We join with you in this burden for pastors, preachers, families and the household of faith, and we count it a joy to bring these requests before our Father in Jesus name.
We thank God for the hunger He has placed in your heart for sound teaching and for shepherds who seek Him first. The Scripture says to shepherd the flock of God which is among you, not for dishonest gain, but willingly, as God would have you, not lording it over those entrusted to you, but making yourselves examples to the flock, 1 Peter 5:2-3. We pray for every pastor and preacher that God would stir them to continue steadfastly in prayer and in daily devotion, in preparation and intercession for the congregation, in diligent study of the Word, in a lifestyle that adorns the gospel, and in preaching the Word, be urgent in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching, 2 Timothy 4:2. We ask the Lord to anoint them afresh, for the anointing which you received from him remains in you, 1 John 2:20, and that the Holy Spirit who will teach you all things, John 14:26, would give them revelation and boldness to feed the flock faithfully as they visit families and gather in house churches.
We agree with you for families to be drawn to the assembly. Jesus said, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, John 6:44, and we ask our Father to draw each family member tonight and tomorrow, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, Hebrews 10:25. We pray they would continue steadfastly in the apostles teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and prayer, Acts 2:42, and that they would receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls, James 1:21, not merely as words of men but by revelation of our Father in heaven, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven, Matthew 16:17. We pray for humility to receive that word in faith, through the testimonies of saved friends, evangelists and tracts, and for freedom to worship the Father in spirit and truth, John 4:24.
We praise God with you that He is our ever present help, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, Psalm 46:1, and that He has given us His Son, the Anointed One crucified for our sins. We thank Him that we have been crucified with Christ, Galatians 2:20, and that He desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth, 1 Timothy 2:4, for the Lord is not slow concerning his promise, but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, 2 Peter 3:9. We ask Him to grant to each family member faith, repentance, salvation, the knowledge of forgiveness of sins and newness of life, and vision, for where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint, Proverbs 29:18, by the Holy Spirit who will guide you into all truth, John 16:13.
We pray for protection from the evil one, as Jesus prayed, I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one, John 17:15, for the enemy loves to keep people in lack of knowledge, for my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, Hosea 4:6, and there is a famine of hearing Yahweh's words, Amos 8:11. We ask God to open their minds to understand the Scriptures, Luke 24:45, to convict of sin and righteousness and judgment, John 16:8, and to give them hunger as newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby, 1 Peter 2:2, with the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, Ephesians 1:17.
We pray they will gather often and remember the Lord as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes, 1 Corinthians 11:26, with faith to pray and receive, for all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them, Mark 11:24, knowing that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ, Romans 10:17, and that when we ask according to His will He hears us, and this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us, 1 John 5:14. We ask that the lost among our households would be sought and saved, for the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost, Luke 19:10, and we claim the promise, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household, Acts 16:31, for however many are the promises of God, in him is the Yes, 2 Corinthians 1:20.
Father, we lift these pastors, families, members and visitors to You now in the name of Jesus Christ, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved and no other way to the Father, for Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me, John 14:6. Draw each one, grant repentance and faith, fill Your house, and let Your Word run and be glorified. We trust You to hear and to answer, and we will give You all the glory, in Jesus name, Amen.