The Doxology, and Psalm 29:1-4
My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in 2 Thessalonians. Paul’s prayer request caught my attention, and the Mind of the Spirit drew the spirit of my mind into communion with him there.
2Thessalonians 3:1 ¶ Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
2Thessalonians 3:2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
2Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
I have a set of praying hands bookends. Prayer is “first of all” (1 Timothy 2:1), and “Finally” (2 Thessalonians 3:1). Prayer is the bookends of every endeavor.
Paul prayed that the “word of the Lord” would have “free course.” A course describes the progression of movement toward an objective. A course of study outlines and defines the progression of students through the material they are expected to learn. A course lays out the path that runners follow to complete a race. A course defines a circuit. A course outlines the steps one must take to complete a task.
Jesus has given us a task, a mission, a race to run, and a curriculum to teach: “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have taught you” (Matthew 28:19).
“Free course” refers to a course without intentional interference that hinders progression. Often, obstacles are placed in the path to hinder progress and thwart completion of the course. Enemies of the Gospel attempt to impede the command of Christ that we go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).
The word of the Lord does not have “free course” in China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, Malaysia, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Mauritania, India, Jordan, Algeria, virtually all North Africa and the Middle East countries, including Israel to a degree. (This is not a comprehensive list.)
Along the still waters, I pondered the prayer of Paul. He wanted the Gospel to have free course and be glorified: esteemed with veneration, magnified and honored by all. Included with this prayer, and interconnected with the answer to it, Paul asked the church to pray that his team would be “delivered from unreasonable and wicked men” (2 Thessalonians 3:2).
Paul observed that “not all men have faith,” but that, nevertheless, “The Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil” (2 Thessalonians 3:3). (I addressed Jesus’ prayer that God would “keep us from the evil” (John 17:15) in the 9/29/25 post titled DELIVER US FROM EVIL!)
The most important thing we can do to support the preaching of this Gospel of the kingdom is to pray. It’s the first and final thing! We must pray for the word of GOD to have “free course,” and for Christ’s disciples to be delivered from “unreasonable and wicked men.” I cannot overstate the importance of genuine, fervent prayers focused specifically on GOD moving to remove the obstacles unreasonable and wicked men erect against the Gospel.
And suppose we pray for the missionaries, the preachers, the evangelists, and pastor/teachers, “be warmed and filled,” but do not give those things that are needful. In that case, we expose ourselves to the accusation of hypocrisy. Paul did say Jesus ordained the gospel ministry to be supported by the freewill offerings of His people (1 Corinthians 9:11-14). He also wrote: “For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened” (2 Corinthians 8:13-15).
In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, He reminded me of the great sacrifice He made for the Gospel. And He said to me, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
At the table, He anointed my head with “fresh oil” (Psalm 92:10) and filled my cup with His sufficient grace (2 Corinthians 12:9). Goodness and mercy followed us into the harvest.
Praying for revival! 🙏
Going live asap:
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