32 that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you. 33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Verse 32 is the third specific prayer request by Paul.
15:32
that
The third purpose of the Roman church praying for Paul was that he would come to Rome with a sense of joy for what God did in Jerusalem.
I may come to you with joy
If the two requests for prayer in the previous verse were answered, then Paul could come to Rome with joy by the will of God. God did not answer this prayer the way he anticipated. Paul experienced tumult in Jerusalem, two years of imprisonment in Caesarea, plus a harrowing journey by ship to Rome.
Circumstances were not what brought Paul joy. Through those chaotic events he still had the joy of the Lord because he knew God was sovereign over all these situations. God often answers prayers in a way we do not expect.
by the will of God,
Prayer for Paul was by God’s permissive will. God will through His providence do certain things in answer to prayer and others He might not. Paul’s itinerary was completely subject to the will of God.
and may be refreshed together with you.
Refreshment of the Romans and Paul stems from fellowship together. The word “refreshed” comes from two words: to refresh and together with. This is not leisure but refreshment in what God has done. There is a time when Christians should rest in the work of God.
15:33
Now the God of peace be with you all.
Previously Paul gave God the title of “the God of hope” (Ro 15:13) and now he called God “the God of peace.” God is the source and giver of peace to the individual soul and among the saints. He can reconcile any issue, whether it is within or without.
Amen.
“Amen” asserts a desire that the prayer would be realized.
PRINCIPLE:
We offer prayer under submission to the will of God.
APPLICATION:
We should offer our prayers with the willingness for God not to answer them the way we want them to be answered. At time God will answer prayer completely outside of our expectations.
1 Jn 5:14-15, 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
