Praying for Pastors
Have you ever thought you would like to pray for your pastor but you did not know where to start? On the other hand, maybe you even dismissed the idea thinking your pastor seems to have everything together; he probably does not need prayer. Nothing could be further from the truth we need to pray for everyone in the body but most of all for the ones that function in the office of pastor.
If more pastors in the body had people in the congregation that prayed for them instead of gossiping or being critical. God's anointing would fall on us all in such a powerful way those multitudes would come to Jesus. Powerful things begin to happen when God's people pray. That is the very reason it is so hard at times to find time to pray, the devil does not want God's people on their knees in prayer. When you yield your heart to God and begin to pray scripture, your own heart will open to receive more of God.
Let us look at one verse of scripture, to show you how you can pray for your pastor.
11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
1. Pray Always
The first part of verse 11 gives us a clue of when is a good time to pray. I know people who pray in the morning and those who pray at night. Since prayer is talking to God why not attempt to have an attitude of prayer all the time?
2. That God would count you worthy of this calling
Ask God to bless your pastors' ministry so he will have so much success in Gods view that God himself would count him worthy (Success in ministry)
3. The work of faith with power
Ask God to release his ministry in your church and through your pastor in faith and power (Faith and Power to overcome)
4. The name of the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in you, and you in Him
Ask that the Lord Jesus be glorified in everything that is done (Personal and Corporate Holiness)
5. According to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ
Grace literally means the unmerited favor of God, O Lord that you would Grant us all an abundance of Grace.
Our patterns of co-dependency developed from our dysfunctional families become one of the driving forces of deception. Dysfunction teaches us two things. First, it is not safe for us to discuss our problems, and especially not the cause of the problem Secondly it teaches us not to tell anyone about our “family secrets”. The result of holding our pain to ourselves causes us to develop avoidance and escape mechanisms into our ways of thinking to help us deal with our pain. Thus, we fall into a spiral of pain and avoidance until that which we are becomes covered by pain, bitterness and un-forgiveness. Depression and failed relationships cloud what we really are to the point we are not even sure. Let us look at some of the ways that deception stops us from entering into the abundant life, Jesus died for us to have.
1. Hearing but not doing; James 1:22-27
Since Adams' fall a stigma has occurred in man's thinking where he believes with knowledge he can solve his problem, man needs God not knowledge in this area. Therefore, we go on a quest to gain knowledge, thinking that knowledge will bring us to life. Lord let me know what the problem is, Lord tell me what the answer is. We seldom get an answer to those kinds of prayer, because just knowing will not bring lasting healing or relief from pain. Put into practice what you hear, this means we have to hear it preached, hear ourselves repeat it and begin to put it into practice. This is not just something we do to overcome a problem but rather a lifestyle that we choose. James plainly says that if we only hear we have deceived ourselves. I think it is because we choose Adams sin, eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil instead of the tree of life. Am I against knowledge no I study the Bible as much as anyone; I read books and love learning. I believe you should learn something new everyday. Knowledge however is not my source; my communion with the Lord leads me to life.
2. If we claim to be without sin; 1 John 1:8
One of the first avoidance mechanisms that we build into our thinking is denial. If we as children our caregivers did not allow us to properly deal with our pain, we deny its existence. Our inner man formed by God cries out for closure and restitution of wrongs. Think about this for just a moment, if someone you trust steals a lot of money from you, you can word through it by forgiveness, fight thoughts of revenge and struggle with the issue until you get the matter under the Blood of Jesus. However if that person who stole from you, comes to your house with twice the amount he stole with a broken and contrite spirit of repentance, the issue is over immediately. The law clearly shows Gods plan to deal with relational sin is restitution. Before I even start down this path, I know you are thinking I am not under law I am under grace. Gods’ laws are just like the laws of nature; gravity exists and still works but the law of aerodynamics overcomes the law of gravity. Gods laws exist to bring protection and life into our existence, not to condemn or oppress us. In Deuteronomy, the law clearly lays out the plan for restitution concerning the theft and the killing of livestock. If someone stole your sheep, he by law had to restore sometimes seven times what he stole. To kill another’s sheep called for restoration of that sheep. However if the sheep was killed on purpose it had to be restored with seven sheep. I hope you see these laws are not about sheep, but rather relationship restoration. We see in God’s plan not so much that he cares about sheep, but he cares about our interpersonal relationships. Regardless of the reasoning when we choose denial over confession, we deceive ourselves.
