How to Pray for Your Pastor
Hebrews 13
- 17 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.
- 18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
I Thessalonians 5:25 Brethren, pray for us.
Intro: We have preached a series over the past few weeks on “How to Pray…”
Tonight, we are going to look at how to pray for your pastor.
Last week, we celebrated 7 years as pastor here at Calvary Baptist Church.
We were blessed to have Dr. Bearden preach for us on that special occasion.
If I had preached, I would have preached this message.
Never before have I needed your prayers like I do right now.
Pastor everywhere need prayer because of:
A. The Attacks toward their Character – every preacher isn’t a pedophile or a con-artist
I Corinthians 4
- 13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
- 14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
- 15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
- 16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
B. The Animosity toward their Calling – our call is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable
2 Timothy 1
- 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
- 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
- 9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
C. The Apathy toward their Care – the care of the church is a thankless job many times
- 2 Corinthians 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
- 1 Timothy 3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
D. The Aversion toward their Counsel
Isaiah 30
- 9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
- 10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Pray for your pastor so they will be able to:
I. Discern the Will of God
God communicates His will for the church to the pastor.
God will communicate His will for you on a personal level through the Scripture and the Holy Spirit.
The pastor can help you discern God’s will for your life, but that is not exclusively his place.
The priesthood of the believer is a Bible doctrine.
However, God’s will for the church as a group will be conveyed to the pastor.
He needs prayer discerning God’s will for the church.
Building programs, ministry changes, managing the assets and finances, all major decisions…
Staffing, leadership personnel, dealing with people and problems…
That is the daily struggle of the pastor.
II. Declare the Word of God
- 2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
The greatest work of the pastor is the preaching and teaching of God’s word.
We need prayer to rightly divide the word of truth.
Paul renounced dishonesty, craftiness and handling the word of God deceitfully.
2 Corinthians 4
- 1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
- 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
Paul desired to preach the truth more than he wanted to be loved.
Galatians 4
- 13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
- 14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
- 15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
- 16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
Paul asked prayer for boldness to preach.
Ephesians 6
- 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
- 19 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,
- 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
III. Display the Ways of God
- Hebrews 13:18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
There is a constant weight on the shoulders of the pastor and his family to set an example.
We are commanded to do that.
- 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
People are constantly watching.
They see and hear everything.
The pressure to set the spiritual temperature and to hold up the standards never end.
My family must follow me or I am disqualified.
My wife and children must follow me, or I can’t be your pastor.
- I Timothy 3:4, 5 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
IV. Direct the Work of God
- Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
OVERSEER: a man charged with the duty of seeing that things to be done by others are done rightly, any curator, guardian or superintendent
The pastor is the one that will stand before God and give an account of the church.
- Hebrews 13:17 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.
The stewardship of the pastor will one day be judged by God.
Pray that we direct and oversee the work of God correctly.