”Pray for God to Count You Worthy of His Calling” (Billy Russell, 2/16/20)

Praying More in Desperate Days

                   “Pray for God to Count You Worthy of His Calling”

                                            (2 Thes. 1:11-12)

 

   “... we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling....”    (-Paul to the believers in Thessalonica, 2 Thes.1:11, NIV”)

 

How do you pray when days are difficult, discouraging, or desperate? How would you be changed, if you fervently prayed for God’s sanctifying work to be accomplished in your life? Paul teaches believers to pursue a purposeful prayer path focused on glorifying the Lord Jesus no matter our circumstances.

 

Desperate days require a commitment to sanctifying prayer (1:11).

     Prayer characterized by being: set apart, changed, and committed.

     Prayer constantly focused on spiritual growth, despite circumstances.

   

                                            3 Ways to Pray

 

Pray to live a life worthy of God’s calling (1:11)- living by faith matters!

          Ask God to make you worthy (you can’t do it alone).

          It is His calling of you to this life (you did not call yourself to it).

          This call to prayer is a constant response to desperate need.

 

 

 

Pray to be empowered to live a fruitful life (1:11)- being fruitful matters!

          Ask God to empower you to a fruitful life to fulfill...

                “every desire for goodness”-

                “every deed prompted by faith”-

 

 

 

Pray to glorify the Lord Jesus (1:12)- Ultimately, glorifying Jesus matters!

         Purposeful prayer: “the name of the Lord Jesus...”

                                       “glorified in you and you in Him”

                                       made possible only by divine “grace”