August 27th, 2000, Sunday Evening

"Praying for your Preacher"
Pray earnestly for God's teachers--they are targeted by many

OPENING: Ephesians 6:18-19, KJV

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• The title of this message is not limited to pastors and preachers but to all people who are in a position of Godly, Christian leadership.
  
  
• Ephesians 6:10-13: The ministry of the gospel is warfare against the devil--and we must stand firm.
  
  
• The devil is subtle and crafty--a master of ambush. He will not show himself and conduct his work quickly. Rather, he does not show himself and performs his evil works very slowly, over time. Do not take the devil lightly. He can overcome any human being. He is a master counterfeiter and an excellent camouflage; In short, he is good at what he does.
  
  The devil does not announce his attacks. He looks against for people who are against Christ and works their hearts to do evil. And when the devil wins one more over to his side, he turns and points to God and says, "Ha! I have one more of yours!"
  
  
• 2 Thessolonians 3:1: "free course" means that the word of God be able to enter the hearts and minds of those who resist and are unsure in addition to those who readily accept and receive it with joy.
  
  
• Ephesians 6:18: "Either you're a saint (saved) or you ain't"; We need to pray for one another because we're all constantly under the same attacks and afflictions from the enemy.
  
  
  • Pray for your church leaders, pastors, and Sunday school teachers.
  • Pray for ALL (meaning not limited to this church but abroad) persons in Godly places of leadership everywhere.
  
  
• WHY PRAY FOR THEM?
  
  
  • They all have weaknesses and temptations ("like passions") just like the rest of us
    
    
    • James 5:17: Elias was a prophet of the Lord subject to like passions.
      
      
    • 1 Kings 19:1-4: Even the great prophet Elijah wanted to throw in the towel.
      
      
    • Like passions: heat stroke, heart attack, loneliness; Preachers know what it's like to constantly almost throw in the towel; Many times, they feel all alone and that no one understands them
    
    
  • They are always in the crosshairs of the enemy
    
    
    • Preachers and Sunday school teachers, especially, are always in the sights of the enemy's targeting
      
      
    • Acts 12:1-3: In verse one, it reads "certain of the church." This means the church itself wasn't targeted but some of those within--the pastor, soulwinners, etc.
      
      
      • True story: Our pastor Byrd received a phone call complaint once from a female landlord. She threatened to sue the church over the tracts that had been left there by our churchgoers. Pastor said, "I'm sorry, ma'am. I can't tell them to stop. This is my great commissioning to perform." So they landlord said, "Then I'll see YOU in court." Not the church, not those who handed out the tracts, but specifically the pastor.
      
      
    • The devil not only targets pastors and preachers but their families. Oh, how the devil loves to break up a family.
  
  
• WHAT TO PRAY FOR
  
  
  • 2 Thessolonians 3:1-2: Pray for God's word to have free course and power over the church members ("Free course" means for the word to spread throughout the hearts of minds of those who doubt and resist as well as those open and willing to receive with a ready heart) and to deliver us from evil and unreasonable men (who are not always non-church members but could be church members).
    
    
  • Philippians 1:15-18: Pray for your pastor and the Sunday school teachers--regardless of your feelings toward them. God's word is more important than your feelings. Rather than debate them, pray they have a sharp mind, communicate strongly, and are focused.
    
    
  • Ephesians 6:19: "utterance may be given unto me" means pray for your pastor to receive the proper message from God that he may research and preach. Do you know how difficult it is to prepare sermons for an entire church of varying needs? Pray for the pastor to give a sermon that helps and applies to every church member--and that it's conveyed assuredly and boldly.
  
  CLOSER

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• Pray for and love your pastor every day as he loves you because he is targeted and talked about and hated by the devil and many others.
  
  
• Pastor does his best to preach the most effective message every week. He puts 110% into it. But the pastor feels worthless and ineffective when other church members publicly announce to each other they were not moved in the least.
  
  
• Pray, also, for the pastor's health and family. How tough it is to preach the word of God right after having a family spat.
  
  
• Make sure to keep your heart clear with the pastor and Sunday school teachers--allow free course of the message through you. Else, you won't learn anything from anyone if your heart is bitter against that person.