The Plea for Partners in Prayer

Amen. We're going to turn in our

Bibles to 1st Thessalonians chapter 5.

We'll read from the verse 14 to the end of the chapter.

First Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 14.

1 Thessalonians 5:14

Let's hear the Word of God reading, of course, as we've

emphasised often from the King James Bible, a most faithful and

reliable translation of the Holy Scriptures, First Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 5:14

chapter 5, verse 14. Let's hear the word of God now

we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly.

Comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient

toward all men. See that none render evil for

evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good both

among yourselves and to all men. Rejoice evermore, Pray without

ceasing, and everything give thanks, for this is the will of

God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Quench not the Spirit, despise not prophesying us, prove all

things, hold fast up which is good, abstain from all

appearance of evil, and the very God of peace sanctify you

wholly. And I pray God, your whole

spirit and soul and body be preserved, blameless unto the

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, faithful as he that calleth you,

who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us.

Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all

the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus

Christ be with you. Amen.

Amen. We know God will stamp with His

own approval and blessing this reading of His own precious and

infallible Word. Now my text this morning is

taken from First Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 25, and I want

1 Thessalonians 5:25

to entitle today's theme the plea for partners in prayer.

Some of the shortest verses in Holy Scripture carry the

greatest weight, and here's a verse with only four words in

her English Bible. Yet it opens a window into the

heart and mind of the great Apostle Paul.

Brethren, pray for us. These words have come from the

heart and mind of the Apostle Paul.

Remember, he was the mighty preacher to the Gentiles.

He was the church planter. He was the great sound

theologian, the faithful missionary, the author of 14 of

the 27 books that make up the Canon of the New Testament

Scripture, a persecuted man, a man who suffered much for

Christ. And yet he genuinely, he humbly.

And what does he do here? He asked ordinary believers,

young converts in the church at Thessalonica to pray for him.

Now that alone should arrest us. That alone should arouse our

thinking. If the Apostle Paul needed

prayer and asked for it openly and genuinely, how much more

does every true preacher today? If an inspired apostle sought

the prayers of the Saints, how much more do pastors,

missionaries, evangelists, church workers, labourers,

elders in the church need the intercession of God's people?

See these words, brethren, pray for us.

Really teach us this truth. The prayer life of the church,

the gospel ministry, the work of God is not sustained by great

talent, personality, intellect or organisation.

It is sustained by the sovereign grace of God through the prayers

of the Saints of God. You see, we live in a day, and

I'm not saying this about this congregation, but far too many

churches criticise their ministers more than they call

unto God for their ministers. And yet here we are, brought

face to face with a simple verse that commands believers to

uphold God's servants before the throne of Greece.

And if you believe, as I do, that a praying church is a

powerful church, a purposeful church.

And of course the opposite is true.

A prayerless church is a powerless church.

It is a purpose church. If you believe that, will you

take this first to heart? Will you begin to put these 4

words into practise? You see, in the context here,

Paul is bringing his first letter to the Thessalonian

Church to a close, and throughout chapter 5 he has

given us very short but very simple, straightforward

spiritual expectations that help govern the life of the church.

The church is to comfort one another, esteemed faithful

leaders warn the unruly, rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing

and everything give thanks, quench not the Spirit, despise

not prophesying, prove all things, hold fast up which is

good, abstain from all appearance of evil.

And then he prays and his prayer there is in verse 23 and the

very God of peace sanctify you holy and I pray God your whole

spirit and soul and body be reserved, blamed us unto the

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ faithful as he that calleth you

who also will do it. And then immediately after that

he then tells this, brethren, pray for us.

He turns his focus toward himself and his fellow

labourers, and he calls out as he closes the epistle, Brethren,

pray for us. I don't believe this is Paul

speaking or writing selflessly. I believe it's a spiritual

realism. Paul understands the advancement

of the gospel depends upon the mighty power of God himself.

