A Final Thought: Pray

2 Thess. 3:1–4

Jay Horsley

The Thessalonian brethren faced continual persecutions from the time that the gospel was preached to them (Acts 17:1-9; 1 Thess. 1:6,7; 2:14-16; 2 Thess. 1:4-7). Those that preached the gospel to them had themselves faced all manner of trails. Paul and his fellow laborers were persecuted in Philippi before they came to Thessalonica (Acts 16:16-24; 1 Thess. 2:1-3). They were persecuted in Thessalonica along with the local members. They faced persecutions in Berea after they left (Acts 17:13,14), and had real prospects for troubles in Corinth (Acts 18:9) from where Paul was now writing.

How could one possibly cope with such continual troubles and prospects for only more trouble in the immediate future? Paul wrote these brethren two short letters addressing these problems. As he began to close the second letter to these beleaguered brethren, he enjoined them to pray.

2 Thess. 3:1-4 “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you;

2 and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.

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

4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.”

Consider these lessons that we can learn from this and apply in our own lives.

1.) Pray For Others. Paul said “pray for us.” When facing all of these things we might be tempted to say, “I'm just going to pray for ME.” But we know that people with such selfish thoughts seldom do much praying anyway. No, they should pray for Paul and those who helped bring them the gospel. These men faced the same persecutions as the members – but did so as strangers, not as those with homes and friends and neighbors and brethren that they could naturally depend on. So Paul teaches that in times of your own trouble you are still to have others in your thoughts and prayers. It will help them and help take your mind off yourself as well as help them.

2.) Pray For Spiritual Progress. They were also to pray “that the word of the Lord may spread.” If the gospel has conquered our hearts for Jesus it can do the same for others also. But many worldly minded Christians think of being like (and liked) by the world instead of conquering it. Most persecutions come as the gospel is making inroads and conquering so that the wicked are forced to make some unholy response to it. We are at spiritual war with the world. The gospel teaches us not to love the world (1 Jn. 2:15), to be as aliens and sojourners while here (1 Pet. 2:11), and remember that our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). If we thought only of and as the world we would be the persecutor, not the Christian. Yet many seek compromise. Don’t think compromise or peace – think salvation and think victory. Pray for overcoming and conquering through Jesus Christ, not loving, obtaining and having the pleasures of the world

3.) Have Confidence In The Lord. Know that the “Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you...” Faith is not only the key to all spiritual blessings, but all spiritual confidence as well. Every page of the gospel speaks of the grace and love of God poured out for us. If we have faith which of these assurances will we doubt? Do we question that we will win and the world will lose? Do we waver in our conviction that God is on our side and not the world’s? Are we distrustful of the fact that faithful obedience is the key to victory? None of these things should be in doubt in the least. Christians sometimes lose sight of these convictions for a time and flounder around. Get you eye back on the prize and realize who and what you are, what you have been promised by God and what you have promised to God. Our faith is not pursued on the off chance that it is true, but is held dear because of the confidence that we have in God’s promises. “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world... For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world––our faith.” (1 Jn. 4:4, 5:4) Do you believe it? Do your actions show it? Or do your anxieties betray that you don’t?

4.) Have Confidence In Your Brethren. Sometimes we become so disillusioned and disappointed in our brethren that this last part is impossible. But brethren disappointed Paul more than they will us, and he was more plagued by false brethren than we’ll ever see. Still Paul said to his brothers in Christ, “we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.” This is great faith in the faith of others. Please realize that you are not alone and that there are still brethren like this today. No Christian is a “Lone Ranger” taking on the entire world alone. (And even the “Lone” Ranger had his faithful companion.) You do not face the world alone. “But resist [Satan], firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” (1 Pet. 5:9) Think of your brethren to help, and be helped by, them.

You do not face the world, or any trouble in it, alone or helpless. You have your faith in the Lord and the power of prayer on your side. You have others to consider and others to help, as well as brethren who have the same considerations and faith as you. Rely on all these things. And “finally” pray for all of these things and their increase.