1 THESSALONIANS 3:12-13 - PRAYER FOR STRENGTH

Prayer for Strength

Paul prayed that the Father

would increase the love

of the believers to overflowing.

He prayed the Lord

would strengthen their hearts

to stand before God the All-knowing.

“May the Lord make your love 

increase and overflow for each other 

and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

May he strengthen your hearts 

so that you will be blameless and holy

 in the presence of our God and Father 

when our Lord Jesus comes 

with all his holy ones.”

I Thessalonians 3:12-13 (NIV)

stērizō⁴⁷⁴¹ – to set fast, i.e. (lit.) to turn resolutely in a certain direction, or (fig). to confirm: fix, (e-)stablish, steadfastly set, strengthen.

            I know I’m supposed to pray for my children, and I do pray for them daily. I pray for them to do well in school or on the job.  I pray for their relationships, my son’s marriage and my daughter’s friendships. I pray for their safety. I pray that God will draw them near to him in such a way that they would not doubt his reality. I pray scripture over them such as “Help Tom to keep his way pure by keeping it according to your word,” (Psalm 119:9) and “Remind Esther that charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised,” (Psalm 31:30).

            In listening to I Thessalonians on CD, I heard what Paul prayed for his spiritual children in Thessalonica.  What a way to pray for my children!  To ask God to strengthen them to be all he wants them to be. Then I looked up strengthen, actually “stablish” in the King James Version, in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. What a powerful word! I will ask God to turn my children resolutely in his direction.

            The power to live a life worthy of our calling comes from the One who called us.  The power to obey God comes from God. We must each cry out to God for forgiveness of sins, deliverance from evil, and strength to walk according to his word.  We also have the privilege of praying for others to rely on God.

            Father, steadfastly set my children on your path. Give them the strength they need to do all you have called them do and the wisdom to hear your voice.  May Tom, Esther, and Christan stand before you blameless and holy because of the blood of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  May their love increase for each other as my love continues to increase for them. And Lord, thank you once again for my children!