Gracious Father, it is with a thankful heart that we pray knowing that faith in Christ is ever increasing. We also pray the love of Christ is clearly growing among those we pour into. We confess our flesh easily reacts to setbacks or disagreements with frustration which often leads to anger. Our flesh is even more exasperated when facing true persecution or trials.
Father, Your word tells us that persecution and trials are guaranteed to accompany those who live out the gospel in their lives. We desire to be counted among your children who persevere faithfully as we face these challenges. Holy Spirit, replace our worldly reactions with supernatural Christ empowered peace, wisdom, and responses.
Father, remind us that as we overflow with eternal hope in a lifeless world, love in a selfish world, share truth in a deceived world, and stand for justice in an unjust world, that the light of Christ will illuminate sin in people. For those not willing to turn to Christ, truth will bring God’s judgement upon them creating defense and anger within them and will result in persecution and suffering to your messengers. We pray that we will never unnecessarily provoke anyone or spiritualize our own sinful behavior to control an outcome. But we deeply desire to be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which we sometimes suffer. Amid suffering and trials, empower us with hope and faithful perseverance while remembering that you are just. You will ultimately pay back trouble to those who trouble us and give relief to us who are troubled. The ultimate outcome has been determined. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people; He will be marveled at among all those who have believed. Thank you, Father, that, through Christ and his redemptive work, we are included as your beloved and holy children.
We pray that through Christ you will make us worthy of your calling, and that by your power you may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith in us. We pray that your great work in and through us will point many to Christ, serving to rescue them from the jaws of destruction as you did in us. We pray that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in and through us according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Christ,
Blessings!
I Thessalonians 1:3-12
3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
II Timothy 3:12-13
12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.