And Paul knows that God in his suffering will dispenses that

power, the power of the Spirit through the prayers of his

people. So that's our theme for today,

the plea for partners in prayer. And I, when I looked at this, I,

I wrote down 4 little headings on a piece of paper.

OK, I want you to think firstly of the people addressed.

Look at the word Brethren. We'll underline that.

Now, this is not addressed to a particular denomination.

It's not a reference to the Presbyterian Church or the

Methodist Church or the Independent Methodists.

It's certainly not a reference to the Brethren Assembly.

It's not even a reference to the Free Presbyterian Church.

In fact, it's not a reference to a particular church group at

all. It's not about a building.

It's not about bricks and mortar.

Now, they're all included in this phrase.

But the prayer of the church, the prayer life of the church is

not merely the duty of a select few, but it is the privilege and

responsibility of the whole church family.

Those whom God has called out to repent and and faith in Jesus

Christ. Those whom God has called

together in a local area, a geographical area, but also then

the whole church's family worldwide.

You see, the term brethren indicates a family.

Now I want to emphasise that in one of Paul's prayers, Ephesians

Ephesians 3:14–15

3, verses 14 to 15, he says this for the church at Ephesus of

whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.

You see, the name brethren is really generic and it's really

stands for the whole church family, the people of God on

earth, the local church, as well as the global church on earth.

God has a heavenly family on the earth.

Now let me ask, is God your heavenly Father?

Can you say even in the prayer meeting our Father, which art in

heaven? And you can say that with

assurance because you know that you're a son and daughter of

God. How do you become a son or

daughter? Well, you're born into your

family. When I was born into the

McLaughlin family, I was given the name David, surname is

McLaughlin. Why?

Because I was born into the McLaughlin family.

Well, you see, we're brought into God's family by rebirth.

Remember what John says. But as many as received him to

them give you power to become the sons of God, even to them

that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of

the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

It's not hereditary. It's not of your own will.

It's not the will of the Pope or a priest or a preacher, but of

God born again by the Spirit of God.

Has that been your experience? Is it your testimony this

morning? You're not only born again by

the Spirit of God, but you've become a child of God by

redemption because the blood has been applied.

You've been justified by the blood of Christ, and you you've

received the privilege really of adoption into God's family.

Remember what we read in the book of Galatians, in Galatians

Galatians 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4 and in the verses 4:00 and 5:00.

But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth

his Son made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them

that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of

sons. And Paul says in Romans 8 and

verse 15, because ye are sons adopted into God's family, we

couldn't cry. ABBA, Father, there's a

connection between our adoption into God's family and that

privilege of calling upon God and addressing him as Father.

So here's the question, Are you a true believer this morning?

Have you been born again of the Holy Spirit?

Can you testify to a real regenerating experience by the

Spirit of God where you've come from?

That dead state of being dead in trespasses and sin, and you've

been raised and resurrected on the newness of life and the

blood of Christ has been applied and you have that assurance that

you are a child of God. And you see one of the evidences

that you're a true child of God is the evidence of prayer.

It was JC Ryle, the first Protestant Bishop of Liverpool

said that one of the genuine indicators of true conversion is

prayer and the Sermon in the Mount in Matthew 6 and six, the

Lord Jesus said when thou pressed enter into thy closet.

He's assumed that those who are his and in Christ will have a a

desire to pray. Whenever the apostle Paul was

converted in the Damascus Rd. According to Acts Chapter 9 and

Acts 9 · chapter mention

11, Ananias who questioned Paul's authenticity to

conversion the Lord given this sign will say, behold, he

prayeth. Now Paul had said prayers as a

Jew, as a Pharisee, no doubt sincere, but prayers that were

really repetition, prayers that were written out for him.

But now he's really praying. He's not just saying prayers,

but he's praying. He's communicating with the Lord

in heaven. He's in communion and fellowship

with God. He has had this new birth

experience. The blood has been applied.

He cannot say to the Lord, Lord, what will thou have me to do?

He's now your son and daughter in God's family.

