Read 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5.

1. Why does Paul ask his readers to pray for the rapid spread and honour of the Lord’s message (v.1)? How does this deepen your understanding of evangelism?

2. According to 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10, how did the Thessalonians first receive the gospel?

3. How might 2 Thessalonians 3:1 shape your prayers? How often do you pray for the ongoing work of evangelism and mission?

   
   a. What do you pray for our link missionaries—for personal needs, gospel growth or other things?
   

4. What tension is evident in 3:2-3? How might we understand this?
   

5. How conscious ought we to be of the wiles of the evil one (v.3) and how often should we pray against them?
   

6. Paul frequently points back to what he is confident about. What does he list in 3:3-5? 
   

7. In 3:4, what do you understand Paul to be saying?
   

8. How does obedience increase our faith, love and hope? 
   

9. What does Paul expect to see if his prayer is answered (v.5)? In which of these areas do you need specific prayer?
   

10. Paul always returns to prayer and most often he is concerned about our prayers for one another. What happens when we pray for fellow believers?
    

    a. What happens when we pray for the people we disagree with or those we simply dislike?