3. If we compare ourselves to other people, look down on others, or think we are wise by the world’s standard, 1 Corinthians 3:18, Galatians 6:1-5
We become the most deceived when we compare ourselves with others. If I compare myself with someone else depending upon my viewpoint I could see my strengths, their weaknesses and become filled with pride that I am better than they are. I could take the view of seeing my weaknesses and their strengths and become depressed or angry trying to become them. God has created us all uniquely with a purpose and a plan divinely inspired by the Father. We cannot function in another’s life each person has their own set of strengths and weaknesses. When I compare myself with others or look down on others in essence, I join myself with the original sin of Adam. I say to God, “I don’t trust you; you really don’t know what is best for me.”
If you desire a fulfilled life, find Gods purpose and begin to walk in that purpose. If my calling is, life is to be a door attendant, let me learn to be the best I can be. Why to please God, no when I came to Jesus I pleased God. nothing I do or do not do changes that. I will always be pleasing to God, because of my relationship with Jesus. My relationship with Him is never in jeopardy when Jesus saved me I received his DNA. God adopted me into His family my actions do however determine my communion with God. If I want to “know” God I must come to Him His way, conform my life to His word. Understand He will not conform to my way of thinking. Gods’ word then becomes a tool he uses to change my life, not a storybook or a religious practice or even an arsenal to prove everyone else wrong.
David Bryant, in his book Operation: prayer gives the format for a Concert of Prayer
1. Celebration (15 minutes)
• Praise in hymns and choruses; focus on awakening and mission
• Reports of God's answers to prayers offered up during previous concerts
• Prayers of praise for God's faithfulness, Kingdom and His Son
2. Preparation (20 minutes)
• Welcome to the concert
• Overview: Why we are here
• Biblical perspective on what we are praying toward (spiritual awakening, world evangelization)
• Preview of the format
• Teaming in partners and huddles
3. Dedication (5 Minutes)
• Commitment: To be servants through prayer and to be used in answer to our prayers
• Thanksgiving: For the privilege of united prayer and for those with whom we unite
• Invitation for Christ to lead the concert and to pray through us
4. Seeking for fullness/awakening in the church (30 minutes)
• In partners for personal revival
• In huddles for awakening in our local churches and ministries
• As a whole for awakening in the church worldwide
• Pause to listen to our Father
• Chorus
5. Seeking for fulfillment/mission among the nations (30 minutes)
• In partners for personal ministries
• In huddles for outreach and mission in our city or campus
• As a whole for world evangelization
• Pause to listen to our Father
• Chorus
6. Testimonies: What has God said here? (10 minutes)
• On fullness (awakening)
• On fulfillment (mission)
7. Grand finale (10 minutes)
• Offering ourselves to be answers to our prayers and to live accordingly
• Prayer for God’s empowerment in our lives for ministry
• Prayer for prayer movements locally and worldwide
• Offering praise to the Father, who will answer our concert of prayer in wonderful ways
• Leave to watch and serve “in concert”
Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many;
The New King James Version. 1982 (Daniel 11:32-33). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Graham Kendrick and Steve Hawthorne call prayer walking "praying on-site with insight"
As you, begin to walk in your cities and neighborhoods and silently pray God will begin to reveal to you how you should pray for the area you are walking. Most of the time what the Lord reveals is surprising, His heart is open to the prayers of his people. As you pray and walk, expect the Lord to give you the insight you need to pray.
Prayer at special places:
1. Workplaces
2. Sites of consecrated use
3. overlook points of the city
4. sites of harm or tragedy
5. sites wrongly named or cursed
6. sites of past sin
7. sites of ongoing sin
8. sites of strongholds
9. the gates of the city
10. high places
Scripture Based Prayers
Victory over evil
Thank you, Father that your eyes are on my shepherd, that your ears are attentive to my pastor’s prayers, that your face is against those who plot evil against him! Thank you that in all things you work for the good of Scotty and Teresa, who loves you, through Christ, they are more than conquerors (1 Peter 3:12; Romans 8:28, 37
Workers in the Kingdom
Father we pray for the city of Blountsville it is in desperate need of your presence and life. The harvest is ripe and ready to gather, we pray Lord that you would send laborers into the harvest. Bless Scotty and Teresa with fellow workers in the harvest those ready to establish your kingdom in the city of Blountsville. (Matthew 9 35 – 38)
Kingdom Living
Father I pray for Scotty and Teresa that you would continually bless them with kingdom principles that they would be quick to forgive, full of grace and favor of the Lord. That they would love their enemies, bless the ones who curse them and pray for those who would spitefully use them. The Lord blesses them with giving and open hearts before Him and an Open Heaven over their heads. (Mark 11:25-26 Luke 6: 27-28)
Christ First in their lives
Lord we ask that you would fill Scotty and Teresa with the knowledge of your will and with wisdom and spiritual understanding. That they Lord would walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing you being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Fully strengthened with all might according to your glorious power for all patience and longsuffering with joy giving thanks to the Father who has qualified them to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints. (Colossians 1: 9-18, 2 Thessalonians 1: 1-12)