2 Peter 2 - Praying God's Word

Please read 2 Peter 2.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2pe/2/1/s_1158001

Meditate on verse 19b.

By what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

Think about your life; what overcomes and overwhelms you? Peter warned the readers of his letter not to be overcome by: false teachers, heresy, sensuality, greed, unprincipled men, lawlessness, temptation, corruption, self-will, adultery, unrighteousness, sin, arrogance, vanity, and fleshly desires (vs. 1-3, 7-10, 14-15, 18). If you are overcome by any of those things, you are actually a slave to them.

Ask the LORD to free you from any ungodly person or thing that is overwhelming you. Repent and submit yourself to Christ as His bond- slave, being completely overcome by Him.

Pray 2 Peter 2:19-20 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, do not let __________ and me be

slaves of corruption.  Let us only be enslaved by being

overcome by You.  Let us escape the defilements

of the world by the knowledge of You, our

 LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.  Do not let us again

 be entangled and overcome by the world’s defilements. 

Keep us for the sake of Your name, LORD Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

2 Peter 1 - Praying God's Word

Please read 2 Peter 1.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2pe/1/1/s_1157001

Meditate on verse 10.

Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent

to make certain about His calling and choosing you,

 for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble.

This chapter contains a list of eight Godly characteristics for you to practice (vs. 5-7):

·      Faith

·      Moral excellence

·      Knowledge

·      Self-control

·      Perseverance

·      Godliness

·      Brotherly kindness

·      Love

Believers are commanded to be diligent and increase in all eight areas in order to be useful and fruitful in the rich, intimate knowledge of the LORD Jesus Christ (vs. 5, 8).  God warns that lacking in these areas makes one blind and short-sighted; while practicing the eight characteristics keeps a Christian from stumbling (vs. 9-10).   

Memorize this list of eight things, asking the LORD to help you practice and increase in them, being useful and fruitful for the sake of His eternal Kingdom (vs. 8-11).

Pray 2 Peter 1:4-8 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, as partakers of Your divine nature,

may _________ and I apply all diligence to our

faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance,

Godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. 

May these qualities be increasingly ours,

so we will not be useless or unfruitful

in the true knowledge of You. 

In Your name, LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

1 Peter 5 - Praying God's Word

Please read 1 Peter 5.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/1pe/5/1/s_1156001

Meditate on verses 5b-6.

All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,

for God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,

that He may exalt you at the proper time.

Suffering and humility—God really hits on some tough topics in this letter. Here is His command to “clothe yourselves with humility” (v. 5). In order to obey that exhortation, you have to take off your pride and intentionally get dressed in humility. Ouch—that can be a painful process, but the blessed result is no longer living in opposition to God but in His grace instead.

This is another chapter filled with exhortations to heed and pray.  Pray    1 Peter 5:2-12 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, help _________ and me eagerly shepherd the

 flock that You have placed among us.  Let us

 prove to be Godly examples to them.  Chief Shepherd, we

 want to be good shepherds for Your glory.  May we

always clothe ourselves with humility toward one another

 because You are opposed to the proud but give grace to the humble.

 We humble ourselves under Your mighty hand that

You may exalt us at the proper time.  LORD, we cast all our

anxiety on You because You care for us.

 Give us sober spirits and keep us on the alert.

  Do not let the devil devour us!  We resist him, firm in our faith. 

Strengthen us, and our brethren in the world, who

 experience suffering.  God of all grace, You called us to Your

 eternal glory in Christ, and You will perfect, confirm, strengthen,

 and establish us.  Make us stand firm in Your grace.

To You be dominion forever and ever. Amen”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

1 Peter 4 - Praying God's Word

Please read 1 Peter 4.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/1pe/4/1/s_1155001

Meditate on verse 1.

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm

 yourselves also with the same purpose because

 he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.

Suffering can be an avoided sermon topic; however, Jesus promised that not only would He suffer, but His followers would, too (Mark 8:31; John 15:20). Jesus even taught: “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness” (Matthew 5:10). And this letter, written by the Holy Spirit and penned by Peter, says that you are blessed if you are reviled for the name of Jesus “because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you” (v. 14). So, rather than be surprised by suffering, glorify God in it (v. 12). Let suffering bring you to the humble place of dying to sin and self and living for Jesus Christ.

This chapter is filled with exhortations from the LORD for you and those you love. Seek to be obedient to God by praying 1 Peter 4:1-2 and 7-11 as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 “LORD, help _________ and me cease from sin, so

as to live the rest of the time in the flesh for Your will. 

