”Pray for God’s Encouragement and Strength” (Billy Russell, 2/23/20)

                                  Praying More in Desperate Days

                        “Pray for God’s Encouragement and Strength”

                                         

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2 Thes. 2:16-17)

 

In desperate times why risk your unknown future in fervent prayer?

     When life is unstable/uncertain, we find our stability/certainty in our God!

 

Prayer finds its resource in two undeniable, unchangeable gifts (2:16):

 

     The basis of the prayer is founded upon what God in Jesus has provided!

 

     #1- the demonstrable love of the Father in the Son (cf.Rom.5:8; 8:39)-

         “who loved us...”- a revealed/experiential, sacrificial, selfless, generous,    

                                           commitment to us!

     #2- the evident saving/sustainable grace of God (2 Cor.12:9; Eph.2:8)

           “by his grace gave us...”- grace is His gift to us! Benevolence, favor!

           “eternal encouragement”- an on, and on, and infinitely on kind of

               encouragement! An unending source of courage/comfort (now/later)

           “and good hope”- it’s know for being a good hope (not a false hope).

                                            Phrase refers to hope in life after death.

 

[So, because we have these ready resources (love & grace) at our ever disposal, we ask God, the Giver of good gifts (James 1:17) to also add to them...]

 

Pray for 2 much needed resources in desperate days (2:17; 1 Thes.3:11-13):

    #1- Encouragement (comfort)-“Encourage your hearts”- an ever present need!

              Inside out courage/comfort (“heart” as center of the person)

              Internal drive of spiritual growth impacting the will/pathos/energy.

  #2- Strength (support)- “Strengthen you in every good deed and word”

       Confirm or establish fruitful living despite trying circumstances.

       Outwardly the encouragement/strength become visible in word/deed.

         Ask God for diligence in days ofdifficulty / discouragement / desperation