Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 1st Letter Volume 15

Paul Exhorts Timothy to Pray for All Men Part 2

1 Timothy 2:2-3 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; KJV

Paul continues his exhortation to brother Timothy to pray at all times, for all things, and for all men by being specific about who the prayers were to be made for by writing these words, "For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." (1 Timothy 2:2) (KJV). The Apostle new a little something about being in a leadership or decision making position seeing that he was a high ranking member of the Jewish Sanhedrin before his conversion to following our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ. Paul himself wrote of this fact and reality in his only letter penned to the believers in the Church @ Galatia with these words, "And [you have heard how] I outstripped many of the men of my own generation among the people of my race in [my advancement in study and observance of the laws of] Judaism, so extremely enthusiastic {and} zealous I was for the traditions of my ancestors." (Galatians 1:14) (Amplified Bible). Therefore, with this in mind, Paul knew how much he was filled with pride and arrogance as a Jewish leader believing that he was even superior to the other Jewish people and especially the Gentile people of the world, even considering them to be peasants and barbarians worthy of only what he and the Jewish leaders allowed them to be and to have for their own.

Now Paul is born again of incorruptable seed by the Word of God (1 Peter 1:23) and he looks at those in the positions of power now through eyes coated with differet lenses as they have been washed spiritually in and by the Blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ, so he sees how needful, necessitous (that is, those in power needing spiritual help), and necessary it is for those in power to be constantly prayed for by those then and those of us now who know our Lord Jesus Christ who only can change the mind/soul/inner man of any man just as He did with this man writing this letter Saul of Tarsus now Paul the Apostle (and this man Clifford DeWayne Tate, Sr.) as he proclaimed with these words written in his only letter to the Church @ Galatia, "They were only hearing it said, He who used to persecute us is now proclaiming the very faith he once reviled {and} which he set out to ruin {and} tried with all his might to destroy. And they glorified God [as the Author and Source of what had taken place] in me." (Galatians 1:23-24) (Amplified Bible). Paul knowing what our Lord Jesus Christ had done for him and in him knew that it was only praying for these kings and Jewish rulers that would cause he and all other Christians to go about their lives in quietness, that is, not being harassed or annoyed or troubled simply for being believers in Jesus Christ, also living peaceable, that is, not being disturbed by turmoil or violence against them/us because we love our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul knew that prayer could and would cause God the Holy Spirit to move upon some of these men bringing conviction of their sin and lead some to hear the Gospel of Grace and be saved and changed. When Paul wrote these words of exhortation to brother Timothy Nero was ruler in Rome and he was perhaps one of if not the vilest, volatile, and violent rulers Rome had ever had in power and it would eventually be Nero who would order the execution of the Apostle Paul in Rome by beheading. Here is what Albert Barnes had to say concerning prayers for those in power, "The meaning here is, that while all people should be the subjects of prayer, those should be particularly remembered before the throne of grace who are in authority. The reason is, that so much depends on their character and plans; that the security of life, liberty, and property, depends so much on them. God has power to influence their hearts, and to incline them to what is just and equal; and hence we should pray that a divine influence may descend upon them. The salvation of a king is of itself of no more importance than that of a peasant or a slave; but the welfare of thousands may depend on him, and hence he should be made the special subject of prayer." Surely Christians here in the United States and of course those in Cuba prayed for many decades that God the Father would remove Castro from power, but year after year it seemed that God had not heard these prayers, but He does not see time as we see time, but He moves according to His eternal agenda.

The cruel leaders like Castro, Saadam Houesain, Nero, etc. will all have their times come to an end, but even if we do not see that time come, we are still called to pray for them, so that those of us who belong to our Lord Jesus Christ may do His will for His glory, for this is exactly the concept Paul writes here to brother Timothy with these words, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;" (1 Timothy 2:3) (KJV). The 'this' Paul writes here is that we pray for all men, even the most dispicable of men, those in authority and power and those not, hence all men. It is in agreement with the eternal plan of God our Savior Jesus Christ that we pray for all people, even those who hate us, for it is His will that any sinner who turns to Him will be saved as it is written, "Because if you acknowledge {and} confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) (Amplified Bible).

"Praying for the salvation of men who hate you and want to do you harm is not something that is easy, but this is what God the Holy Spirit impressed upon the Apostle Paul to exhort Timothy in doing. The idea of seeking the good of those who seek evil against you requires Holy Spirit intervention, for the old man wants to see them destroyed, but the new man knows that prayer can cause God the Father to move and bring conviction to that person or persons soul. Also prayer for evil men or women in positions of power can and will cause our Heavenly Father to keep them from causing harm to us His children and allow us to freely accomplish His will in our lives of pilgrimage here on the earth in whatever corner of this earth we reside, just as the Prophet Jeremiah declared with these words, 'And seek (inquire for, require, and request) the peace {and} welfare of the city to which I have caused you to be carried away captive; and pray to the Lord for it, for in the welfare of [the city in which you live] you will have welfare.' (Jeremiah 29:7) (Amplified Bible)." Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…