How To Pray Effectively For Peace Amongst Each Other

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

Is prayer the key for peace? Is the lack of prayer the reason why our society is in the condition that it’s in today. Prayer is the key.

Introduction

There are two weapons the believer has to be able to go on the offensive while on their journey (Eph. 6:18-19).  One of those weapons is the written word, which, when properly used, will edify and uplift another.  The second weapon is prayer.  This week’s Sunday School commentary will cover 1 Timothy 2:1-8, where Paul shared the key to living in peace with each other.

Fighting the Good Fight

1 Timothy 2 opens with the word “therefore”.  This is a word that connects us with all that Paul had shared with Timothy in the previous chapter. 

Praying for all people 

In the prior chapter, Paul encouraged Timothy to remain in Ephesus, teaching sound doctrine.  Paul reminded Timothy to move in love and sincerity as he ministered the gospel.  The chapter ended with Paul encouraging Timothy to wage the “good warfare”, having faith and a good conscience.

To wage the good warfare, Paul exhorted Timothy to use the weapon of prayer for all people, including those who lead and govern (1 Tim. 2:1).  To be clear about this, Paul said to pray for kings and all who are in authority.  This, of course, leads to a very important discussion we are going to have in a moment.

First, however, let’s note that Paul urged Timothy to make “supplications”, “intercessions”, and the “giving of thanks”.  These are the three types (or kinds) of prayer:  prayer of supplication, intercessory prayer, and a prayer of thanksgiving.

Supplication is a show of one’s dependence on God to supply their every need.   Intercession is when one steps in on behalf of another as a mediator, or advocate.  The giving of thanks shows gratefulness, appreciation, for God’s love, grace, mercy, and goodness.  

So, in this case, Paul called on Timothy and all who are of faith, to pray for God to supply the needs of another.  The believer is to intercede and pray that God show mercy and grace for those who have done wrong.  Lastly, because not everybody gives thanks to God as they ought to, the believer should give thanks on their behalf.

Praying for your “enemies”

One of the most controversial subjects about prayer is praying for those who stand in opposition.  For example, some say they won’t pray for someone because they are of the opposing political party and voted for this person or that person.  Some say they won’t vote for someone because they are of this sexual identity or that sexual identity. The thought expressed by many believers is that they won’t pray for those who are “of sin”.

We must understand that the act of not praying for someone because of this reason or that reason goes against the teachings of Christ.  Jesus taught that His followers are to pray for their enemies and those who spitefully use and persecute them (Matt. 5:43-44).  So, to do the opposite of His instructions is to disobey – to do sinfully.

Let us remember that we have a higher calling to move with the same grace and compassion that the Lord has shown us.  As Christ hung on the cross, He prayed for everybody, including the ones who mocked Him and cast lots over His clothing (Luke 23:34).  Christ prayed mercy be shown to them because they did not know what they were doing.

It certainly would have been easy for Jesus to pray for to the Father to condemn those who had move against Him, right? But He didn’t do that.

We cannot let our emotions block us from fighting the good fight.  As James said, the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God (Jas. 1:19-20).  So, we must put the emotions to the side that will hinder us from producing love, joy, and peace. We must put to the side the emotions that will hinder our prayer life.

Praying for leaders and authorities

This may sound difficult to some of you, but when Paul wrote this letter, the emperor of Rome at that time was Nero.  Nero had/has the reputation of being a wicked emperor who moved against Christians, even killing many Christians.  Some thought that he was the Antichrist.  No matter how wicked the man was, Paul, going by the teachings of Christ, instructed believers to pray for all of those who govern.

Whether you agree with the political beliefs of another or not, you ought to pray for them.  Republicans should pray for democrats, and democrats should pray for republicans.  While politicians may work to divide and separate, the believer has a calling to love and unite.

Sadly, believers have let politics divide them and introduce bad spiritual behavior which leads to sin.  I honestly believe that we’re in the position we’re in today because we’ve stopped praying for each other and those who govern.  We are falling behind in the good fight because we aren’t praying as we should pray.

If we truly prayed for one another, I genuinely believe that we’d see relief from violence.  If we truly prayed for our government, I genuinely believe we’d see relief from all of the division.  As Paul said to Timothy, we’d live a peaceable life in godliness and reverence if we prayed just as Christ instructed us to pray (1 Tim. 2:2).  

Peace Through Understanding God’s Will

I feel like this teaching is directed to us today, especially to those who dare not pray for those who aren’t in the same bubble as they are.   The child of God ought not to carry themselves in the same manner as the scribes and Pharisees.  

In Matthew 23, Jesus warned believers not to do as the scribes and Pharisees, those who were hypocrites.  Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for binding heavy burdens onto the shoulders of others while not moving to help them.  The scribes and Pharisees would minister the Mosaic Law but not follow the Law.  

Jesus shared an example about how they moved when He told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 19:9-14).  The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, I believe, was based on a true story.  In the parable, the Pharisee stood and glorified himself in a prayer while talking down on a tax collector.  The parable teaches the need for one to be humble and have humility.

In 1 Timothy 2:3-4, Paul speaks to us believers having such humility in our lives.  If we have such humility in our lives in how we treat others, we will carry that same humility in our prayer life.  

I believe that every believer must know and understand what God desires.  Paul wrote that God desires for all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.  In John 6:39-40, Jesus expressed that the will of the Father is that everyone who receives and believes in Him will be raised up at the last day.

When Jesus commissioned those who follow His way, He tasked us to teach all people to observe (to keep) all things that He commanded us to keep (Matt. 28:20).  The task of the believer, one must understand, is a task that is of the same love God had when He sent the world His only begotten Son.  

So, the sincere believer must consider, did Jesus pick and choose who He would and would not pray for?  Did Jesus pick and choose who He would and would not help?  Jesus prayed for everybody.  Jesus helped everyone.

When you begin to think to yourself that you’re not going to pray or help a person because they are a sinner, you ought to remember what Christ has done for you.  All of us were sinners, and still are sinners, except we are justified through our faith.  Helping others and praying for others, even if they may do things you disagree with, is acceptable in the sight of God.

Prayer, we must understand, makes for peace.  The reason why prayer makes for peace is because our prayers go directly to the Most High.  God is able, and we must believe that He is able.

Fight With Confidence

With that in mind, Paul told Timothy that he desired for men everywhere to pray and to do so without wrath and without doubting (1 Tim. 2:8).  As James pointed out, doubting God shows a lack of faith.  The one who prays while doubting ought not think he will receive anything from the Lord (Jas. 1:6-7).

Confidence and doubt is another subject that I don’t believe we speak about enough in our faith.  I have found that believers are quicker to doubt than those without faith at all.  Something you must understand is that when you doubt whether this thing will or won’t happen for you, you are doubting the Lord. 

Why are we so quick to doubt God and what He will do for us?  Don’t you believe God is able?  Don’t you believe that God is almighty?  

We must learn to move the notions of our own abilities away from God.  God’s ways are higher than ours.  God is almighty.  While we may be incapable, God is more than able.  So, we must learn to set aside doubt within ourselves, and completely trust in the Lord.

This whole thought began with Paul’s desire to encourage Timothy to fight the good fight.  In order for one to fight and win, they must be confident that they will win.  If one enters a fight or a competition, believing they will lose, they are already defeated.  Should we follow the instructions of Christ, further encouraged by Paul, we will do fine in this fight, and we will win.