"Finally, brethren, pray for us,
that the word of the Lord may run swiftly
and be glorified, just as it is with you,
and that we may be delivered
from unreasonable and wicked men;
for not all have faith."
2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
Pray for us...
It's easy to read through the Scriptures and not notice something as simple, seemingly, as Paul's requests for prayer. Yet that one word can change the course of history, and with Paul it did.
"...and for me, that utterance
may BE GIVEN to me,
that I may open my mouth boldly
to make known the mystery of the gospel..."
Ephesians 6:19
Paul did not assume that because he had had such an encounter with the Lord and because he was so filled with the Holy Spirit, that he could just go and preach the Gospel and expect to succeed. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul lists his qualifications and experiences with which God equipped him for his ministry. But again and again Paul requests prayer, because he knew that it was not his qualifications that empowered him for the ministry. He needed a daily empowering and infilling of the Holy Spirit, as well as protection from “unreasonable and wicked men.”
The power rests in the Holy Spirit, not in a man's qualifications, strengths, wisdom, abilities, cleverness. Those talents might help one in the world, but only the power of God can bring the fruit of ministry.
It is recorded in many places that Jesus himself prayed. If the Son of God had to pray, what chance of success is there in the ministry of anyone who neglects it?
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