Purpose and Peace in the Last DaysSample

Powerful Prayers

Throughout this reading plan, we’ve been looking at the second coming of Jesus and how we as Christians are to live, prepare, and stand firm in our salvation as we await the return of our Savior.

Today I want to talk to you about a powerful tool that’s available to every believer as you live out the Christian life: prayer.

Prayer is immensely powerful. Because you’re going through this plan, I think it’s safe to say you believe that statement to be true.

Nevertheless, many of us struggle in this thing called prayer because we don’t feel like we do it very well.

You may even wonder, Are my prayers doing anything? Are they making a difference? Does God hear me? Are my prayers getting through?

Wouldn’t you like to know with certainty that when you pray, God listens and hears every word? Wouldn’t you like to have power in your prayers and see your prayers reach a whole new level?

Is that even possible? Yes, it’s possible, and it’s what Paul reveals to the Thessalonians in today’s reading.

The emphasis of these five verses is prayer. I want you to notice four directives that are found in this text that will help strengthen your prayer life.

First directive: Recognize the privilege of prayer.

Prayer is not a spiritual gift; it’s a spiritual privilege given to every child of God.

Whether you’ve been walking with the Lord for fifty years or you’ve been a Christian for five minutes, the door to the throne room is open to you. God invites you to come and pray, to come up into His lap, so to speak, and share your heart and your needs with Him.

Second directive: Understand the bigger picture of prayer.

We all pray for personal things, for me and mine. I do that. You do that. Paul did that. The Thessalonians did that. That’s normal. That’s natural. There’s nothing wrong with it.

But when you just pray for me and mine, you’re not looking at the bigger picture.

The bigger picture has to do with praying for other people, asking God to fulfill His will in their lives. It’s called intercessory prayer, and it expands the scope of your prayers beyond your own needs to the needs of others. It’s your praying in accordance with God’s heart.

Third directive: Cling to the promise of prayer

Cling to the fact that God is faithful. What He says in His Word, He will do. It’s impossible for God to lie.

Is God going to listen to me? He says so in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you.”

God loves it when we’re persistent. God loves it when we call upon His faithfulness. God loves it when we take His Word and cling to it. Like a dog with a T-bone steak, we’re just not going to let go. God this is what you said, what you promised … and I believe it will happen in your timing, just as you have spoken!

Fourth directive: Focus on the Lord of prayer.

There are ups and downs in any relationship. The same is true in your relationship with God. These ups and downs are not because God changes, but because you do (and I do, too!). Sometimes, emotionally you’re just filled to the brim, and sometimes your tank is low.

You’ve got to watch out to not get in a rut with the Lord where everything becomes stale. Don’t allow your time with God to devolve into mindless scripture reading and blah, blah, blah prayers. Stay focused. Stay intentional.

Keep your heart in a love relationship with the Lord. Come before God in prayer not to read Him a laundry list of wants, but to spend quality time with Him. That’s what God is interested in – spending unhurried, quality time with you.

As you go through difficulties, you may want to quit. You may want to throw in the towel. Don’t do it. As Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 2:5, “May the Lord direct your hearts into the steadfastness of Christ.” This will enable you to patiently endure the difficulties that you’re going through.

How do we direct our hearts into the steadfastness of Christ? By “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Get your eyes off your problems and onto the problem-solver!

2 Questions:

1. How is your prayer life these days – is it a joy or a struggle? Ask God to help you keep your eyes fixed on Him as you thank Him for the privilege of prayer.

2. Are you praying for the bigger picture in your prayers or just for you and yours? Pray that God will help you lift up the needs of others – the lost and the laborers in the fields.