Thoughts for Life: #69 Your Prayer Life as a Leader

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: "Great praying," wrote E. M. Bounds, "is the sign and seal of God's great leaders." What should be the role of prayer in your life as a Christian leader?

The instant answer to this should be the answer the apostles gave. They decided to give themselves to two things: "We . . . will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4).(Google image, Prayer for leaders).

For them, prayer was the first priority, and probably took the largest amount of their time. They could lead only as they prayed. They realized that their greatest responsibility was to cover the church with prayer as they ministered the Word. It was so urgent that they delegated many other duties to Spirit-filled lay people.

Bounds said that each leader "must be preeminently as a man of prayer. His heart must graduate in the school of prayer . . . No learning can make up for the failure to pray. No earnestness, no diligence, no study, no gifts will supply its lack.

Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still. He will never talk well and with real success to men for God who has not learned well how to talk to God for men. More than this, prayerless words . . . are deadening words."

You need audience before God before you attempt audience with your people. Stand in God's presence before you stand before them. You must prevail before God before you can prevail before them.

Not till you have worshiped with the seraphim are you ready to worship with your people. Only when you come from the presence of God can you lead them into the presence of God.

The saintly and gifted Church of Scotland minister Robert Murray McCheyne said,

"In general it is best to have at least one hour alone with God before engaging in anything else. I ought to spend the best hours of the day in communion with God."

In an ordination sermon he exhorted; "Give yourself to prayers and the ministry of the Word. If you do not pray, God will probably lay you aside from your ministry, as He did me, to teach you to pray."

You as a Christian leader today must not only follow the apostolic example, but you must be an example of prayer to all your people. Charles Spurgeon said,

"Of course the preacher is above all others distinguished as a man of prayer. He prays as an ordinary Christian, else he were a hypocrite. He prays more than ordinary Christians else he were disqualified for the office he has undertaken."

When Spurgeon was asked the secret of his success he responded, "Knee work! Knee work" Finney explained,

"In regard to my own experience, I will say that unless I had the spirit of prayer I could do nothing. If even for a day or an hour I lost the spirit of grace and supplication I found myself unable to preach with power and efficiency, or to win souls by personal conversation."

Andrew Murray asked,

"What is the reason why many thousands of Christian workers in the world have not a greater influence? Nothing save this—the prayerlessness of their service . . . It is nothing but the sin of prayerlessness which is the cause of the lack of a powerful spiritual life."

To learn how to pray and be empowered and guided through prayer is the most important task of your preparation as a leader. To establish a leadership lifestyle of prevailing prayer is probably the most decisive element in your spiritual success.

You will never be a greater leader than your prayers. You may have some apparent success without a strong prayer life. However, the eternal value of it and your eternal reward for it will be heavily dependent on your prayer life. All success apart from the spiritual dimension is a house built on sand.

Your prayer life is a clear revelation of how much a person of God and how much a spiritual leader you are. You will never be more important in God's sight than your prayer life. No part of your ministry will be more greatly rewarded in eternity. The eternal value of all else you do depends on this.

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Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana. Creative reading style by Jean.

Ablaze for God
#69 Your Prayer Life as a Leader
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 211-213) ZondervanPublishingHouse

Morning prayer

"Heavenly Father, I come to You this morning to give You all the praise and honor that is due unto You alone. Thank You Lord, for Your goodness towards us all. Father, let Your presence be felt in our lives today. We give You all our cares and burdens and we trust that You will take care of us.

Psalm 16:8 – I have set the LORD always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Help us, dear Lord, to keep our minds and heart focus on You today, so we will be able to receive Your peace that surpasses all understanding.

Today, we choose joy despite of what may be going on in our lives. Lord, strengthen us in Your power and might so that we may be a blessing to others who are hurting." (Taken from link to above picture).

Today's Bible verse-

Prov. 16:23, 25 (KJV) "The heart of the wise teacheth
his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. (25) There
is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end
thereof are the ways of death."

Ps. 86:11, 12 (NIV) "Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided
heart, that I may fear your name. (12) I will praise
you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify
your name forever."

Philemon 1:6 (KJV) "That the communication of thy
faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of
every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus."

Today's quote-

Cindy Jacobs- "You might just be starting off in ministry and wondering how you will ever make it and learn everything you need to know. I believe I can boldly assure you that God will have someone to mentor you or, if you live in a place where there aren't any mentors, He will find a way to train you. God doesn't have favorites. If you are faithful and persevere, He will see that you receive all the training you need." (p. 113, The VOICE of GOD). (You can read the book on this link!)

Today's popular post-

#83 How to Agree in Prayer

Dr. Wesley L. Duewel: When two or more Christians are willing to agree in prayer for a need, what steps can they take to make their unity in praying true agreement in heart and soul, the kind of agreement that fulfills the conditions Jesus gave in Matthew 18:19?"

Today's question-

How is God building His Church?

God is building His Church in and through us. He uses people for His good pleasure to build His Kingdom. He chooses those who have a heart after Him, and who want to do His will.
God will provide the needs for those who are willing to serve in their churches in the purpose and plan He has for them. He may be working in a small number, but if they'll be faithful and true to the calling He has for them, His plan for His Church Body there will succeed. It's by His Spirit, not by their strength.
Prayer being the key to this, we have the charge that it needs to be emphasized, both in us and our leaders. As they spend time in prayer, they will be used to accomplish all God's plan for us through their anointed preaching and counseling.

Upcoming posts-

#70 You are Responsible to Keep Strong & Blessed Through Prayer
12th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

What Difference Does It Make?
14th- Saturday's post by Sharon Jaynes

#71 Your Prayer Controls Your Work
17th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel

#72 Prayer Prepares God's Blessing for Each Service
19th- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel