IMAGINE!
If the Father fully released what Paul was praying for in verses 23 and 24, what would Jesus have had to say about the fellowship of believers at Thessalonica had they been one of the seven Churches of Revelation?

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23,24)

5 THING WE LEARN ABOUT PRAYING FROM PAUL’S PRAYER FOR THE BELIEVERS AT THESSALONICA

1 • The GOD of peace HIMSELF wants to intimately do the sanctifying work in the hearts of His people. It isn’t something that He is willing to delegate to an emissary, or to a rule book. He’s in the center of the center of the purification process!

2 • We can pray for COMPLETE SANCTIFICATION for a whole group of believers; AND that our whole being – SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY is made mature and beautiful in holiness – together!

3 • That we could become a Church, IN THIS AGE, that is magnificently Christ-like; and that Jesus, (the One Who evaluates the lamp stands [Revelation 1:13]) would have NOTHING negative or corrective to say about us. (Imagine!) That we’d be BLAMELESS in His eyes!

4 • That Jesus, the One Who called us to Himself in the first place, is entirely FAITHFUL! He has GREAT DESIRE and ABILITY to bring a whole community of believers to PERFECT CHRISTLIKE tenderness, humility, brilliant in witness, love, holiness, supernatural power, zeal and endurance. (Wowzers!)

5 • Paul, the one who is standing in the gap on behalf of these beloved believers, doesn’t believe this is some hyped ideal. He actually BELIEVES GOD WILL DO THIS on account of his prayers.

THIS is how we’re praying for the Church in our region! (Hey! We’re just believing God for the truth of His Word!)

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JSB • March, 2021