The Power of a Praying Minister

‘But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word’ (Acts 6:4)

‘The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men…men of prayer. Praying Men Are God’s Mightiest Leaders, they are the only productive workers for God. Praying men are God’s chosen leaders’ (E. M. Bounds). Going through the Bible, both in the Old and New Testament, it is evident that all the leaders that made an impact were men of prayer. In the kingdom of God, leaders lead on their knees. John Wesley said ‘I have so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it.’

Moses prayed for forty days, Elijah prayed and for three and half years there was no rain. Jesus prayed and fasted for forty days and nights. In Heb 5:7, it is said that ‘during the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears’. Jesus depended on prayer, He led a life that was committed to prayer and taught His disciples to do the same. There are several instances in the Bible where He prayed for hours on end (Mat 14:13-25, Mat 26:39-46). His words where ‘the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner’ (John 5:19-20).

The critical question is, on the average what is the prayer life of a minister today? On the average, how long does a pastor pray today and how satisfied is he with his prayer life. A recent research made by Toni Ridgaway(ChurchLeaders.com) revealed that, 16 % percent of Pastors are very satisfied with their prayer lives; 47% are somewhat satisfied with their prayer lives; 30% are somewhat dissatisfied and 7% are very dissatisfied with their prayer lives. The research also revealed that pastors who are very satisfied spend an average of 56 minutes a day in prayer and spend more time listening to God and less time making requests. Pastors who are somewhat satisfied spend an average of 43 minutes a day in prayer. Pastors who are dissatisfied, average 29 minutes in prayer a day. Those very dissatisfied spend an average of 21 minutes a day in prayer. On the average, Pastors spends 39 minutes a day in prayer.

In the early church, when the Apostles saw the burden of the administrative work on them, they chose seven deacons and their words were, ‘we will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word’ (Acts 6:3, 4). My earnest prayer is that God will grant ministers of this day the grace to give themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of God’s word.

Apart from spending tangible time in prayer at a set time, it is important to also have an attitude of prayer. ‘Prayer is not so much an act as it is an attitude—an attitude of dependency upon God’ (Arthur W. Pink). A study of Moses and other heroes of faith will reveal that apart from their set time for prayer, they were in constant communion with God for guidance as they were taking day to day decisions. At the Red Sea, Moses cried to God with the people and the answer came (Ex 14:15). In the wilderness when the people thirsted, and when Amalek attacked them, it was also prayer that brought deliverance (Ex 17:4, 11). At Sinai, when Israel made the Golden Calf, it was prayer that averted the threatened destruction, (Ex 32:11, 14). ‘Wishing will never be a substitute for prayer’ (Ed Cole). Is the burden of ministry weighing you down? Abraham Lincoln said ‘I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had absolutely no other place to go’.

God’s word for you is, ‘If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land’ ( 2 Chron 7:14). ‘The distinction between the leaders that God brings to the front to lead and bless His people and those leaders who owe their position of leadership to a worldly, selfish, unsanctified selection is this: God’s leaders are pre-eminently men of prayer’ (E. M. Bounds). Today, make prayer your steering wheel but not your spare tire.