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GOSPEL WARFARE. II Thessalonians 3:1-5. 2/6/2022. AM.
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 [New King James Version]
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. 5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
1. Paul asks Thessalonians for prayer
a. Paul asked each one of the churches for prayer
a1. Paul believed in the effectiveness of prayer
a2. Our major struggle is not physical, but spiritual (takes spiritual resources)
b. Paul’s requests were always the same:
a1. Not for physical needs
a2. For the effectiveness of his Gospel witness
a3. Paul wanted the Word to go forth freely
c. Paul again repeats his praise of the Thessalonians church
a1. He wanted all his witnessing to be as effective as it was with the Thess. (joyous)
a2. The Thess. grew quickly and withstood trials
a3. Not all churches embraced a godly walk and stood firm (Corinthians; Galatians)
a4. All churches should respond like the Thessalonians
2. Hindrances to the Gospel
a. Paul wants prayer to be delivered (rescued) from the perverse and the wicked
b. Perverse (atopov) = lit., “out of place” (a [not] + topos [place] as in topography or utopia)
a1. Translated in KJV as “unreasonable”, which is not quite right (nothing to do with reason)
a2. Meaning = not proper, out of alignment, or off of the correct standard
c. The unsaved are out of sync with God
a1. Everyone is born out of sync (Romans 3:23)
a2. Most do not realize that they are out of sync due to everyone else being out of sync
a3. Many do not want to be in sync with God, for they are used to being out of sync
a4. Out of sync people oppose people who are in sync with God (too convicting and no one wants others not to conform with crowd)
d. People can be out of sync on many levels:
a1. Wrong belief system (world religion, cults, pantheism, syncretism, occult…)
a2. Humanistic philosophies (atheism, egoism, hedonism, pragmatism, universalism…)
a3. Conventionalism = group think and peer group and society conforming
e. WICKED (poneras) = bad, evil
a1. I John 3:19 men love darkness rather than light (driven by evil impulses in them)
a2. Darkness hates the light, so it hates God, which means it hates the people of God
a3. Evil opposes righteousness (illogical)
f. Paul prays that perverse and evil men will not prevent the Gospel from freely going forth
g. Not everyone comes to faith
a1. Most people will not respond to Gospel
a2. True faith is rare, precious, and opposed
a3. Witness takes place in midst of opposition
3. Divine empowerment
a. Paul encourages the Thess. that God will help them
a1. They are not alone (John 16:25-33)
a2. God is faithful to protect his saints
b. God’s protection is sufficient against Satan
a1. “Evil One” = same word as in Lord’s prayer
a2. 1 Corinthians 10:13 God promises effective defense
c. Paul is confident that they will continue in faith and obey what Paul taught them
a1. Must continue in the love of God
a2. Continue in faithfulness through trials
Key Verse: John 16:25-33
25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. 28 I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.” 29 His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”