So I, I ask again, I'm repeating, are you genuinely

born again? Are you a praying man and a

praying woman? Can you go to God even in the

secret place and pour out your heart to Him?

You can bring to him all your burdens and all your fears and

all your woes. And you can do that because you

know you're a member of God's family, God's your heavenly

Father, and you're part and parcel of those that belong to

the fold of God. This term, brethren, indicates

family very quickly. It also indicates unity.

It speaks of a people who are united with one heart and one

soul and one mind. And you see the prayer life of

the church is something that's critically important.

It's spiritually vital. It's desperately needed.

The New Testament church was born in prayer over there in the

book of Acts and Acts chapter one verse 14, we read that these

all continued with 1 accord and prayer and supplication with the

woman and Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brethren,

that that's with his brothers, those that were the half

brothers of the Lord Jesus. I want you to think of the New

Testament church, 120 souls in the upper room at Jerusalem.

They tarried for 10 days. They were there with one heart

and one mind. They were pouring out their

hearts to the Lord in prayer, a 10 day prayer meeting.

And on the day of Pentecost the Lord answered and they were all

filled with the Holy Ghost. And the New Testament church not

only commenced by prayer, but the New Testament church

continued by prayer in Acts chapter 2 and in the verse 42 we

Acts 2 · chapter mention

read. And they continued steadfastly

in the apostle doctrine and fellowship and the breaking of

bread and in prayers, and even in Acts 6, whenever there was a

big fallout in the church and the dispute over the neglect of

the widows, What was their answer?

They appointed 7 good deacons. But here's what it says in Acts

Acts 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6 and in the verse 4. But we will give ourselves

continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word, the Word.

These men were not being sidelined or sidetracked.

They knew that prayer was vital, that prayer was paramount, that

prayer was needed. And we have sang that hymn this

morning. Prayer is the soul's sincere

desire uttered or unexpressed, the motion of a hidden fire that

trembles in the breast. Verse 5.

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, the Christian's native

air. His watch were not the gates of

death. He enters heaven with prayer.

And remember, the psalmist said, behold how good and how pleasant

it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

We live in a day when not everybody that professes the

name of Christ is regenerate. We live in a day when everyone

that professes the name of Christ is truly religious.

Sadly, there's many religious people in the world, but they're

not in Christ. They've never been born again,

the blood has never been applied.

They haven't really been adopted into God's family.

But this word, brethren, it indicates not only family, but

it indicates unity. Remember Paul says Paul, and

savannas and Timotheus unto the Church of the Thessalonians,

which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord

Jesus Christ. First Thessalonians chapter one,

verse 1. The appeal here is not to the

world, not to those religiously outside the true church, not to

the unconverted. The word brethren is addressed

to the true child of God. And remember David said to the

true child of God. Psalm 66 verse 18 addressing God

Psalms 66:18

in prayer. If I regard iniquity in my

heart, the Lord will not hear me.

You see, God is not under an obligation to hear the prayers

of anyone unless that individual comes with a penitent heart,

unless that individual has been born and energised by the Spirit

of God, unless that individual is being adopted into God's

family. Now God of course knows our

hearts and God knows our motives, but the world is this

morning full of religious people, not regenerate.

They're not truly part of the worldwide family of God.

They're they're not part of the fold of God.

They can't in truth, really address them as heavenly Father,

that their heart and mind is not in one accord with him.

And that's why today I I totally reject and renounce the

ecumenical movement. There is a true ecumenism among

the people of God, but there's a false ecumenism.

And of course we reject ecumenical worship.

We reject the coming together of religious bodies, whether it's

Roman Catholicism or Islam or Buddhism and joint worship, it's

all false in the sight of God. It's an abomination.

We could truly say unto the Lord.

Remember what Isaiah the prophet says in Isaiah chapter 59, and

Isaiah 59 · chapter mention

he says this in verses one and two.

