To Pray for our Spiritual Leaders

 It was late.  Everyone else was in bed.  But I could hear voices coming from the living room.  As I peeked around the corner I saw a sight that wasn't unfamiliar.  I saw the heart of my Pastor.  And I saw the heart of his assistant.  They were on their knees before God begging Him to work in the life of the people God had called them to.  They were asking God to move in the hearts of people and help them to see Him and their need for salvation more clearly.  They were asking the Holy Spirit to work.  They were asking for those gone astray to come back to the Lord.  They were asking for wisdom as the next morning they would stand before a beautiful crowd of souls and would be proclaiming the truth of  God's Word.  And then a thought occurred to me....have I prayed for them?  Have I prayed for the spiritual leadership that God has put in my life?

Godly men all around America are probably on their knees begging God to intercede for you.  And let me just say, if that's not the case, it is imperative that you find a good church.  Find a church that will be a loving family.  But, as they are praying for us, have we prayed for them?  In this month of focusing on the hymn "Sweet Hour of Prayer"  we have focused on praying for the leadership in our government.  Now I would like to focus on praying for our spiritual leadership.

How do you pray for them?

Their daily walk with God.  They are just human.  They, just like us, desperately need time with God each day and throughout the day.  Sometimes satan will talk men of God into thinking that all they are doing for God is enough and they don't actually need to be with God.  That is never the case.  And this is true for all of us.  Service to Him should never replace Time with Him.  

Wisdom in their schedule.  Quite often they are pulled in many different directions.  Being a pastor encompasses many things, not only preaching.  They are often called upon for counsel.  They are often called upon to help fix something in a home or a car.  They are often called upon to visit the sick, comfort a family after a death of a loved one, or be there for the birth of a baby.  They get texts and calls at anytime.  And, honestly, they love that their people want their advice and that they are needed.  They wouldn't have it any other way.  But, pray that they will have wisdom from the Lord on what they need to accomplish and on what they need to delegate.

Family Life.  You've heard the saying, "When Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." Sort of funny, but it is actually true.  When things aren't good at home, it's difficult for the man of God to be what he needs to be.  Pray for his wife and children.  Pray for his home to be a refuge for him and a place of relaxation and rejuvenation.  Pray for his kids.  Quite often satan and the world has a bulls-eye on their back.  Just look at the testimony of many preacher's kids.  The statistics are startling.  Pray that they will have a personal relationship with the Lord that will strengthen their faith.   Pray that the pastor will have wisdom what to share with them, and what to keep private.  Preacher's kids see and hear so much, sometimes it's no wonder that they grow bitter.  Pray for them.

Health.  Pray for the spiritual leaders in your life to have good health, strength and energy to be everything that God would have them to be.

Wisdom and Direction.  Pray for them to clearly hear the voice of God and the Holy Spirit's leading.  They want to do right and want to lead right.  Pray that God's voice will be the loudest that they hear.

I'm enjoying the different aspects of praying.  And I'm convinced more than ever that I don't pray enough.  I want that to change.  How about you?