2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, 1 Timothy 1:12-17

What a blessing for the believers in Thessalonica to have Paul praying for them as they are in the midst of suffering for their faith.  Think about this.  Two things make Paul a great prayer warrior in this case.  First, he had been a persecutor of Christians.  Second, he had been persecuted as a Christian. 

Take the first situation.  Paul’s testimony of persecutor-turned-persecuted meant he knew clearly that God could work in those who troubled the believers.  The best thing that could happen was not that these people would experience everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord but that they would come to faith in Christ and would receive rest when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven.  This is the very reason that Jesus suffered such affliction for us.  As Psalm 85:10 tells us, Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have kissed.  This happened at the cross.  The wicked do not have to experience God’s vengeance.  The Lord Jesus already took God’s wrath upon Himself for us.  If any will do as Paul did, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, then they too can obtain mercy.  The Thessalonian believers might have been overwhelmed by the troubles they were experiencing and needed to know that God is greater than whatever man can throw at us.

In the second situation, what comfort for the Thessalonians to know that the one praying for them had been there with them when it started.  And he had been through even more difficult situations prior to his journey that brought him to Thessalonica. He had come there from Philippi where he and Silas had been imprisoned for Christ (Acts 16).  Prior to that he had been expelled from Antioch (Ac. 13:50) and then stoned and thought to be dead in Lystra (Acts 14:19).  He knew how to pray about this matter; and he could pray with great faith that had been proven in the fire.

Now with that background, how does Paul pray?

·        He prayed that God would count the Thessalonian believers worthy of the calling to suffer.  Suffering for Christ is a calling and a privilege (Phil. 1:29-30).

·        He prayed that God would fulfill all His good pleasure that He intended to accomplish through the suffering.  We need to glory in tribulations knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  AND hope does not disappoint (Rom. 5:3-5).

·        He prayed that God would fulfill the work of faith with power.  These two phrases in v11 may be synonymous or, I believe, Paul is praying here that the ministry of the Thessalonians (their work of faith, 1 Thess. 1:3) would be effective and that others would be saved through it.

·        He prayed that the name of Christ would be glorified through the faithfulness of the Thessalonians, and that the Thessalonians would be glorified in Christ when they stand before Him.  This is all done through the grace of the Father and the Son.

What a great prayer.  Paul did not pray that the suffering would end.  He prayed that it would be powerfully used by God to glorify His Son.  That, friends, is how to pray for those who are being persecuted for Christ’s sake.  This is the will of God!