Truth #224 - We are to pray that the gospel is spread - 2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 3:1
​Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you,

Truth: We are to pray for the Gospel to spread

In this finally chapter of the second letter Paul writes to the Church in Thessolonica, Paul requests that the believers pray.   Specifically that they will pray that the gospel will spread.   Paul speaks as the Gospel being "independent," as the "word of the Lord."   Note the following from the Old Testament:

Psalms 147:15
He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.

Psalms 19:3-4
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,

God's word is independent from us, but God chooses to use us to relay and convey His word.   So, the prayer that Paul asks the believes to pray is that he will have the freedom to speak the Gospel to others.   Note the next verse in this chapter:

2 Thessalonians 3:2
and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.

We can see the connection between verse one and verse two.   Paul asks that the Gospel be not hindered as it goes forth, but that going forth will be in and through him.   Paul realizes that the same resistance and suffering they are experiencing (2 Thessalonians 1:3-4), he will experience.   Paul knows that prayer is the powerful weapon giving to the believers to enable the resistance to the gospel to me matched and conquered by all the spiritual powers of Christ.   We are not sit back idlely  and wait for the Gospel to happen.   We are not to sit back and enjoy our salvation and not pray for the spread of grace to others, both in our community and around the world.  This request for prayer was for believers to remember that the gospel goes forth by the power of God and the power of God is furthered in this world through our prayers ... this is by God's choice and design.   We are to constantly be praying that the gospel is spread and that those spreading the gospel are not impeded by the cares of this world or the characters of this world.