Strategic Prayer for the Battle
I keep in pretty close touch with the pastors who participate in our LEAD Teams across our district. During our meetings, I get a "fly over" view of the joys, stresses, crises, and breakthroughs experienced by our pastors, church planters and their congregations. Ministry is an intense spiritual war, and our church planters, pastors and church leaders are on the front lines.
Even the Apostle Paul, the greatest church planter of all time, faced amazing challenges of mission. All of our pastors and planters at some point can relate to Paul's description of the stresses of ministry.
"WE ARE PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE BY TROUBLES, BUT WE ARE NOT CRUSHED AND BROKEN. WE ARE PERPLEXED, BUT WE DON'T GIVE UP AND QUIT. WE ARE HUNTED DOWN, BUT GOD NEVER ABANDONS US. WE GET KNOCKED DOWN, BUT WE GET UP AGAIN AND KEEP GOING."
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NLT
Every planter, pastor or leader faces times like these. Exodus 17:8-13 tells the powerful story of Aaron and Hur supporting the upraised arms of their leader, Moses. This was the turning point of victory in Israel's battle against Amalek. Uplifted arms often portray intense intercessory prayer in the Old Testament. I believe our planters, pastors and leaders need intense intercessory prayer from us to achieve victory in our mission.
Here are some strategic ways you can pray for our church planters and your pastor:
- Pray that his CHARACTER will be more like Jesus. His character will define his ministry or can destroy it. Titus 1
- Pray for a strong devotional RELATIONSHIP with Christ. He can be tempted to get so busy with "doing ministry" that he neglects his own spiritual health. John 15
- Pray for BOLDNESS in teaching and sharing the gospel. Ministry will consistently push him outside his comfort zone! Ephesians 6:19-20
- Pray for SUPERNATURAL strength for spiritual battle. He will be quickly overcome if he's working in his own strength and effort. Ephesians 6:10ff
- Pray for more ministry PARTNERS to join him. He wasn't designed to do ministry alone and must recruit and equip others to partner with him. Luke 10:2
Thanks for your prayers and your partnership!
Paul Root
Associate Minister of Church Planting
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