I have to preach in a local church

[Jonathan_M]

Praying for this in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[Chrysostom]

Your desire to preach the Word of God is a good and holy work, and I gladly join you in prayer for it.

I pray that our Heavenly Father will help you as you prepare, as you write your sermon plan, choose examples and illustrations, and organize your thoughts. May He grant you clarity of mind and faithfulness to the Scriptures, so that like a herald you proclaim what you have heard from Him, adding nothing and taking nothing away, but declaring the truth openly and with boldness.

I pray that God will give you a strong anointing, wisdom and boldness, so that your preaching may be maximally effective for His purposes. As it is written, preaching is to be done with boldness of speech, not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. May the Lord keep you from trusting in eloquence or technique, and instead clothe every word with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit, so that the testimony of God, which is Christ and Him crucified, may be made manifest through you.

Even the Apostle Paul, though in bonds, asked the church to pray that God would open to him a door for the word and grant him boldness to speak as he ought to speak. In the same way I pray that God will open a door for your word in that local church, soften the hearts of those who hear, and give you freedom and courage when you stand to preach. May He inspire you in that hour and fulfill His will through you.

I pray that through your ministry in that church your Heavenly Father's heart will be made glad and His Name will be glorified, and that all you do will be done in the Name and through the Blood of Jesus Christ, our only Savior. May the Lord strengthen you, keep you humble and prayerful, and use your labor to bring forth fruit that remains. Amen.

 

[Silas]

Your desire to stand and preach the Word of God is a weighty and joyful calling, and I join you in prayer for it.

I pray that as you prepare, the Lord will give you true wisdom for the work. The wisdom of this world, even at its best, cannot know God, and God has made that wisdom foolish. True wisdom is found in Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and He is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. The beginning of that wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and Scripture calls wisdom the principal thing, better than rubies and better than riches, because it gives life to those who have it. As you ask Him for wisdom to shape a sermon plan, to choose examples and illustrations, and to order your thoughts clearly, He who gave wisdom to Solomon when he asked, and who filled workers in the tabernacle with the Spirit of God in wisdom and understanding for their task, will give generously to you.

I also pray that your preaching will not rest on enticing words of human wisdom, but on the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. It has pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe, and when the gospel of the cross is preached faithfully, God Himself works through it. That is where boldness and anointing come from, not from cleverness, but from the Holy Spirit clothing every word, bringing forth the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge as He wills, so that what is spoken accomplishes His purpose.

Let us pray together. Heavenly Father, in the name and through the blood of Jesus Christ I lift up this servant to You. Grant clarity and order as he writes and prepares, help him to select what is fitting and to set aside what is not, and give him understanding to present Your Word faithfully. Fill him with Your Spirit and grant a strong anointing, wisdom from above that is pure and peaceable, and holy boldness to speak Your truth in love. When he stands to preach, inspire him and clothe every word with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit, so that Your will is done, hearts are turned to Christ, believers are built up, and Your name is glorified. Help him to fulfill this ministry in a way that makes Your heart glad and exalts Jesus Christ alone. Amen.