily or unintentionally at the closing of his letter. But Paul’s request in 1 Thessalonians 5:25 is purposeful and loaded with evangelistic zeal. Behind this general prayer request lies the many conflicts, heartaches, and physical and emotional sufferings that Paul had already suffered during his second missionary journey:

The disagreement between him and Barnabas and their eventual separation (Acts 15).
The imprisonment of Paul and his company in Philippi (Acts 16).
An attack by a mob in Thessalonica and mockery by those in Athens (Acts 17).
The opposition and reviling they faced after preaching God’s Word in Corinth (Acts 18).
A united attack on Paul by the Jews and being brought publicly before the tribunal (Acts 18:12).

But we can also add to this list the various trials and oppositions that Paul experienced during his first missionary journey:

In Acts 13, John left Paul and Barnabas in the ministry.
When they were in Antioch Pisidia, they encountered opposition.
In Acts 14, unbelieving Jews stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city of Lystra.

Although this first passage is somewhat general in nature, the next four passages in which Paul asks for prayer are all very specific in nature.
2. “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.” (2 Thessalonians 3:1)


3. “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.” (Romans 15:30-32)


4. “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.” (Colossians 4:2-4)


5. “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:19-20)



7 Specific Prayer Requests for Those in the Ministry

If we combine all of these prayer requests, it is clear that there are seven specific things for which Paul is asking for prayer. These are the same seven things that we should pray for those who are in the ministry.

1.The fast spread of the gospel.
"that the Word of the Lord may have free course" (2 Thessalonians 3:1a)


2.Acceptance of the gospel among unbelievers.
"that the Word of the Lord may…be glorified, even as it is with you" (2 Thessalonians 3:1b)


3.Protection from evil men.
"that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men" (2 Thessalonians 3:2)
"that I may be delivered from them that do not believe" (Romans 15:31a)


4.A well-received ministry to the saints.
"that my service . . . may be accepted of the saints" (Romans 15:31b)


5.Opportunity to share the gospel.
"that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ" (Colossians 4:3)


6.Clarity in presenting the gospel.
"that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak" (Colossians 4:4)


7.Boldness in presenting the gospel.
"that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel . . . that therein I may speak boldly" (Ephesians 6:20)


Christian Life Lessons

1/These prayer requests all have one thing in common—the gospel.

· Paul was consumed with the gospel. He lived a gospel-centered life.
· He petitioned churches for gospel-centered prayers.

· Knowing that many prayed to God for Paul, can we say that God answered their prayers? Yes!

· God delivered Paul from many dangers. Through his ministry many souls came to know Christ. Churches were planted and strengthened. And at the end of his life, Paul was able to say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith."


2/A crucial part in the success of Paul as a Christian and as a missionary was the fervent prayers of churches to God for him.


3/We can help other believers succeed in their Christian life and ministry by praying for them with these prayer requests in mind.



PRAYING MEN OF THE BIBLE
#8 TYING UP LOOSE ENDS

We announce the law of prayer as follows: A Christian’s prayer is a joint agreement of the will and his cabinet, the emotions, the conscience, the intellect, working in harmony at white heat, while the body co-operates under certain hygienic conditions to make the prayer long enough sustained at high voltage to insure tremendous results, supernatural and unearthly. Rev. Homer W. Hodge

Central Truth: The recorded prayers of Jesus, Peter, John, and Paul in the New Testament give us guidance, understanding, and empowerment to pray the will of God in positive and life giving ways that represent our Father and His ever growing kingdom!

SCRIPTURE

1/ Prayer for the impartation of Holy Spirit boldness through the release of signs and wonders.

ACTS 4:24-31 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one. 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.


5 Scriptural Reasons People Seek After Signs and Wonders

1. Some people seek after signs and wonders because they want confirmation of the truth of God.

a. There is nothing inherently wrong with this desire. In fact, God willingly gave signs to Moses (Exodus 4:1-9) and Gideon (Judges 6:11-22) to confirm His word.

b. Miracles can aid a person’s coming to faith, as in John 2:23, “Many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name.”

c. However, there comes a time when enough miracles have been performed—the truth has been proved—and it is time to exercise faith. When Moses hesitated to obey after a series of miracles at the burning bush, “the LORD’s anger burned” (Exodus 4:14).

d. It is nobler in God’s sight to believe without needing a miracle. Jesus visited the Samaritans, and “because of his words many more became believers” (John 4:41, emphasis added). Just a few verses later, Jesus rebukes the Galileans: “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders…you will never believe” (John 4:48). Unlike the Samaritans, the people of Galilee required signs and wonders.


2. Some people seek after signs and wonders because they do not believe the signs and wonders which have already been performed.

a. The Pharisees of Matthew 12 were just such a lot. Jesus had been performing miracles for quite some time when a group of scribes and Pharisees came to Him with an insolent demand to see another sign. In response, Jesus condemned them as “wicked and adulterous” (Matthew 12:38-39).

b. They were “wicked” in that they refused to believe the signs and wonders Christ had already performed. “In spite of his wonders, they did not believe” (Psalm 78:32). Their hearts were hardened towards the truth, even after numerous public miracles. Nothing would make them believe; their hearts were as pharaoh’s, hardened after witnessing so many of Moses’ miracles in Egypt (Exodus 9:34-35).

c. They were “adulterous” in the spiritual sense, having left the true worship of God to follow a man-made set of rules and traditions. Not satisfied with the miracles Jesus was doing, they demanded something even greater. As commentator Matthew Barnes puts it, “They looked for signs of their own devising.” So entrenched was their rejection of Christ that, when later presented with the “sign of the prophet Jonah” (Christ’s resurrection, Matthew 12:39-40), they still would not believe.


3. Some people seek after signs and wonders because they seek an occasion to excuse their unbelief.

a. There were people in Jesus’ day who “tested” Him by seeking a sign (Matthew 16:1; Luke 11:16).

b. Since they specified that the sign be “from heaven,” they most likely wanted something spectacular, similar to Elijah’s calling down fire from the sky (1 Kings 18:38) or Isaiah’s causing the sun to reverse course (Isaiah 38:8).

c. Probably, their “test” was designed to be something “too big” for Jesus to accomplish—they simply hoped He would attempt it and fail in the attempt.


4. Some people seek after signs and wonders because they are curious thrill-seekers.

a. Like the crowds in John 6:2 and King Herod in Luke 23:8, they want to see something sensational, but they have no real desire to know the truth of Christ.


5. Some people seek after signs and wonders because they hope to get something for themselves.

a. After Jesus fed the multitudes, a large crowd followed Him to the other side of Galilee.
b. Jesus saw their true motivation, however, and rebuked it: “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill” (John 6:26).

c. The crowd’s desire was not to know Christ or even to see more miracles; it was simply to fill their stomachs again.


Christian Life Lessons

1. Better than seeking after a new miracle is taking God at His Word.


2. Simple faith is more pleasing to the Lord than a reliance on a dazzling sensory experience. “Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’” (John 20:29).