Prayer Helps, Part 1

There is a profound thought expressed in the following verse:

2 Corinthians 1:11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

The profound thought that I refer to is the thought that prayer helps. This verse is part of a larger sentence that begins with verse 8. In this sentence Paul recounts that God had delivered him and Timothy from so great a death, that He was delivering them, and that they trusted that He would yet deliver them. Then Paul wrote the verse we are considering. Trusting that God would yet deliver them, Paul said that the Corinthian believers would also help by prayer for them. Somehow the prayers of these believers would help toward the deliverance of Paul and Timothy.

As Paul traveled among the churches, he was in the process of making a collection for the poor saints at Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-27; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9). As Paul traveled about he encountered many enemies who sought to destroy him. Therefore, he sought the prayers of the churches for deliverance from his enemies so that he might bring the gift that had been bestowed upon him to the saints at Jerusalem. In the following passage Paul requests the prayers of the Roman Christians in regard to this need:

Romans 15:30 ¶Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;

Paul sought their prayers for deliverance so that he could perform to the saints in Jerusalem the service of bringing them the gift that had been collected for them. Paul was confident that the prayers of the churches for him would help bring about this deliverance and that he would indeed minister the gift to the saints in Jerusalem. This service would in turn result in those saints giving thanks to God, thanks for the gift and thanks for the deliverance of Paul and his comrades.

2 Corinthians 9:12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

Now Paul did indeed complete his journey to Jerusalem to bring this gift to the saints. Speaking of his arrival in Jerusalem he said:

Acts 24:17 Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.

God delivered him and his companions and that with the help of the prayers of the other believers.

Now the main thought I want to drive home to you is that prayer helps. It is not difficult to understand how this is so when we remember that our Lord said:

Matthew 7:7 ¶Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

God has appointed prayer as a condition for our receiving blessings from Him. Therefore, if we fail to pray we fail to receive.

James 4:2 … ye have not, because ye ask not.

Since God bestows blessings in response to our prayers and these blessings help, it follows that prayer helps. That prayer helps can also be seen in the following exhortation:

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Are you or someone you love in a time of need? Do you or they need help? Well, there is grace to help in time of need and it is found in coming unto the throne of grace. It will help to pray. We shall have more to write about this another time. For today, would you help me with a prayer?