Listen to the word of God. Isaiah 59 Behold, the Lord's

hand does not shorten that it cannot see Him, neither is ear

heavy that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have

separated between you and your God, and your sins have hit His

face from you that He will not hear you.

See, if you're not in a true relationship with God as

Heavenly Father, and you're not in true fellowship, then with

God as Heavenly Father. God says he will not hear.

We're not all worshipping the same God.

The Bible exhorts us have no fellowship with the unfruitful

works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Why? Because that darkness is

contrary to the light. It's contrary to the gospel.

It's contrary to the Fiat that was once delivered unto the

Saints. Now I believe, of course, in the

priesthood of all believers, and I say this this morning,

regardless of what denomination it is, every true believer in

Christ, born of the Spirit, washed in the blood, adopted

into God's family, they have access to the Lord at the throne

of grace. They can pray to God and pray to

God in the merits and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

So I want you to understand this morning that this word,

brethren, while it indicates family and unity, this is really

an address to the true Church of born again believers.

So real, true, genuine prayer is confined to the true Church of

born again believers. So I, I trust I've stressed that

point. The second thing I want you to

see also this morning is the petition requested.

If you go back to our little text, notice what it says there.

Brethren, what's the second word?

Pray Now we'll pause there. Paul doesn't ask for money.

He doesn't ask for admiration. He's not asking for acceptance

or comfort. He's not even saying applaud me

for all I've done in the Lord's name.

He's asking for prayer. You see, the true pastor is not

a religious performer detached from his congregation.

No, he's a brother among brethren.

He's a member of God's family unfold.

He's a member of the body of Christ, and he's not super

superhuman. James Fivan, 17, says.

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and

ministers grow weary physically and mentally.

Ministers face many temptations. Ministers battle discouragement

often and especially from people that they least expected.

Ministers suffer personal attacks.

Did you know that from folks, but also from friends?

They certainly suffer spiritual attacks from the devil.

Do you know this morning that the devil especially targets

those who preach the Word of God?

If you link this up with Second Thessalonians chapter 3 and the

2 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

verse one, the second letter that Paul wrote to this young

church, he said this finally, brethren, pray for us now.

What was the reason that the word of the Lord may have free

course and be glorified even as it is with you Now, why did he

repeat that? Here's why.

If Satan can wound the shepherd, he can destroy the sheep.

In old times, when they had a war, the enemy would often aim

for the young Prince or aim for the king.

They would go for the officers first.

Why? To discourage the army.

To get the army to withdraw back to their city.

And what is true in physical warfare, and we can use that in

the story of Jehoshaphat and Ahab, we went out to battle.

What is true in physical warfare is true in spiritual warfare.

Faithful preachers of the word of God are strategic targets of

the devil. It was Leonard Ravenhill who

said the devil doesn't fear a preacher with a Polish sermon,

but he fears a spirit filled preacher.

Why? Because that spiritful preacher

is out to advance the Kingdom of God in the gospel.

So really these words, brethren, pray for us is a plea to pray

for your minister. Prayer is the greatest

contribution that the church can make to the gospel ministry.

Maybe you're here this morning and you say, but, but I can't

preach the gospel. I can't travel as a missionary

to Africa. I can't lead a meeting publicly.

I can't give large sums of money.

You're not asked to do that. But every born again Christian

can pray. And part of that prayer to God

dearly weekly is to pray for the gospel minister in the gospel

ministry. True prayer moves the hands of

God. And Acts 12 is a remarkable

example of God answering for Peter's in prison.

James already is dead. He has already been beheaded by

Herod. Herod now intends to kill Peter.

And we read in Acts chapter 12 verse 5.

Acts 12:5

But prayer was made without ceasing unto the of the church,

unto God for him. And what did God do?

God sent an Angel to deliver Peter from prison.

You see, the praying church will and can accomplish what

politicians can't. The praying church can and will

accomplish what political influence can't do.

