Praying For Church Leaders Part 1
40 DAYS PRAYER, FASTING AND WORSHIP FEB 3rd to MARCH 14th, 2021. 2021, A YEAR OF NEW BEGINNING - ISAIAH 43:17-19
Short Exhortation
Today, we will be praying for the Church leaders. We will be praying for all those in the five fold ministries, the Apostles, Pastors, Prophets, Evangelists and the Teachers. Most importantly, we will be praying for the Pastors. It is very important to pray for the shepherds who are taking care and nurturing the sheep. Matthew 26:31 says, “Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ If anything happens to the shepherd it will invariably affect the sheep. When Jesus was arrested all the Apostles hid in fear of arrest. The bold Peter suddenly became timid and denied Jesus three times. We need to constantly pray for the ministry of our Church leaders. They have so much influence on the Church and if they get it right, it will have a positive impact on the Church. In the same vein, if they get it wrong, it will have a negative impact on the Church.
We also need to pray for our Church leaders so that they can be true shepherds. Psalm 23:1-3 says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” This passage enumerates the duties of the Shepherd. A true Shepherd needs to make adequate provision for the sheep, protect the sheep and restore the soul of the sheep. For our Church leaders to constantly be like God who is a true Shepherd, we need to constantly pray for them. The nutrients and the nourishments that the sheep gets depends on where and how their shepherd is leading them. We need to pray for our Church leaders so that they can constantly lead us in the right direction in Jesus’ name.
Bible References:
1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Peter 5:8; Romans 1:11-12; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Isaiah 40:31; 1 Timothy 3:2-6; Ephesians 6:4; 2 Timothy 4:2; Luke 22:31-32; Matthew 26:31; Zechariah 13:7; Numbers 3:4; Matthew 27:3-5; Numbers 20:9-12; 1 Samuel 2:12-17; Psalm 23:1-3
Prayer Points
1. Lord, I thank you for all our Church leaders. Thank you for always giving them the grace to triumph and to spread the fragrance of God’s knowledge everywhere. Father, we thank you for your protection over their family, we thank you for their ministries and thank you for giving them revelation of your Word.
2 Corinthians 2:14
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere”
2. God, we pray for Church leaders that they will compete lawfully. They will not run aimlessly, they will not fight like someone who is beating the air, and they will not miss their prize in Jesus’ name.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
3. Lord, we pray Church leaders that they will be protected and shielded from the attack of the devil in Jesus’ name. Although, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, he will not be able to harm any of our Church leaders in Jesus’ name
1 Peter 5:8
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
4. Lord, we are praying for Church leaders that they will be true shepherds in Jesus’ name. They will not misdirect the flock of God in Jesus’ name
Psalm 23:1-3
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
5. Lord, we pray that you will impart unto our Church leaders some spiritual gifts that will make them strong in Jesus’ name. Father, we pray that you will encourage them in Jesus’ name. We also pray that they will constantly encourage one another in Jesus’ name
Romans 1:11-12
“I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith”
6. Father, we pray that just as your grace was sufficient for Apostle Paul, that same grace will be sufficient for all our Church leaders in Jesus’ name. God, we pray that your power will be made perfect in their weakness in Jesus’ name. We pray that Christ’s power will rest on them in Jesus’ name
2 Corinthians 12:9
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
7. Lord, we are praying that you will renew the strength of all our Church leaders as they constantly wait upon you in Jesus’ name. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary and they will walk and not faint in Jesus’ name.
Isaiah 40:31
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
8. (a) Father, we are praying for Church leaders that they will be above reproach in Jesus’ name. (b) We pray that our Church leaders will be faithful to their wives in Jesus’ name. (c) We pray that our Church leaders will be temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable and able to teach in Jesus’ name. (d) We pray that our Church leaders will not be violent but gentle in Jesus’ name. (e) We pray that our Church leaders will not be quarrelsome or lovers of money in Jesus’ name. We pray that our Church leaders will manage their family well so that they can take care of God’s Church effectively in Jesus’ name
1 Timothy 3:2-6
“Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.”
9. Lord, we are praying for Church leaders that they will not provoke their spiritual children to anger in Jesus’ name. Instead, they will bring them up in discipline and instruction of the Lord in Jesus’ name
Ephesians 6:4
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
10. Father, we are praying for Church leaders that they will preach the Word and be prepared in season and out of season in Jesus’ name. We pray that our Church leaders will correct, rebuke and encourage the Church with great patience and careful instruction in Jesus’ name.
2 Timothy 4:2
“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”
11. Lord, we pray that Satan will not sift our Church Leaders as wheat in Jesus’ name. Lord, you prayed for Peter that his faith may not fail, so we also pray for all our Church leaders that their faith will not fail in Jesus’ name.
Luke 22:31-32
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
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