Duties of a Pastor: power in intercessory prayers
Duties of a Pastor: power in intercessory prayers
Posted on February 1, 2009 Updated on February 1, 2009
Memorise: “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5)
Read: 2 Timothy 4:1-5
“But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5).
Pastor E. Adeboye
A shepherd is expected to watch over the flock in all areas. Another vital area a shepherd must watch is in prayer. 1 Peter 4:7 says, “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer”. The prayer life of a shepherd will show whether he is watching over the flock or not.
Many times, leaders engage in generic prayer for the flock: “Oh Lord, bless every member of my family and the church. Let it be well with them. Give them breakthrough”. If all you pray for your congregation falls within the generic, then you are a lazy leader.
In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus was watching over the twelve in prayer when He got a revelation of Satan’s plan to uproot Peter. He immediately prayed specifically for Peter to counter Satan’s plan.
Although when d-day arrived, Peter denied the Lord three times, yet because of personalized intercession, he overcame and still led the others. As a leader, you should be able to set time apart just to intercede for those under you according to their individual needs. If you can give time to interceding specifically for those in your care, God will give you revelations about them.
In the process, you can uncover the source of their long-standing problem and the way forward. The more a leader prays for the led, the more he is empowered to assist them. If Jesus had not interceded for Peter, nobody would have heard of this great man. Because leaders have failed to intercede – to watch in prayer over the flock, many who should have become great pillars like Peter, are back in the world today.
You should prayerfully watch over the flock on a daily basis. Ensure they are prayerful, and are taught Bible based prayers. When you watch regularly in prayer over the flock, a kind of bonding results. They will become a part of you.
It is not all the dreams you have about yourself and family that may directly affect you. God may give you dreams about members of your church but present events as if they were happening to you.
It is because you are one spiritual family. He may do this sometimes because He wants you to put up serious prayer effort in solving such issues. If you care to find out, you will be dazed .
A pastor saw himself eating in the dream two times within a week . But physically he felt nothing. By the time he got to church and asked how many people have seen themselves eat in their dream within that week, he was surprised at the crowd that came out. Is there a bonding between you and the flock? Or do you see them as those you should take vantage of ?
The people you regularly pray for are those you receive grace to love.
