#68 Intercessors Need Help too

C. Peter Wagner shares with us 
from his book, PRAYER SHIELD:

"One of the things we learned about 1-1 intercessors is that they, particularly during critical times, need intercessory help themselves.

The spiritual warfare they find themselves engaged in on behalf of the pastor or leader can become overwhelming.

Moses, for example, would not have been able to intercede effectively for Joshua without the timely help of Aaron and Hur as he fought the battle of Rephidim.

I recall one time when Cathy desperately needed her Aarons and Hurs.

During the 1980s, I had invited John Wimber to help me teach a new course on Signs, Wonders and Church Growth at Fuller Seminary.

It eventually stirred up a very intense controversy and I was in the center of it for years. This was by far the most painful experience I have personally had since leaving the mission field in Bolivia. And it lasted for three and half years!

Without going into details here, by the end of three and a half years I had come to the end of my patience.

I had been on the defensive for all that time and I was prepared to switch to the offensive.

A crucial meeting had been scheduled with the seminary Faculty Senate. My temper was on edge and my guns were loaded for the showdown. I went to the meeting.

A grim-faced dean entered and put my book How to Have a Healing Ministry on the table in front of him. A distinguished theological professor did the same.

I knew very well that both of them had higher IQs than I did. I thought I was in for it!

But the meeting was called to order and there was no show-down. The proposal I presented was passed unanimously. No one was nasty. A couple of rather routine questions were addressed to me, nothing else.

I had my guns loaded, but did not have to pull the trigger. 

Why?

The spiritual warfare behind the whole scenario had been done before the meeting began. I believe that Cathy as my 1 -1 intercessor was the principal agent for winning that spiritual battle.


But it was not easy for her by any means. 

Looking back, I am convinced that this Faculty Senate meeting was a significant milestone in my personal ministry career, if not also for Fuller Seminary. 

Because of that, the warfare was more intense than usual.

During the days leading up to that meeting, Cathy experienced several devastating events.

• Cathy's car was totaled and she received a serious whiplash. The other driver was clearly at fault, but they were suing Cathy!
• The family of a student in the Christian junior high school where Cathy was then teaching had pressed a written list of 30 trumped-up charges against her competence and character. She was emotionally devastated. The charges were being taken to her school board, which coincidentally 
• was meeting to consider them on the same day our Faculty Senate was meeting.
• Cathy's kitchen caught on fire, and the fire burned a hole through her kitchen floor."

(Be sure to catch my next post, "Arrons and Hurs" scheduled for the 25th of March, to find out how Cathy was helped by her own intercessors.)

Today's post: 

#68  Intercessors Need Help too, 
in the series taken from C. Peter 
Wagner's book, PRAYER SHIELD, 
How To intercede for pastors, Christian leaders and others on the spiritual frontlines. (pgs. 133, 134)
By Regal Books

Let’s pray:

   Father, as we learn about intercessors and their needs, may we become sensitive to Your promptings to cover them, too.

   We don't actually know what they're going through in their attempt to cover our Pastor and leaders of our church, but it is our desire to help them with the ministry You've assigned to them.

   Help us pray faithfully for the ones we know of who support our leaders, and may we understand the urgency of needs, when they arise. 

   We ask for this in Jesus' Name, for His glory, and for our leaders' good. Amen.

(Google images added)

A prayer for our pastors:  "Pray that your pastor will think biblically with the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 2:16; Col. 2:6-8; Eph. 4:17  www.lifeaction.org  (A good link to check out!)

Today’s Bible verse: Ps. 78:72 "So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands."

Today’s quote: Michael Brooks  - “We take the hand of His Son Jesus by faith, and He Himself escorts us into the presence of His Father for eternity. We have been given a full access pass by grace with no expiration date. Isn't that just wonderful?  John 14:6: "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

Some thoughts today: Jesus is the mountain we stand on. 

- As God is a Consuming Fire, He will attempt to burn up the imperfections He finds in our hearts. We need to surrender to Him, and to allow Him to rid us of our sinfulness.

- God is Holy and perfect, so we need to press in to know him more fully.

22nd- Saturday’s post:  When Trust is All You Have  Toni Campbell

23rd- Sunday's post:  Stubborn Peace  Max Lucado

    Sunday evening's post:  Things That Make Me Happy  Jean Oathout

Tuesday's post:  #69  Aarons and Hurs   C. Peter Wagner

A popular post:  Taste and See  Christ wants us to taste His love, know the sweetness of a life with Him. He is good and kind, amazing and…well…yummy. So yummy, we should long for Him.

A suggestion for a child's party.

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