Most crucial to Israel’s survival, victories, and prosperity was the ministry of their spiritual leaders. Israel could exist, survive and thrive without political leaders in bible days, but they could not without spiritual leaders. Even when the nation began to have kings and political leaders, the kings always needed the ministry of the priests and prophets to lead. They needed their wisdom, prayers, spiritual counsel and guidance. It was not by an army that Israel was delivered but by their spiritual leaders (Hosea 12:13).The role of spiritual leadership in our national, societal, community and individual lives cannot be underestimated. God constantly establishes spiritual oversight over his people as we see throughout the Bible. The current situation in the nations of the world today speaks of the great need of spiritual leadership. The church needs more leaders with influence that can affect the world beyond the church, leaders who possess and walk in great spiritual authority.

Spiritual leaders are a great support to us in our entire life’s journey. They impact, inspire, encourage, and strengthen us with their deep spiritual insights to face life’s challenges, overcome life’s daring blows, and discern the best path and course of action for our well-being. They are always leading us in the direction of God’s plan. Let’s examine the importance of praying for our spiritual leaders.

Everyone expects pastors and spiritual leaders to pray for them, but many of us overlook the fact that they also require our prayers. In fact, they need way much more prayer when you consider that their responsibility is so great, and Satan’s attack is so strong.

Spiritual leaders and their families are a huge target of the enemy. Satan’s strongest and most effective attack against the sheep is by striking the shepherd. “….Strike down the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn against the lambs. (Zechariah 13:7B)

As powerful and anointed as apostle Paul was, he consistently requested for prayer from the church.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me; That I may be delivered from them that do not believe…” (Romans 15:30-31)

While Paul was in Jail in Rome, he wrote to the church in Philippi requesting for prayer. “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:19)

Jesus also needed prayer from his disciples. When he came and found them sleeping, he asked, “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.(Matt 26:40)

If Paul with all the revelation, wisdom and anointing he had, still needed the prayers of the churches, and if Jesus the Messiah needed the intercession of his disciples, how much more do our spiritual leaders need our prayers today!

Mostly we love to pray for our spiritually leaders that God would anoint and increase them in wisdom and revelation for our blessing and benefit. While this is good, we must also note that these leaders are not immune from the same struggles that we face daily. We should also pray for their physical, material, and other needs.

Here are some key reasons why we must pray for our Pastor and Spiritual leaders

1. They represent God: Pastors are the undershepherd of Jesus Christ leading the local church. It is a high calling of a great privilege and equally a terrible and scary responsibility. (1 Cor 9 16)
2. They are on the frontline of spiritual battle. They bombard hell constantly and beseech heaven continually on our behalf. They are Satan’s top target. Hell would do anything to stop them through temptations, attacks on their faith, disruption of their families, financial hardship, health issues etc.
3. They are exposed to huge criticisms, condemnation, and abuse both from the world and the church. You wouldn’t know how many times our Pastors and spiritual leaders have been hurt and discouraged but they put aside their pain and continue to minister even to those who take advantage of them, criticise and abuse them. We must pray that God would protect their hearts and heal their hurts.
4. They always have unfinished tasks. Most pastor struggle to fine the balance between ministry and family, there is always a phone call to answer or make, an email or text message to read or reply, a sermon or teaching yet to be developed or completed, some office or administrative work to attend to, visitation that is yet to be made, emergencies to respond to no matter what time of the night or day, and much more. This sort of life leaves pastors with very little or no rest time. Many pastors would sacrifice their rest and family time just to minister to a member in distress or attend their function. They invest in building other people’s success, lives, families etc. sometimes at the detriment of theirs.
5. Pastors face intense temptation. There is no one Satan desires to bring down so badly than the one whom God is using most efficiently and fruitfully in His kingdom. The fall of a pastor does not only ruin his ministry and calling, but it also ruins his family, destabilises the church and tarnishes the testimony of God’s name in the community. There are pastors dealing with mental health challenges and some to the point of suicide. We must pray that God would uphold our spiritual leaders so that they will not faulter or fall at the face of temptations.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Using our pastor as a main point of gratitude, lets thank God for men and women of God who have stood strong and faithful, consistent, and dedicated to the calling and to God despite attacks, betrayals, setbacks, struggles, hurts, lack etc. Thank God for sustaining, preserving, providing, renewing and refreshing his servants for His service

• Satan’s premier target is our spiritual leaders, with our pastor as a main contact point, may we pray that God would build a hedge of protection around his servants and their families, including our elders. May his protection be upon them, their spouses and children. May they be protect from harm, dangers, sickness, and every attack of the enemy. (Mark 14:27)

• Pray against the spirit of discouragement and for men and women like Aaron and Hur who would become great encouragers, stress removers, lifters of the hands of our spiritual leaders, pillars of support to them, so that our spiritual leaders would become more effective in their ministries at home and in church and would serve with great joy and less stress. Always using our Pastor as a key point of contact. (Ex 17:12-14, Galatians 6:9)

• Using our pastor as a point of contact, pray that God will uphold our spiritual leaders in the path of righteousness and Holiness, that God will strengthen them in wisdom and grace to be triumphant over trials and temptation, they will not faulter or fall or give in to deception in Jesu name. (Jude 1:24)

• Pray for the physical, material, financial, health and other needs of our spiritual leaders which they might have. That every need in their lives be supernaturally met by the hand of God. (Phil 4:19)

• Pray that God will grant to our spiritual leaders keys to the mysteries of his word, insights and revelation for their spiritual growth and for the edification of the body of Christ. (Ephe 3:3, 1:17)

• Pray for boldness to declare the truth without compromise and for unction to function in power of the Holy Spirit with power, signs, wonders and miracles in Jesus name (Ephesians 6;19-20)

• Pray for their families, for strength and grace, refreshing, renewal, protection, provision, peace, love, joy and unity in Jesus name (Phil 4:6)