What Is My Prayer for You?
2 Thessalonians 2:16– 17, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, Who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.”
I pray for God to encourage you in three ways: First, be encouraged in God’s love.
Second, be encouraged in eternal security: 2 Thess. 2:16b, “and given us eternal comfort.”
One of the most comforting convictions you can have in these times of uncertainty is the truth of “eternal security.”
“What do you mean by ‘eternal security?’” Theologian Donald McKim explains, “Those who truly believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will never lose their salvation, due to God’s ongoing power and faithfulness.”
Jesus gives one of the strongest arguments for “eternal security” anywhere in Scripture in John 10:27–30 (Wuest NT), “The sheep which are Mine are in the habit of listening to My Voice, and I know them by experience, and they take the same road that I take with Me, and I give to them life eternal. And they shall positively not perish, never [a strong double negative in Greek]. And no one will snatch them by force out of My Hand. My Father Who gave them to Me as a permanent gift is Greater than all. And no one is able to be snatching them by force out of the Hand of My Father. I and the Father are One in essence.”
Be encouraged in eternal security. If you are truly born-again, you can never—under any circumstances whatsoever— lose your salvation in Christ Jesus.
“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body,” Jesus encourages, “they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, Who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28 (NLT).
Revelation 12:11 (TPT) reminds us, “They conquered him [i.e., Satan and his antichrist] completely through the Blood of the Lamb [viz., the Lord Jesus] and the powerful word of [their] testimony. They triumphed because they did not love and cling to their own lives, even when faced with death.”
Third, be encouraged in the hope of Heaven: 2 Thess. 2:16c, “and good hope by grace.”
It’s all because of God’s grace—His unmerited and unearned favor— that God loves us, grants us eternal security, and guarantees the hope of Heaven.
“Hope” in the New Testament is not, “I hope so,” but rather, “I know so.” It’s a confident and favorable expectation. I’m looking forward to Heaven with confident expectation.
How about you? “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness,” assures Jesus, “[don’t miss the certainty] for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in Heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mat. 5:10–12). Be encouraged in hope of Heaven.
“But we are looking forward to the New Heavens and New Earth He has Promised,” declares Peter, “a world filled with God’s Righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13, NLT).
For more information visit: jenkinsmemorialbaptistchurch.
com.
Also, if you do not attend church, we invite you to join us for Bible Study each Sunday morning at 9:30am and worship at 10:45am.
Jessie J. Charpentier is Pastor of Jenkins Memorial Baptist Church in St. Martinville.
