11 To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12
We don’t often pray strategically and specifically. Our prayers are offered in an unintentionally cynical way, because we really are not aware of how powerful, capable, and willing God is to respond to high priority issues in the lives of his people and his church. Let’s say, for example, we pray specifically that every person will be driven by his Spirit to deeply study the word every waking moment and to implement its principles at every turn. We might think this is unrealistic and unattainable in everyday life, but it is his goal for everyone!
This is where Paul was in his desire for the body of believers in Thessalonica. He prayed that God would do the work necessary in each and every heart so that “the name of the Lord Jesus” would be glorified, Him in them and them in Him. That in every way they’d be his goodness personified, that their every desire to represent his goodness born of his Spirit would be facilitated and fulfilled. That they’d powerfully (dumamei, I.e, to possess the necessary power to) implement bold acts of faith in his name. That his grace would be experienced in fullest measure. In other words, that they’d live up to, or rather live out their particular “calling” in life, which is here, by the word choice, kleseos, heavenly in origin and bestowed at rebirth.
26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them. John 17:26
So what Paul was praying went miles further than “bless the missionaries” and “be with” him or her. Let’s radically revolutionize our prayer life! Me included. Let’s start asking for things as if we are the God who could do them single-handedly, because we are indeed his foot soldiers, hopefully with Spirit-filled perceptive eyes of faith, and objectives that match his.
If we are indeed his infantry, we desperately need air support to take that hill! Praying is like providing God the coordinates of our position below so that he might hit the target from above. Yes, he sees the pocket of resistance himself quite clearly, but he’d rather us participate in the battle!
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