It is striking how often the great apostle Paul asked for prayer. If a man with a towering intellect, and great gifts knew he needed prayer, how much more does every other pastor. Gospel ministry is hard, and your pastor needs you to pray for him. What an encouragement it is for a pastor to know there are people praying for him as he ministers.
What should you pray for? In 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul requests prayer that God’s Word may speed ahead and be honoured. Paul knows how hard gospel ministry is, and knows how vital it is that people pray. As we saw in our psalm yesterday, “unless the Lord builds the house, the labourers labour in vain.” It takes a miracle for God to open eyes so that people see the truth about themselves and admit they are sinners and see their need of Christ.
So pray for your pastor that in your church God’s Word would speed ahead, that people would respond to the message he is preaching, that the Lord would help him in his study and give him the right words to say.
Pray also that God’s Word would be honoured (v1). Sadly churches often churches drift from God’s Word, thinking that it’s out of date in today’s world. Pray that in your church God’s Word would be taken seriously and honoured. Paul was so encouraged by the response of the Thessalonians to God’s Word and he longs that other churches would respond in a similar way.
Paul knows that there is opposition to the gospel and so he asks for prayer that “we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.” (v3).
One writer on this passages says:
“We should never be dismayed when people rise up in anger at the message of God’s grace or when worldly powers misrepresent the gospel as something narrow or bigoted. Without the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, no one has faith and everyone hates the light that Jesus shines.”
So pray for your pastor that God would give him grace as he faces such opposition. That God would give him wisdom in responding and courage to stand firm. Pray that God would open the eyes of those who oppose the gospel and change those who stir up trouble for your pastor.
Wonderfully, despite the opposition, Paul is confident, not in his own ability, but in the Lord’s faithfulness. He knows that the faith of the Thessalonians is genuine and he rejoices that God will keep them, He will grow them. Look how Paul prays for them:
“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” (v5). What a wonderful thing for a pastor to pray for his church.
Light and Momentary Troubles 
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