Pray for Your Pastor

We want to lift our voices and pray for our pastor and the lead team. We really want yo pray with a passion and Holy fear for our pastor and his handlers and helpers.

[1 Thessalonians 5:25 KJV] “Brethren, pray for us”.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the churches in Thessalonica, Colosse, and Ephesus; and in all those churches he asked for prayer. He asked the church to pray for them. In his words, he said pray for us. Who are us? He was referring to himself and the people around him. He asked for certain specific prayers and I have no doubt that these are important issues to bring before God on behalf of the pastor you love so much; if you do.

We must commit ourselves to pray for the pastor because;

1. There is so much he goes through for us and on our behalf:

Have you heard the saying “Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter?” If for no reason at all, that is the main reason we should all decide to spend hours upon hour praying for our pastor. The pastor is our shepherd, an under-shepherd; the pastor is the gatekeeper; the pastor is the angel of the church. Whenever the devil needs access to the church, the first person he tries to attack and weary is the pastor.

[Matthew 26:31 KJV] “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad”.

Most pastors are bruised, hurt, broken, discouraged, and offended. Yet, they overlook their hurt and drown their pain and still come to serve and minister. This why we must bear pastor up in prayer.

2. Remember that apart from the fact that the devil is on the pastor’s case and after his soul and anointing, the church also wearies him unknowingly:

Sometimes, we make pastoring us a pain to our pastor. This is one truth most pastors won’t tell. Your poor choices and carnal decisions grieve my heart deeply most of the times. Many of us disrespect our pastors so much that it hurts to pastor us.

[Hebrews 13:17 KJV] “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you”.

3. The pastor faces so much, but you will never know because he does not talk about it:

The forsaking, the betrayals, the misrepresentations, and labelling, and stress. But let us see what Apostle Paul said about his own life and ministry.

Read this!

[2 Corinthians 1:3-11 KJV] “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; [4] Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. “

[5] “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. [6] And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. [7] And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.“

[8] “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: [9] But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: [10] Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us ; [11] Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.”

4. The final reason I want to talk about is the burden of the churches:

What we most often forget is that the pastor bears the burden of the churches. Funerals, outdooring, counsellings, the bills, and many more. Listen, your offerings, tithes and seeds really help, but it is not always about money. Even though it is even not enough most of the times. What we overlook is the emotional drain on the pastor and his family.

[2 Corinthians 11:28 KJV] “Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

Let us pray that God will help the pastor to:

1. Live an honest and honourable life; life above reproach:

There are times when the pastor is willing and ready to live an honest life above reproach and in good conscience but he lacks that strength and ability to do so. The spirit may be willing but the flesh may be weak. We want to lift up prayer and bear our pastor up in prayer.

[Hebrews 13:18 KJV] “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly”.

2. Speak and make the mystery of Christ as manifest as possible:

I will tell you the truth that some times, it is so hard to preach about freedom when you are in bonds yourself. It is so hard to preach about righteousness when you are perceived as a criminal. Apostle Paul was in prison as a criminal, and he had to speak about righteousness to others? Think about it!

Read this:

[Colossians 4:2‭-‬4 KJV] “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

You must also understand that it is also difficult to win in spiritual warfare when you pastor cannot speak the truth by divine utterances. There are utterances and there are utterances.

[Ephesians 6:108-‬20 KJV] “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak”.

3. Escape unreasonable and wicked men that the word of God will have a free course and be glorified:

2 Thessalonians 3:1‭-‬3 KJVFinally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

4. Breakthrough every satanic hindrances put in the pastor’s path to ninder missions:

There are many barriers that the devil puts up and uses to stop us. We must pray for those barriers to break down

[1 Thessalonians 2:18 KJV] “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.”

5. To master all the cares, pains and disappointments that the pastor sees

Beloved! I believe with all of my heart that we can advance the kingdom when we pray for our pastor.

Stay blessed, I love you.

Pastor Noah Simpe