Romans, Reasoned Revelation of Redemption

Praying Like Paul

Romans 1:8-13

SCRIPTURE READING: Romans 1:8-13

Prayer

INTRO
Paul has long been known for his prayer life.
Song: “There Is A Balm in Gilead”
Verse 2:
If you cannot preach like Peter,
If you cannot pray like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus
And say, "He died for all."
Many times, the Scriptures gives us insight into the prayers of Paul.
His praying is an example to us of how we ought to pray.

I. His Priority (vs. 8)

Thankfulness
A. The Order
“first” – here a word of priority more than of time.
Note: you cannot find any “second” or “third”
“most importantly…”
As we begin the new year, is your prayer life a priority?
Is thankfulness a priority in your prayers?
B. The Object
“my God” – He did not thank the Roman Christians; He thanked God!
“through Jesus Christ” – He is the only way we can have access to God and
communicate with God.
1. Their Faith – “your faith”
We often thank God for material possessions or physical safety.
Paul thanked God for the faith of the Roman believers!
“you all” (ya’ll) (KJV translators must have been in SOUTHERN
England.)
Some Roman believers had strong faith, some were new
Christians, but Paul thanked God for the faith of each one!

Some encouraged him; some disappointed him!

But he thanked God for all of them!

He didn’t think,
“Well, I’m not very thankful for that guy; he’s just a Sunday-
morning-only Christian.”
“That guy has a lot of worldly habits still; I’m not very thankful for

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 him.”
NO! He thanked God for ALL of the believers in the church at
Rome.
Paul may have had some negative things to say to them, but he started
with the positive!
2. Their Testimony
“spoken of throughout the whole world.”
Rome was kind of like the New York City of our day.
In the midst of abounding wickedness, the believers of the church at
Rome stood firm in holiness and spirituality.
What if whenever someone visited NYC, they came away talking about
the faith of the Christians in the Bible-believing churches there?
What if someone visited us in southern Sarasota County or Charlotte
County, and came away talking about the faith of the Christians
at Bethel Baptist Church?

Paul was thankful for their Godly testimony, known throughout the
world!
They were like “a city that is set on an hill” which “cannot be hid.”
(Matthew 5:14)

I. His Priority (vs. 8)

Thankfulness
II. His Prayer (vs. 9-13)
Paul’s praying involved…
A. Intercession (vs. 9,10a)
“God is my witness” – apparently, even back then, people would say,
“Praying for you…” but not doing it or meaning it.
“without ceasing” – he wouldn’t give up
“mention” = “remembrance”… “Always”!
“making request” – indicates specific intercession for specific needs

Paul didn’t just talk about praying for people…

He actually prayed for them!

B. Involvement (vs. 9)
“serve” is also translated “worship” at times when group worship is indicated.
Acts 24:14; Phil. 3:3; (also Heb. 10:2)
Acts 24:14
14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so
worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written
in the law and in the prophets:

Phil. 3:3
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in
Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

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 We sometimes emphasize the difference between worship and service using
Mary and Martha.
We also should emphasize the connection between worship and service.

1. We cannot truly serve without worship.

Service must be acceptable.
Rom. 12:1 – “service” is same root word
Acceptable service is humble, prayerful, obedient… worshipful!
Acceptable worship and service is not for what I can “get out of it,” but
for what I can offer in praise to God.
1. We cannot truly serve without worship.
2. We cannot truly worship without service.
In the same way that we prepare for service, we should also prepare for
worship. (cf. teaching a SS class)
Worship must be active.
Singing, praying, giving, responding to the Word
Are you active in each of these?
Heb. 13:15
15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

“with my spirit”
Worship – Does not mean with my mind in neutral!
Mark 12:30
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the
first commandment.

So…
In worship, we should be consciously serving.
AND
In serving, we should be consciously worshiping.

Prayer for such involvement was in important factor in Paul’s prayer life.

Paul’s praying involved…

A. Intercession (vs. 9,10a)
B. Involvement (vs. 9)
C. Impartation (vs. 10b, 11)
Paul looked for the ways in which the Lord wanted him to “add feet to his
prayers.”
1. By a Giving Visit
Paul was not trying to visit Rome for sightseeing!
The Forum, The Colosseum, the chariot races
To Paul, a prosperous journey was a giving journey, not a receiving
journey!
He prayed for such a visit to take place!

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 Have some special seasons of prayer before you have a visit with
someone (relative, church brother or sister, unsaved person).

2. By a Loving Visit
“long to see you”
I Thess. 2:8
8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have
imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own
souls, because ye were dear unto us.

“You can’t go wrong by loving somebody.”

3. By a Gifted Visit
a. Spiritual gifts edify.
Paul likely had a number of spiritual gifts:
apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor/teacher
exhortation, ministry, help
Romans 12:6-8 – they already HAD spiritual gifts (imparted at
salvation)
Paul wanted to see his spiritual gifts USED in their lives… that
was the “imparting” for which he prayed.

b. Spiritual gifts establish.

It is so important that you allow God to use you and your
spiritual gifts in and through the church.
God will use you to help
individuals be established spiritually.
the local church to be established.
“established” = “stable, strong, constant”

Prayer is key to making our visits into visits that impart the wonderful effect
of spiritual gifts that God intends to take place through the ministry of
the local church.

Paul’s praying involved…

A. Intercession (vs. 9,10a)
B. Involvement (vs. 9)
C. Impartation (vs. 10b, 11)
D. Interaction (vs. 12,13)
1. The Basis of Faith
“mutual faith”
We can meet someone from halfway around the world and say, “I
believe this.”
They respond, “I do too.”
Why?
We have the same Bible, the same Savior, and the same Holy Spirit,
indwelling and illuminating the Word.

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 The mutual faith!

a. For Salvation
Luke 1:1-4
1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a
declaration of those things which are most surely believed
among us,
2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning
were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of
all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order,
most excellent Theophilus,
4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein
thou hast been instructed.

b. For Sanctification
II Peter 1:1
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them
that have obtained like precious faith with us through the
righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

c. For Separation
Jude 3
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the
common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you,
and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the
faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

2. The Blessings of Fellowship

a. For Comfort (vs. 12a)
b. For Faith (vs. 12b)
c. For Knowledge (vs. 13a)
d. For Fruit (vs. 13b)
Paul’s constant yearning was for fruit for God in the salvation of
souls.
“In the degree that this yearning after fruit prevails, is the servant
of God successful.” – William Newell, Romans Verse By
Verse, Moody Press, 1972, p. 14.
John Welch became so burdened for the fruit of souls in his
country that he famously prayed, “Give me Scotland or I
die!”
Paul prayed for fruit!

3. The Back and Forth

Not only would Paul be a blessing to them…
But also they would be a blessing to Paul!

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 And he prayed fervently for that interaction!
One of the great blessings of being a part of God’s local church!

CONCLUSION
As we enter the new year, why not allow the Lord to renew your prayer life.
“Lord, I may not preach like Peter, but would you enable me to pray like Paul?”
Making prayer a priority.
Making the giving of thanks to God in prayer a priority.
Making specific intercession for others a priority.
Then…
Praying for
involvement – in worship AND in service
impartation – the use of my spiritual gifts in and through the
local church
interaction – helping one another grow in the mutual faith.