It is good to come together in prayer and worship, to seek God and His will for our lives. 1 Timothy 2 gives a good insight into how we can come together to pray, whether it is in church or in a prayer meeting:
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For,
There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.
This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth. I’m not exaggerating—just telling the truth.
In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.
And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do.
Women should learn quietly and submissively. I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly. For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result. But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty.
1 timothy 2
- FOCUS ON GOD
We often have a tendency to focus on ourselves in prayer, but always start with God; the One to whom we are coming. If we change our perspective when we come together and look to Whom we are praying, it will substantially change our approach to prayer.
In 1 Timothy 2:3-4, we see God’s compassion and love for all people; God is a God of justice and righteousness, but He takes no pleasure in punishing people. He wants all people to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of His love and Truth. He wants people everywhere to have the opportunity to hear the glorious Gospel and to respond to it.
Therefore, it is important to ask ourselves: Does the compassion of God grip our hearts?
We must pray according to God’s heart for people, so that all people may be saved.
And the good news is, God has provided the bridge between us and Him for all sinners, through Jesus, who paid the full price for all our sins – past, present and future – through His death on the cross. Now, through Jesus, our Mediator, we are forgiven and we can be with God and enter His Kingdom (1 Timothy 2:5).
When the love of God grips us, it will drive us to our knees in our prayer for the lost, and move us in compassion for those who are not yet saved.
2. PREPARE
We should not take our times of prayer for granted, but instead, we should come in humility and repentance, clothing ourselves in His righteousness through Jesus (1 Timothy 2:8).
We can clothe ourselves in righteousness by coming to God in faith, love, and holiness (1 Timothy 2:15), having been redeemed through Jesus. Be someone who is trustworthy, not someone who gossips, or is demanding or tries to brag. As we profess to worship God, we should live in a way way that is pleasing to Him and helpful to society (1 Timothy 2:10).
Paul also warns us about anger, disputing and slander, which can not only disrupt our personal lives, but can also impact our relationship with God and others (1 Timothy 2:8). Anger and slander also negatively impacts church growth and fellowship.
As we prepare to come to God in prayer, we have to be intentional about how we relate to each other, and keep praying for one another. You can’t hate someone you love!
3. PRAY
Pray for all things and in all things. When we come together to pray, we can and should pray for all kinds of things (1 Timothy 2:1-3):
Pray for spiritual wisdom, leading, provision, and security.
Pray for the spiritual life of the church, that we may all grow in faith.
Intercede for those who have not yet been saved, and for them to come to real faith.
Thank God for the answers to prayer.
Pray for wisdom for those in authority and for the various government systems. Pray for the country you live in, and for God’s peace and love to reign there.
Pray that God’s kingdom will come here on earth, and that there will be a climate of peacefulness in our society.
God is a God of compassion; He wants men and women to pray to Him in humility and faith, with lives that are in harmony when they come to His throne of grace. He wants us to use this gift in all aspects of prayer, worship, and intercession without ruling out the needs of our streets, neighbourhoods, and our country.
As we conclude this series, rethink the scope of your prayers. It is costly in time and effort, but God wants us to take prayer seriously.
May your prayers be prayers that bring honour and glory to His Name. Amen.