The praying church will and can accomplish what human strength

and human ingenuity can never do because true prayer supplies

spiritual power. I asked this morning, what's the

greatest need and kind of FPC? What is the greatest need in the

work of our ministry? It's the presence and power of

our God. It's not cleverness, but it's a

covering of the spirit and power.

Not entertainment, but but unction.

Not something new and novel, but a divine power of God.

It's interesting the Apostle Paul wrote these words.

Brethren, pray for us. See the Apostle Paul, despite

all his many achievements, all the things that he could boast

in and glory off, he never outgrew the need for the power

of God. I believe this man lived in

daily dependence on God. As I've said, a man of many

talents, yet he constantly call for prayer.

He sought the face of God in prayer, but he besought God's

people to pray for him. He said in Second Corinthians

3:00 and 5:00 not that we are sufficient of ourselves, but our

sufficiency is of God. Remember, the psalmist said,

unless the Lord build the house, the labour in vain, that build

it. And yes, I can study faithfully,

I can prepare fully, but I must also pray thoroughly, because

prayer is the divine power upon the preaching of the Word.

The third thing very quickly is the principle included.

Notice these words, brethren, pray for us.

See, that's a reference to himself.

It's also a reference to Silas and Timothy.

In other words, pray for all the faithful ministers in Christ.

So again, we urge this, pray for the minister.

Pray for his personal holiness and his walk with God.

Pray for his family. Pray for his faithful preaching

to the blood in the book that he preached in the power of the

Holy Spirit. Someone has said, don't think it

was Leonard Ravenhill, but someone else said a sermon that

is without prayer is like a lamp with no oil.

See, a lamp with oil is something of structure,

something that's beautiful, but it hasn't got a fleam.

And we need that heavenly fleam. Pray for wisdom as he guides and

guards the flock of God. Pray for his protection.

As I've already told you, he's open to criticism from friend

and foe. Paul prayed for protection the

last time from wicked and unreasonable men.

We're not going to please everyone.

All of the time he tries to please everyone ends up pleasing

nobody. But let's pray for faithfulness

to Christ and the Gospel. Pray for a spirit of

stickability. I pray for insurance.

Remember what Paul wrote to the Hebrew Christians in Hebrews

Hebrews 13 · chapter mention

chapter 13 and verse 17. He says this.

Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves,

for they watch for your souls as they must give an account that

they may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is

unprofitable for you. You see, there's a fearful

responsibility in being a minister of the gospel.

Every soul in the church, young and old, I'm responsible to

before God. We should really pray then for

the ministers of the church. We should pray for them to be

spiritually bold. That's what Paul did.

He asked for prayer. That utterance might be given

unto him, that he might open his mouth boldly and not brashly,

but open his mouth boldly to to declare the work of God.

Pray for holy zeal, Pray for a passion before and with them of

God. Pray for a holy fire, because

this, this preaching is, is really a matter of life and

death. Pray that the word of God may

have free course that'll run freely, but pray that the word

of God is glorified. Let me tell you this little

story. Long time ago there was a young

man received a call to a new church and he preached on prayer

the first Sunday. A wonderful sermon, everybody

loved it. They were delighted.

Next Sunday he got up and preached the same thing, same

hymns, same sermon, same text. He did it the third Sunday and

the elders were getting a wee bit worried.

The woman were wondering what is going on.

The young people were saying he preached that before.

Did we not hear that last week? Was that not the first sermon?

It happened before Sunday. So you could just imagine me

preaching the same sermon 4 Sundays here in a row.

They brought him in afterwards, they asked him what's going on

and this is what he said. He said, well, I preached the

first sermon on prayer and the next Wednesday night there was

still the same number at the prayer meeting.

And the same happened the second week and the third week.

And that's why I'm preaching it again because I'm wondering, are

they really listening about the subject of prayer?

You see, a lot of professing Christians today are not in the

church's prayer meeting. And Leonard Ravenhill said it's

not more sermons we need, but it's putting into practise the

revelation God has already given us.

So it's not about learning new things, it's about in listening

to the things that God has already told us and living them

out in our lives. You see, this is a principle,

this is a a precept, not a mere suggestion.

