Standing in the Gap - Praying for Your Pastor

Ephesians 4:11-13

And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Has it occurred to you that you should pray for your pastor?

Now that may sound like a strange question, but for a moment, consider the vast number of people for whom the pastor is asked to pray. For example, on the way to the pulpit on Sunday morning, with his mind fully on the scripture God has put on his heart, someone turns the corner and spills their burden. Of course, he prays with them and for them.

Or think about the calls, the emails, and the overwhelming needs of the church family that come to him. Over these, he certainly prays. Think about the marriages for which he is praying. Well, I think you get the point. The pastor is regularly asked by someone inside and outside the church to pray.

So now let me repeat the question. Has it occurred to you that you should pray for your pastor? Let me assure you, your pastor needs your prayers. He needs you to stand in the gap on his behalf. In 2 Timothy 1:3, the Apostle Paul wrote this to Timothy, “I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.” Timothy was a pastor and a close companion for Paul and, while I am sure that Timothy prayed for Paul, this passage tells us that Paul was praying for Timothy, a fellow pastor in the ministry. In fact, if you read the passage again, Paul prayed “constantly” for Timothy. One of the greatest gifts you can give to your pastor is to pray for him.

That leads to a question, how should you pray for him? I want to share a few things you can do to stand in the gap for your pastor.

Pray For Your Pastor To Be Faithful

2 Timothy 1:6 says, “For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” Faithful with what? Great question! Pray he will be faithful with his calling, the calling to preach the Word of God. Pray he will be faithful with his own unique giftings. So many pastors try to mimic another pastor or ministry. However, God has uniquely gifted him, so pray he would be faithful to his own unique gifts. Pray he would be faithful in his walk with Christ. A pastor has to constantly distinguish between the ministry and the man, tempted to study his Bible for work rather than life.

Pray For Your Pastor To Be Fearless

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and discipline.” There are many voices around your pastor making demands on him. To be honest, because of that fact, most pastors deal with insecurity and fear. Pray for him to be fearless and bold as he stewards the church family in which God has placed him. Pray that fear, intimidation, and insecurity will fall away and that he would be a fearless pastor.

Pray for Your Pastor to Be Focused

Focused on what you may ask? Pray for your pastor to be focused on the Word of God and on the preaching of the Word of God. 2 Timothy 1:13 - 14 says, “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.” There are many preaching gimmicks today, and some of those gimmicks easily draw a crowd. The temptation for your pastor to change his strategy or to adopt someone else’s style is real. Pray that he will be focused on the Word of God and the preaching of the Word of God.

Pray for Your Pastor’s Family

The pastor is doing the work of God and that makes him a target of the enemy. And I’m sure you know that the enemy doesn’t fight fair. Instead of attacking the pastor, he may attack the pastor’s wife and children. Pray for their protection and for their love for the church, for one another, and even for those who attack them.

Pray for Your Pastor’s Faith

Pray he grows deeper personally, endures hardships joyfully, and lives honestly before others. Pray that your pastor will be motivated to move from faith to faith to faith. Pray for your pastor’s personal spiritual health. And pray away discouragement and anxiety.

There are other things about which you can pray for your pastor and I am sure you can discern those things. So consider this list as just a starting place and pray for your pastor!