Mensa Otabil - Pray For All
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Welcome to a brand new week. This week, we’re going to the New Testament, and we’ll be looking at First Timothy chapter 2. We’ve already done First Timothy chapter 1 earlier, and we’ll be focusing on prayer. The whole teaching will be on prayer because that is what First Timothy chapter 2 focuses on, and we will do a verse-by-verse study of First Timothy chapter 2. We start with verses 1 and 2: «Therefore I exhort, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness.» As you can see, there are two verses here, but I will focus on verse 1, and tomorrow I will focus on verse 2.
This is Paul talking to Timothy, who was the pastor of the church in Ephesus, teaching him how to run the church. He discusses prayer and gives us some priorities regarding prayer and what to do in prayer. First of all, you will notice that he talks about supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks. They all seem similar at first glance, but they highlight the differences in the kinds of prayer we should practice.The first is supplication. Supplication is essentially making a request to God for a specific need.
For example, you may say, «Lord, help me with my marriage.» That is a supplication; you are asking God for a specific need. Then he discusses prayer, which, in this context, refers to the general way in which we communicate with God. We speak to Him, and He also speaks back to us. The third type he mentions is intercession, which involves coming before God on behalf of others. Intercession is not for yourself; it is the kind of prayer you pray for other people. Finally, he talks about thanksgiving, which is expressing gratitude to God for what He has done.
Prayer has different forms; it can be supplication, intercession, or thanksgiving. That’s how Paul opens the discussion. He then states a few things about our approach to prayer, emphasizing that prayer must be a priority. He says, «Therefore I exhort, first of all.»
«First of all» means this is your priority: prayer must be a priority. It is something we must practice consistently. We don’t just pray when we are in crisis or dilemma; we pray as a first action in life. It doesn’t necessarily require a specific posture, although sometimes that may be necessary. You don’t have to be on your knees or clasp your hands. You can simply breathe a word of gratitude to God or send a supplication to Him at any moment in your life, but it must be a priority. So, first of all, we must pray.
Then he says we must pray for all men, meaning our prayers must have an intercessory component. When you pray for all men, you are not only praying for your personal needs but also considering the needs of others. It’s essential to remember that God does not want us to approach Him with a «me, me, me» mindset. We also need to be mindful of other people. In fact, the more you pray for others, the more God takes care of your own needs. If you focus solely on yourself, you may find fewer answers to your prayers.
If you see the pattern, praying for all men highlights the importance of intercessory prayer. Prayer must express concern for others. Anytime we come in prayer, we should have all men in mind. Why does he say «all men»? It includes all people groups and human beings from different places, races, nationalities, and social standings. When you pray for all men, you’re not just praying for family and friends or church members; you’re praying for the whole world. Pray for people in China, Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Nigeria.
Let your prayers expand beyond your personal needs. This is the first lesson we learn about prayer: supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks must be made for all men. Tomorrow, we will look at the second verse.
Let us pray. Say with me: «Heavenly Father, I pray for all the people of the earth. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus' name, amen.»
Well, I’ll catch you again tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.