It's a vital, important component.

It's not optional, it's obligatory.

It's not just a call, but it's a compulsory command.

Remember Paul's or, or Samuel said, God forbid that I should

sin against the Lord and ceasing to pray for you, prayerlessness

is a sin. It has serious implications.

And and this is a serious priority that that, that we must

pray privately and we must pray publicly.

And I encourage you to come to the prayer meeting.

And I'm not saying you have to come and pray out loud.

I'm urging you to come even if you only sigh in your heart,

even you only shed a tear, even if you only pray inaudibly on

other than to your heart. Lord help me, even if it's just

a, a silent Amen. Let me just quickly wrap this

up. Pray for your missionaries at

home and abroad. They labour in loneliness.

Many labour in dangerous circumstances.

They face much opposition. Many know poverty and much

discouragement, and we should really pray for the Lord to open

doors for our missionaries at home and abroad, Open doors to

missions. Where does it come from?

It comes from God. Pray for the advancement of the

gospel here. What we're told go ye into all

the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

How does the church advance? It advances on its knees in

prayer and advancing on our knees in prayer is connected to

the preaching of the gospel. It's connected to going forth in

an evangelistic manner. It's it's connected to giving

ourselves to God. Could I suggest this morning

that we pray for closed doors and hearts to open to the gospel

in our own community? Could I suggest that we pray

this morning for the persecuted church or missionaries at home

and abroad? I suggest that we pray for souls

to be concerted. Family, friends, neighbours.

I, I I suggest that we pray for for new churches to be planted.

Modern missions need our prayers.

William Carey, the father of modern missions to India, said

this. I will go down into the pit if

you will hold the ropes. That's the ropes of prayer.

Did you know that Spurgeon 6000, he ministered to every Sunday in

the Metropolitan Tabernacle? One time he brought his

students. He said he wanted them to show

the secret of the church. They come in and the church was

packed. Now these are young men, very

impressionable, packed Church of 6000 people.

And he says, now I want to show you the secret.

We'll go down to the boiler house.

They thought they were going down to look at the central

heating system, and they went down and there was 4 to 600

people in a room praying in the basement.

And he said this is the engine room of the church.

The people addressed family and unity.

The petition requested to pray. The principle included is for

us. And one final thing, the power

that's released. Why did he include this

exhortation? Brethren, pray for us.

You and I know that God is sovereign.

You and I know that the God who ordains the ends ordains the

means. He he ordains the salvation of

his people. He ordains the preaching of the

gospel go into all the world and preach the gospel to every

creature, but he also ordains the instrument of prayer.

He says, for this I will yet be inquired of by the House of

Israel to do it for them. This is what strengthens

preaching. This is what protects the

ministry. This is what brings about our

deliverance from wicked man. Remember, we're facing a, a, a

satanic warfare. We're going to battle with the

devil. We're going to battle with, with

false doctrine and there's much opposition, false cults and

false religion there there. There's much discouragement.

Satan hates hates the preaching of the word of God.

Satan hates the exaltation of Christ.

Satan hates the exposing of sin. Satan tries to destroy the

Gospel ministry. He hates the salvation of souls.

So this is what protects the ministry and not only

strengthens it, but protects it, and also it produces fruit,

because whenever we pray, prayer moves the hands, it holds the

world, and God works through prayer.

The church's purity is maintained.

The church's power is bestowed. The church's perseverance and

continuance is explained. How do we exist decades on and

and hundreds of years into the future?

We exist because of the goodness of God.

It's God who's keeping and protecting his people.

The power that's released is included in this little plea,

the plea for partners in prayer. I leave this message with you.

I want you to take it to heart. And I would encourage as many as

possible to come and join us on the Wednesday night.

If you can join us on the Saturday morning.

Let's look to God for help in relation to the work of the

ministry. May the Lord take these few

thoughts and bless them to our heart.

This morning we're going to sing in.