Results of Spirit-Led Prayer
Praying with Paul • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro:
5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,
Tonight, we will continue [Praying with Paul], looking at the subject of [Results of Spirit-Led Prayer].
The Apostle Paul had a difficult task set before him. God called him to spread the Gospel to places that never heard about the Lord.
This proved hard in many places, especially when he had to contend with unbelieving Jews. I was reading about the governmental structure of the Roman Empire at the time of the Early Church.
The Romans were open to different religions. They also made deals with religious groups as long as they did not cause problems.
The Jews were also a special exception of all the religious groups of the Roman Empire. They had exemption from having to worship Caesar.
As far as the Romans were concerned, they viewed Christianity and Judaism the same thing. The Jews knew different and the Christians knew different and Paul understood it better than anyone.
At one time he passionately persecuted Christians.
Then he became an apostle and leader amongst Christians.
He understood how the Jews thought and expected that they would oppose any work that declared Jesus as the Messiah, who accepts both Jew and Gentile.
To stay faithful to the task ahead of him, he had remain close to God in prayer. But we see through his life and writings he allowed the Holy Spirit to lead his prayers.
He could never contend with the onslaught of spiritual attacks had he not depended on the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit.
He looked at all that happened in Thessalonica:
life threatened
riots
snuck out of town in the night
But he celebrated that the Thessalonians accepted the word of God that was given to them by the power of the Holy Spirit.
When it comes to prayer, we have someone who walks with us and leads us in prayer.
The Spirit helps us pray.
So what happens when we pray by the leading of the Holy Spirit?
Let’s continue with Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians and see the results of Spirit-led prayer. We will [Stand Strong in the Word], [Stand Strong in the Spirit], and [Stand Strong in the Future].
Let’s begin
1. Stand Strong in the Word
1. Stand Strong in the Word
13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
Paul remembers all he faced in getting the gospel to the Thessalonians.
He endured suffering and persecution
He followed the pattern of preaching and working
He nurtured and cared for the church
Then he thanked the Lord that his hard work was rewarded by the founding of a strong church. He noted that he never stopped thanking God.
Thanking God and praying to God should walk hand-in-hand. If we rush through prayer and never spend time thanking the Lord, we have missed a good opportunity.
When the Thessalonians heard the words that Paul shared, they identified that they conveyed more than good human ideas.
The Gospel is always more than positive thoughts or words. When someone presents the Good News about Jesus, their words hold the power to change someone’s life forever.
But notice that Word of God continued to effectively work in them.
Jesus spoke of the power of the word in the Parable of the Sower.
23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Thessalonica was a unique place in that when they recieved the word of God, it fell on good soil and they continued to bear good fruit.
It never ceases to amaze me when i think about the power of God’s Word.
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
I cannot tell of the many times I have prayed, as led by the Holy Spirit, and He reminds me of just the right passage and just the right time.
The Spirit will speak the right word at the right time to give us strength.
When we remain Spirit-led in our prayer life, God will help us stand strong in His word.
2. Stand Strong in the Spirit
2. Stand Strong in the Spirit
14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans,
In addition to their rapid acceptance of the Word of God, they endured what other congregations faced.
It is hard to fully wrap our minds around the intense resistance and persecution that the Early Church faced. Their enemies did everything they could to stop them.
The Thessalonians church was no different. Paul said they imitated the believers in other churches.
That does not mean that tried to duplicate what the other churches did. Instead it means that they had the same Spirit leading and directing them, but they also had the same adversary seeking to stop them.
I want us to notice something about resistance and attacks from the enemy.
First, if Satan attacks us, it is because we are on the right track. He will not come against those who do not threaten him.
Second, when Satan attacks, we have two choice, give into him or stand our ground.
If we give into him, he has won. If we stand our ground he loses and God comes through with the power of the Holy Spirit.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
If we will hold our ground, pray in the Spirit, then God will come along side of us and help us continue to stand strong in Him.
If the Thessalonians imitated the other churches in persecution, they also enjoyed the miracles that come.
They might have had hart times, but as they stood strong in the Spirit, God would have sent:
His power
His presence
His healing
His miracles
His grace
His favor
His gifts
His glory
Whenever the enemy comes against us, the Spirit will help us stand strong.
3. Stand Strong in the Future
3. Stand Strong in the Future
18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
20 For you are our glory and joy.
Paul remembered how they accepted the Word of God, then He spoke how they continued to stand strong in the Spirit.
Finally, he references his desire to see the Thessalonians. His visit with them was cut short by the Jews who conspired against him. We do not have a record of Paul ever returning to Thessalonica.
He makes sure they know that is not because he is afraid or intimidated. However, he does discuss the spiritual nature of why he had not returned.
The enemy hindered him. But even that did not lead Paul to declare that he succumbed to the enemies attacks.
Instead, he showed his hope for the future. It was his hope and joy that he would one day stand with the Thessalonians at the Lord’s coming.
This was a major issue for the Thessalonians. Like many people, they had questions about the coming of the Lord.
But Paul reminds them that there is a crown of rejoicing awaiting them. That crown would have been easily recognized by the Thessalonians as a prize for running the race.
Paul wanted them to look down the road and see that they have a hope and a future.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
I referenced this passage on Sunday, but notice that the SPIRIT leads the bride to invite Jesus to return.
When we pray Spirit-led prayers, we will always have eternity in view.
We will not get held up on the circumstances our world faces or on the problems that we endure.
For we have a hope and a future as the body of Christ. Therefore, we can stand strong knowing Jesus is in our past, present, and future.
Close:
I think a prayer life that is not Spirit-led would be very boring.
I know some people that solely read pre-written prayers. I am not knocking them or their sincerity in prayer. But there is something to be said of flowing with the Spirit in prayer.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
When we pray, as led by the Spirit, He knows exactly what the Father wants for us and from us. Therefore, He will lead and guide us in what to say, when to wait, what to pray and how to live in an attitude of prayer without ceasing.
The Thessalonians church grew and thrived because Paul was led by the Spirit in his prayer life.
We are Christians grow and thrive when we let the Spirit lead us in our prayer life.
Let’s invite the Spirit to:
lets the word work in us
to help us imitate the Early Church’s dependance on God
to have hope for the future