The end of all things is near; therefore, give us sound

judgment and sober spirits for the purpose of prayer.

  Let us keep fervent in our love for one another because

 love covers a multitude of sins.  Help us be hospitable

to one another without complaint.  Help us use our gifts

 to serve one another as good stewards of Your grace.

 Let us speak Your utterances, God.  Let us serve by

the strength You supply, so that in all things You

 may be glorified through Jesus Christ,

to whom belongs the glory and

 dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 -Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

1 Peter 3 - Praying God's Word

Please read 1 Peter 3.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/1pe/3/1/s_1154001

Meditate on 1 Peter 2:13a, 18a; 3:1a and 7.

Submit yourselves for the LORD’s sake to every human institution…

Servants, be submissive to your masters…

In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands…

You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives in an

understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman,

 and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that

 your prayers will not be hindered.

Submission—it is a word that often gets a negative reaction, yet it is part of every facet of the Christian life. God expects every believer to submit to governing authorities, to bosses in the workplace, to His order of authority in the home, and to Him.

God calls both husbands and wives to submission. A husband proves his submission to the LORD by living with his wife in an understanding way, treating her as a “weaker vessel.” In other words, a husband is to be gentle with his wife, as he would be with fine porcelain china, rather than treating her in harsh and boorish ways. A Godly husband submits to a Biblical understanding of his wife’s spiritual equality, acknowledging and respecting her personal relationship with God. When a husband treats his wife in a Godly way, meeting her needs and honoring her requests, then the LORD hears and answers his prayers.

Pray 1 Peter 3:8-9 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, please make __________ and me harmonious, sympathetic,

 brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit.

 Do not let us return evil for evil or insult for insult,

but help us give a blessing instead, for we were called

for that very purpose, that we might inherit a blessing.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

1 Peter 2 - Praying God's Word

Please read 1 Peter 2.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/1pe/2/1/s_1153001

Meditate on verses 9-10.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy

 nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you

 may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called

you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for

you once were not a people, but now you are the

people of God; you had not received mercy, but

 now you have received mercy.

Wow! It is incredible what God brought you out of and where He has placed you! You went from total darkness to being a chosen and called person of God (vs. 9-10). Amazing! Your new position in Christ as holy royalty brings with it the priestly responsibility of proclaiming the excellencies    of the One who mercifully brought you into His marvelous light (v. 9). Humbling!

As you ponder your God-gifted position, heed His exhortations to stop sinning and start growing-up in Christ (vs. 1-2). Like rubbish, cast off all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander (v. 1). Replace the garbage of sin with God’s Word, devouring it like a newborn baby devours life-giving milk, thus growing in your salvation (v. 2).

Pray 1 Peter 2:11-15 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, help ___________ and me to abstain from fleshly

 lusts which wage war against the soul.

  Let us keep our behavior excellent among non-believers,

 so that in the thing in which they slander us as evildoers,

 they may observe our good deeds and glorify You.

 For Your sake, help us submit to every human institution,

whether kings or governors, so we will be praised

 for doing what is right. It is Your will for us to do what is

 right, so we may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 

Help us do what is right.

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

1 Peter 1 - Praying God's Word

Please read 1 Peter 1.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/1pe/1/1/s_1152001

Meditate on verses 1b, d and 2.

To those who…

are chosen according to the

 foreknowledge of God the Father,

by the sanctifying work of the Spirit,

to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: 

May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

This letter is written to you. Ponder the fact that God the Father chose you. He sprinkled you with the blood of Christ and purified you with the Holy Spirit. You can obey the LORD Jesus because the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit predetermined to do all this in you.

As you read this letter, take it very personally and take it to heart. You may even want to mark all the “you’s” in your Bible. God definitely had you on His mind when He had Peter pen His Words.

Pray 1 Peter 1:3-9 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Blessed are You God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ,

who according to Your great mercy have caused ___________ and

me to be born again to a living hope through the

resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain

 an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled

 and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for us, who

are protected by Your power, God, through faith

for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 In this, we greatly rejoice, even though now for a little

while, if necessary, we have been distressed by various

 trials.  LORD, let the proof of our faith

 (being more precious than gold which is perishable,

even though tested by fire) result in praise and glory

 and honor at the revelation of You, Jesus Christ. 

Jesus, though we have not seen You, we love You

and believe in You, and we greatly rejoice with

joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the

 outcome of our faith the salvation of our souls.

Because of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL vol. 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell