Romans 15 Prayer, the Content

 

Romans 15

Prayer, the Content

Romans 15:30-33

…join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea

and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there,

so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.

The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Because God wants “everyone” to come to repentance and He is patient,

And waiting means we will have to pray for protection

Pray that we will be rescued from the very ones we are seeking to rescue

Pray for those who may misunderstand our motives

Paul closes with

Pray with others, it brings joy

 

 Prayer, the Content

 

Paul’s request for prayer

from the Roman believers is…

 
A prayer for success of his mission.

 

Paul in verse 30 of Romans 15

uses some strong words like…

 

He urges them to pray

 

Join with him in wrestling or struggling

 

The prayer is directed to God…

 

The Lord Jesus Christ

 

The Love of Spirit

 

Paul was not a new believer here.

 

Paul had seen battles.

 

Paul knows first hand that his life has been in

danger as he does the will or mission of the Lord.

 

Paul does not take for granted

that everything will turn out okay.

 

Even though he is on the Lord’s mission…

 

He knows the mission could fail.

 

Does Paul have lack of faith?

 

Does Paul doubt?

 

 Does he think maybe he should

not go on this mission?

 

I don’t think so.

 

Paul is very confident that

his work for the Lord is important.

 

He has dedicated his life to the ministry.

 

So why does he not get God’s protection?

 

Why does he urge believers to…

 

Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea

Romans 15:31

 

Are the unbelievers in Judea more powerful than Paul?

 

 More powerful than God?

 

Paul was a great orator, public speaker and writer…

 

 Yet, he was concerned that the relief he

was bringing to Jerusalem may not be received.

 

…and that my service in Jerusalem

may be acceptable to the saints there

 Romans 15:31

 

I am sure Paul knows…

 

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

 Psalms 37:23

 

And…

 

I will give you every place where you set your foot,

as I promised Moses.

Joshua 1:3

 

So why does Paul find it so

important to struggle in prayer?

 

The next verse tells us,

 Paul believes in God’s will…

 

So that by God's will I may come to you with joy

and together with you be refreshed.

Romans 15:32

 

What is God’s “will”?

 

It is His desire, pleasure, His determination.

 

Having three children has taught me a lot.

 

There is no way I can express

how much I love my kids.

 

When they were young…

 

 My will was that they would never do anything wrong;

 

Intentionally or unintentionally.

 

My will was that they would never say

something unkind to their siblings.

 

My will was that they would never get

too close to the stove and get burned.

 

Yet, no matter how much I desired,

how much determination,

my will did not get accomplished.

 

 Why, because I was a bad dad?

 

Because I did not love them?

 

No!!!

 

Was it because I did not

have the power to protect them?

 

We have a Good God.

 

A Loving Father.

 

An Almighty God who is Everlasting.

 

So why do we have to struggle in prayer

concerning the things that are God’s will?

 

Why did Jesus teach us to pray…

 

Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven?

 

 God’s will, His pleasure,…

 

His desire, does not always happen in earth.

 

Why?

 

Because of our will, desire, pleasure?

 

From the Garden of Eden till now

 things have not gone God’s way.

 

Every ask where was God when

 Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree?

 

Why did God  not curse the

Tree of Knowledge so it would die?

 

Because…

 

 If He controlled our will,

we would not have a will.

 

What makes a good father is…

 

 Not that his children are perfect.

 

What make a good father is…

 

 His ability to handle his children’s mistakes.

 

God, the Father, put His Son

on a tree to show His love.

 

So that from love,

 our will might be transformed…

 

Our minds might be renewed.

 

No one is forced to give up their will

and become a clone or computer robot.

 

Not the unbeliever or believer.

 

You see the point is this…

 

God wants you and I to see that the Lord is Good.

 

And to realize God’s desire,

 His will is the best for us…

 

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

Jeremiah 29:11-14

 

Through prayer we connect with God.

 

Our connection is not to some sugar daddy

to give us whatever we want…

 

Because our will is filled with things

that will harm us and others.

 

Our connection with God in prayer is…

 

 To help us understand His will

 

And grow in our conviction that…

 

We will do His will because we believe in it…

 

Even if others do not have the

will of God and cause us harm.

 

Paul recognized that the battle was real…

 

Be self-controlled and alert.

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion

looking for someone to devour.

Resist him, standing firm in the faith,

because you know that your brothers throughout the world

are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

1 Peter 5:8-9

 

We should understand God is doing His part…

 

 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

 

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise,

as some understand slowness.

 He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish,

but everyone to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

 

Because God wants “everyone”

to come to repentance…

 

 And He is patient, and waiting

means we will have to pray for protection.

 

Pray that we will be rescued from

the very ones we are seeking to rescue.

 

Pray for those who may

misunderstand our motives.

 

Paul closes with…

 

Pray with others

 

 It brings joy.

 

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Romans 15:30-33 NIV

 

30 I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, 32 so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.