Prayer Changes Things

Commentary

It is especially tragic when Christians fail to say thank you to Jesus Christ and just take for granted what He has done for us. He gave everything; He suffered, He bled and He died on the cross for our sins and yet as Christians, we tend to forget. The least we can do is to present our bodies back to Him in appreciation for what He has done for us (v. 9). (Rom. 12:1-2)
Paul did not consider that the great commission had been fulfilled when people were saved. He prayed that he might be able to return to Thessalonica (v. 10). He felt that they needed more instruction and he wanted to supply what was lacking in their faith. He did not pray that they would be sinless but he prayed that they would be blameless. He also prayed for their continued growth. When new Christians bring us joy we need to support them as they continue to grow.
Paul has three specific prayer requests for the Thessalonian Christians:
That their faith might mature (v. 10). Warren Wiersbe says, “Faith is like a muscle: it gets stronger with use.That their love might abound (v. 12). As our faith in God grows it should result in a growing love for others.That their conduct might be holy (v. 13). The test for true holiness is how much genuine love we have for Christ and for others.

Application

Can I think of someone who made a decision for Christ but fell by the wayside because no one prayed for them and helped them grow in the Lord? I need to be helping someone. Who am I helping?