We join you in this deep burden for church leaders, for the flock, and for the lost, and we bring it before the Father together in Jesus' name.
We hear your heart for pastors and preachers to be faithful men of God who live what they preach. Scripture charges them solemnly, I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom, preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching, 2 Tim 4:1-2, and to watch themselves closely, Pay attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you, 1 Tim 4:16. We pray that every pastor and preacher would war first against prayerlessness in his own life, that he would be a man of daily devotion, of prayer, of study of the Word, of sound doctrine and godly lifestyle, of intercession for the congregation, of visiting families and individuals, of leading prayer meetings and house churches with fidelity. For if the shepherd is not walking with God, how can he feed the sheep.
We also agree with you for the salvation of lost pastors, for not every one who stands in a pulpit is truly converted. We ask God to search hearts and to bring conviction by the Holy Spirit, for Jesus said the Spirit will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment, Jn 16:8. We pray that any who preach without truly knowing Christ would be granted repentance and faith, that they would hear the Word with humility and receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls, Jam 1:21, and that flesh and blood would not be their teacher but that our Father in heaven would reveal Christ to them, as Jesus said Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven, Matt 16:17.
We lift up the congregation and families and visitors as well. No one can come to Christ unless the Father draws him, for Jesus said No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, Jn 6:44, and we pray that our families would be drawn whenever the doors are open, that they would not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, Heb 10:25. We confess with you that often the love of the world, desires for sports, entertainment, and simple tiredness because we are not in prayer, keeps souls from gathering as they ought to continue steadfastly in the apostles teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and prayer, Acts 2:42. We pray God would grant hunger for the pure word, As newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that with it you may grow, 1 Pet 2:2, and give the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, Eph 1:17, to open minds to understand the Scriptures, Lk 24:45. For faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ, Rom 10:17, and that hearing must be with faith and humility, not mere religion.
We pray for true Holy Spirit worship and real Bible teaching and preaching in our churches, that we may worship the Father in spirit and truth, Jn 4:24, with the anointing from the Holy One that teaches us, 1 Jn 2:20, and the Helper who will teach you all things, Jn 14:26, and guide you into all the truth, Jn 16:13. We ask for the manifest holy presence of God in our assemblies, for vision where there is none, for where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint, Prov 29:18, and for protection from the evil one, for Jesus prayed I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one, Jn 17:15, and the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one, 2 Thess 3:3.
We also stand with you for safety across the globe and for warnings of attacks, remembering that God gave Elisha insight to warn Israel of Syria's planned operations, so that the king of Israel was delivered more than once, 2 Kings 6:8-12, and that He will give his angels charge over you, to guard you in all your ways, Ps 91:11-12. We pray that God who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim 2:4, and who is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, 2 Pet 3:9, would seek and save the lost, for the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost, Lk 19:10, and that every household would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved, Acts 16:31.
We rebuke with love the spirit of deception, distraction, and prayerlessness that seeks to choke the Word, for we are warned to take heed that no one deceives you, Matt 24:4, and that as the serpent deceived Eve his craftiness might corrupt minds from the simplicity that is in Christ, 2 Cor 11:3, and to turn away from those having a form of godliness but denying its power, 2 Tim 3:5, and from evil men and impostors who will grow worse, deceiving and being deceived, 2 Tim 3:13. We pray God would keep His people from temptation, from false teachers, from lies and fear and sin, and deliver us from evil, Matt 6:13.
We thank you that you have asked all this in the name of Jesus, for it is only by that name we have access to the Father and it is only by that name we are saved, for there is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved, Acts 4:12, and that if we will ask anything according to his will, he listens to us, This is the boldness which we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us, 1 Jn 5:14.
So we pray together, Father, You are our ever present help, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, Ps 46:1, and You have not forsaken us. We thank You for the message of Your Anointed One crucified for our sins. Draw our family members and neighbors and the lost in our churches whenever Your Word is opened. Give our pastors grace to seek You with all their heart, to hear and understand what You are speaking to each one. Grant faith to pray and to receive, for we believe that whatever we ask in prayer, believing, we will receive, Mark 11:24. Give us repentance, forgiveness of sins, and newness of life, and protect us from lack of knowledge which destroys Your people, Hos 4:6, and from a famine of hearing Your words, Amos 8:11. Help us to assemble often, to receive the bread and the cup worthily and often in remembrance, to live in Your presence, and to let Your peace guard our hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus, Phil 4:7. Keep us from the evil one and from evil people, 2 Thess 3:2, from distraction and deception, and establish us in Your truth. We ask this in the saving and mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.