Pastors Need Prayer, Too!

Pastors Need Prayer, Too!


Pastor’s Study

April 18, 2009

…holding forth the word of life (Philippians 2:16a)

We expect our pastors to take prayerful interest in our problems and needs. Rightly so! Consequently, the pastor often carries a prayer burden for almost every family and individual in his congregation. But who prays for his needs? He is human too, and he needs our prayers. What a blessing when someone says to him in private, “Pastor, you always have a place in my prayers and I’ll be glad to pray for any special needs.”


A delegation of American pastors asked Charles Spurgeon the secret for his success. In response, Spurgeon led them to the lower level of his meeting house and quietly opened the door. The visitors saw over 400 people praying for God’s blessing and power to rest upon their pastor as he preached the Word of God. “There, gentlemen,” said Spurgeon, “is the secret for my success.”


The Apostle Paul, a man of deep prayer, begged the church to pray for him. His ardent request was, “I beseech you brethren . . . that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me”(Romans 15:30; Ephesians 6:18-20; II Corinthians 1:8-12).


No matter how well you pay your pastor, praise him, or work with him, it is only through earnest, strategic prayer that you can ever really help him be an effective minister in the hands of Almighty God.


Do not be overwhelmed by the number of suggested areas for prayer listed in this pamphlet; rather, let the Holy Spirit lead you in making selections as you pray daily for your pastor and watch God work.


Personal Needs
Humility
Pray that your pastor will keep a teachable spirit . . . that he will have the grace to receive criticism and profit by it . . . that he will have a servant’s heart . . . that he will cultivate true humility in his walk, depending on God, not upon his education or personality . . . that he will learn from both his success and his failures and give God the glory in all things.



Stability
Since we live in this carnal world with all its open and hidden pressures, pray that your pastor will keep his eyes on the Lord and serve with singleness of heart and will not become conceited over success or depressed by failure.



Health
Pray for your pastor’s health . . . that he will learn God’s lessons from any sickness . . . that his health will be restored in God’s good time . . . that he will maintain a balanced exercise and recreation program. Intercede, too, for safety as he travels.



Self Discipline
Since the pastor must prioritize and guard his time, be self-disciplined, and learn to say no, pray that the Holy Spirit will make him sensitive in these matters . . . that he will know God’s will in dealing with role conflicts and stress which could lead to burnout.



Joy
Pray that your pastor will find real joy in his ministry notwithstanding spiritual struggles and problems (John 16:24; 17:13).



Relationships
Pray that your pastor will know how to deal with his own frustrations, with the lack of gifts in certain areas, with difficult people . . . that Christlike love will be shown in all interpersonal relationships . . . and that he will experience the love and support of his congregation.



Family Relationships
Pray that husband and wife will be devoted to each other and to their children and that they will nurture their children in the Lord.



Pressures
Pointed prayer is needed as your pastor and his family face daily temptation, times of stress, peer pressures, and Satanic attacks because they are special targets of the enemy. On the other hand, pray that the church leaders will recognize the personal, spiritual, physical, material and social needs of the pastor and his family so that they may not need to become overly preoccupied with the affairs of this life (I Timothy 5:17-18; II Timothy 2:3-4).



Spiritual Needs

Spiritual Freshness
Pray that your pastor will “walk in the light” with Jesus daily and will have the power of the Spirit in all phases of his life and ministry.



Prayer
Pray that your pastor will understand the absolute necessity for prayer and that he will prioritize his prayer life despite his very busy schedule.



Integrity
Pray that he will resist moral temptation in line with who he is and Whom he serves – the Holy God . . . that his words, his actions and especially his thought-life will set a godly example and not pave the way for him and others to fall into immorality.



Spiritual Warfare
Above all, pray that your pastor will appropriate the full armor of God as outlined in Ephesians 6:10-18, being constantly aware of Satan’s strategy at all times. Pastors are subject to the three-fold Satanic temptation of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, just as everyone else (I John 2:16). Pray that the pastor will continually realize that victory comes only through Christ.



Accountability
Pray that he will develop a circle of church leaders to whom he is accountable… that he will cultivate the friendship of at least one godly man (in or out of his congregation) to whom he will be especially open and spiritually accountable in all areas of his life and ministry… that he will be keenly aware of the effects of his actions on the testimony of our Lord, on the church at large, on his own church leaders and members, as well as on his family and himself and, above all, aware of his accountability to God.



Pulpit Preparation
Since the Word of God and the Spirit of God do the lasting work in the church, pray that your pastor will give proper priority to the study of the Word and to prayer. Study in sermon preparation must not be a substitute for personal communion with God, nor for a time of private worship. Pray that his message will reflect the leading of the Holy Spirit . . . that the pastor will give a balanced presentation of the Scriptures and not go off on tangents . . . that he will present missions and evangelism as emphasized in the Scriptures. Pray that he will speak the truth in love; that the church will be convicted by the Holy Spirit and become more like Jesus.



Christ-Centered and Christ-Exalting Preaching
Pray that the pastor’s preaching will be Christ-centered and Christ-exalting to edify the congregation and increase their love for the Savior and devotion to him . . . that he will help them develop a life of worship.



Fruitful Relationships
Pray that in all his relationships with church leaders and members he will be open, flexible, understanding, and forgiving . . . that he will learn to be patient . . . and that he will make himself available to his people. Pray he will truly have a heart of compassion and be a good listener, balancing tenderness with wisdom, and love with firmness when needful.



Mobilization
Also, pray that your pastor will keep in touch with people’s needs and learn how to develop both the quick-growers and the slow-growers . . . that he will be an equipper of his people, and be a motivator and trainer of disciples . . . that he will be absolutely committed to mobilizing the gifts of the body.



Discernment
Pray for your pastor to have discernment in all areas including these: (1) how to apply the Word of God to specific situations, (2) how to present biblical truth so that it will be understood and put into practice, and (3) how to rightly assess and use the abilities and gifts of others. In view of the excessive demands on his time, pray that he will have discernment as to what God wants him to do and how God wants it done.



Counseling
Pray that your pastor will counsel in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit from the Word of God.



A Further Suggestion
As you pray for your pastor, you will discover that your hearts are knit together in a common purpose. You will understand that he, like Elijah, is “a man, just like us” yet he is the man who has been appointed by the Holy Spirit as your pastor (Acts 20:28). Don’t pray “at him,” but for him, and as you do, you will experience the marvelous way in which the Holy Spirit will bring to your mind special needs about which you should pray.



Finally, should you experience frustration in praying for your pastor, study and use the prayers of the Apostle Paul; they give much fuel for prayer. Please note Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:14-21; Philippians 1:9-11; II Thessalonians 1:11-12; II Corinthians 1:9-11; and Colossians 1:9-12.


Prepared, after consultation with some of God’s choice servants, by Rev. Will Bruce, Overseas Missionary Fellow (Founded as the China Inland Missions by Hudson Taylor in 1865).



No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 3:11).