Thoughts for Life: #92 The Pastor Has a High Priority

C. Peter Wagner tells us that, "For personal intercessors, as over against other kinds of intercessors, the pastor or other leader they have been called to pray for is usually elevated to a high priority in the local prayer schedule.

It does not happen every day, but it is not unusual for Doris and me to get reports that one of our intercessors has prayed for us one hour or even several hours on a particular day.

We only hear about those occasions when the prayer partner has been released by God to tell us, which I am sure is only a fraction of the times it happens.

Sometimes we will know exactly why they prayed, sometimes we never know.

One of the times of special intercession, among many I did know, was on a Sunday evening when Cathy Schaller was ironing in her kitchen.

At 6:30 the Holy spirit came on her for intercession and she prayed for me until she was released at 7:00 P.M. Then she went back to her ironing and called me the next morning to see why she had prayed.

That Sunday evening Doris and I had gone to Anaheim Vineyard, and before the service, we dropped in at Pastor John Wimber's office to have a Coke with John and his wife, Carol.

As we chatted, I told him of a case the preceding week where I had been privileged to pray for a six-year-old boy who had been born with no ears.

Miraculously, the ears started to grow a half hour after the prayer session.

When John heard the story, he spontaneously asked me to share the testimony with the congregation.

To say the least, I was not prepared to speak to 3,000 people about an incident so dramatic that I myself had not had time to process it, while focusing attention on the power of God, not myself, and drawing out an application for the congregation.

But the sharing went well, the congregation was blessed, and I believe God was glorified. Thanks to Cathy's priorities. I spoke that evening, of course, between 6:30 and 7:00.

Because of these priorities, it is imperative that the potential intercessor by totally honest when considering a request to become a prayer partner.
Assigning high priority does not imply exclusivity.

I have mentioned that several of our prayer partners have been assigned more than one leader for intercession, and that the intensity of prayer for each can very over time.

Mary Lance Sisk, for instance , also
prays for Leighton Ford and Joni
Eareckson Tada. For others it does
mean they are to pray for only one
at a time.

This is why I was pleased that Lil Walker was honest in turning down my first invitation to become a prayer partner because she had been assigned Paul Cedar.

At the same time, Mary Wernle did agree to pray for me and for years, although she prays for many people, the bulk of her personal prayer times has been focused on Doris and me."

#92 The Pastor Has a High Priority,

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. 170-171)

By Regal Books

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any day you may wish: Jean's blog

Let’s pray:

Father, may our efforts of supporting our leaders be effective, regular, and heart felt.
I'm asking for boldness in praying for my pastor and those who have leadership positions in my church.
Reveal to me what they have need of as I'm praying, and may I trust each petition to be what Your is heart for them.
I ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen

Today’s Bible verse: Matt. 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

Today’s quote: A. W. Tozer – “Were there no guilt in the world, no pain and no tears, God would yet be infinitely merciful; but His mercy might well remain hidden in His heart, unknown to the created universe. No voice would be raised to celebrate the mercy of which none felt the need. It is human misery and sin that call forth the divine mercy.”

Some thoughts today: Jesus became acquainted with our physical pain, betrayal, whippings (abuse), our sin, guilt, and shame.

He prayed for another possible way
to provide salvation for us, but He
knew that Calvary, and everything
connected with it, was His Father's
only way for our redemption, so He
agreed to do it.

14th- Saturday’s post: Planning to Fail or Failing to Plan Debbie Hardy

15th- Sunday's post: Even When
Cindy Sproles

15th- evening's post: Part 1- How CAN we hear from God?
(7 of 21 ways) Jean Oathout

17th- Tuesday's post: #93 Open Communication C. Peter Wagner

A popular post: Practicing Gratitude Sharon Jaynes shares with us, "Gratitude is the most effective way to deepen your consciousness to the fact that you are the object of God’s affection and love."