Paul feared that the persecutions and affliction at Thessalonica would be an occasion for the tempter to come and lead the persecuted away from their faith in Jesus as God’s promised Messiah. “For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith; I was afraid that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor had been in vain” 1 Thessalonians 3:5 (NRSV). Pray for Christians around the world who are being persecuted beyond what we can imagine. We are almost oblivious to this great persecution. The forces of darkness are bent on their apostasy. Pray for them as you would want to be prayed for if you were in their sandals.
