HOW PASTORS AND INTERCESSORS CAN WORK    POWERFULLY TOGETHER AS A TEAM

The partnering together of pastors and intercessors is an issue of vital importance in the church today. When these two gifts are joined together, I believe the power of God is unleashed in remarkable ways. An important understanding of the interdependency of each of these gifts is vital for team building. My purpose in this article is to seek to convey how the offices of pastor and intercessor best work together, and how they are called to serve one another. What follows are some observations on how the roles might serve and compliment one another.

PASTOR TO INTERCESSOR:

The role of the pastor is to bring a God-ordained covering of protection, wisdom and direction to the intercessor. Pastors are vitally important in their partnering with intercessors, without their influence, intercessors can get deceived or off course and without gentle correction can lead to major isolation of the intercessor.

As a pastor, one of the greatest ways you can encourage an intercessor is to remain connected with them, valuing their gifts and bringing direction when there is a need. Intercessors need to know that their pastor is supporting them in the work of prayer. They need to know that their pastor will love them enough to share with them if they are being misled. The intercessor needs to know that the pastor is willing to listen and hear what they are receiving in prayer, even if it doesn’t make much sense. As a pastor, one of the best ways to accomplish this is to have the intercessors write down their impressions they receive in prayer and to give them to you. This serves many purposes:

1)It helps the intercessor become more succinct in communicating all they receive in prayer to a bottom line summary

2) The written report serves as a journal of remembrance for the pastor to refer to later as the Lord directs

3) It helps to establish trust and a way to judge the impressions being received by the intercessor

4) It honors the intercessor’s time spent in prayer.

Another way that the pastor can help the intercessor is to bring ongoing encouragement and honor to those interceding. This can be done through spoken words, written notes and maybe a once-a-year luncheon that honors those praying for you or the work you are involved in. Intercessors are very loyal to the assignments that the Lord gives them but they also need much encouragement along the way. Because many intercessors tend to be very sensitive and also because intercession is often a hidden work, intercessors can get easily discouraged in their gifting of prayer and need to be valued for their work                      (I Cor 12).

Also, no matter how spiritual they would appear to be, always know that the intercessors need to be connected to the other parts of the body and that is what the pastor does best. Value their gifts but also help them stay connected and grounded. Help support their work by sending them to various conferences and equipping areas and provide the financial means to do this. Intercessors will fight until the end but need to know they are valued. Many have left assignments because they never felt affirmed in their calling. Affirmation is one of the greatest areas you can bless the intercessor in. Shepherding intercessors can sometimes be a very labor-intensive work, but as the intercessors grow more in maturity, you will reap a great harvest and have a very loyal team.

INTERCESSOR TO PASTOR:

As an intercessor, you are called to support the work of the pastor and be a helper to the vision that the Lord has granted to the pastor.

The intercessor must recognize that the vision carrier for the church is the pastor and the intercessor must work as part of the pastor’s team to see the vision come forth.

Two visions spell di-vision and the intercessor must protect their heart from creating separate vision from that of the pastor/leadership.

Intercessors have a gifting to be able to see areas of potential conflict or upcoming conflict and stand in the gap so the plans of the enemy do not come to pass. Because of their gifts, they frequently see things from a different vantage point and pray accordingly. Many are the stories of how intercessors were alerted by the Lord (without ever receiving a phone call) and have prayed with intensity and changed the outcome of the situation. This gift/role is so much needed in the body and specifically within a leadership team of a congregation and or city-reaching team. The danger for the intercessor is in the development of pride. Due to the nature of the gift and what the Lord allows the intercessor to see, the enemy would try to make the intercessor to think more highly of themselves than they ought. A humble attitude is vitally needed to serve the purposes of God and to serve the other leaders on the team. The intercessor must recognize (as well as the other team members) that the gifts they have received are a gracing from God and so they must take on the form of a servant and serve where their gifts allow. Another area that the intercessor must walk in is PRACTICALITY. Don’t allow the gift to make you so heavenly minded that you become no earthly good.

Some of the areas that you can best serve the pastors of your congregation or in your city are:

1) Seek first and foremost to be a servant and meet the present need. Don’t assume that you know what is needed, ask and serve in the areas requested.

2) Don’t share all that you receive in prayer. Narrow it down and share only that which the Lord releases you to share. Then you must allow the leaders to do with it what is needed. Your job is only to be the messenger; you are not responsible for their response. This is an area that stumbles many intercessors. Frequently when intercessors receive something from the Lord, they also have a sense of what the outcome might look like. Most of the time though, they are not the ones deciding the outcome and so they must understand that they are only to be the messenger and must leave the message with the hands of those they were called to give it to and then be released from it. Don’t try and make it happen, trust the Lord to impart how it fits to the Leaders. You can continue to pray but don’t try and make something happen, be at peace knowing you did your part and trust the Lord for the rest.

3) Another way to serve the leadership team is to pray frequently for them and to speak words that edify and build up! This gives a pastor much needed encouragement and fuel to keep going. Do not expand on what you are praying unless the pastor seeks it out. Many times pastors are watching for the fruit of faithfulness and kindness to be represented in your life before they want to know what you are receiving from the Lord. Sometimes there is distrust in the heart of the pastors from having gotten "burned" previously from others who said they were intercessors and it takes them awhile to trust again. Be patient in this process and just seek to serve them by praying for them and helping out in tangible ways. If the Lord desires you to work more closely on the team, trust must come first so be patient with the process.

GIFTED INTERCESSION

Anyone can pray for others and step in with God on their behalf. But some people are gifted at intercession. They have an ear and a passion for the needs of others, and take them before God even when those other people reject God. An intercessor's heart is touched for those in need, not so much on their side as by their side and on their behalf. They have a burden for that person. They persevere. They let the Spirit give them comfort about it, instead of worrying. And when word of results comes, they celebrate and are happy about it. If that sounds like you, then you may be a gifted intercessor.

Sometimes, someone is led to be an intercessor for a specific person or mission or task. Such people are valuable even beyond donors. Such intercessors sometimes get a strong sense of coming danger about whom they're praying for. They often report they're driven to their knees to pray about something they can't otherwise have known was happening. Sounds weird, but it's true.

Intercessors also pray for world, national, and local political leaders. This follows in the tradition of the early church's prayers for the Roman authorities. Some people actually think it's good to pray against evildoers and oppressive leaders, even to pray for their death. Not that God would pay any attention to you if you did. But such thinking poisons your attitude. Pray rather that the Spirit would lead them or change them. When James and John asked for permission to do harm to their enemies by praying for divine acts of judgement, Jesus reminded them of why He was there (and they, too):

"For the Son of Man did not come to destroy peoples' lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:56).

Intercessory prayer aims to build people into what God wants of them, not to tear them down.

 

Intercession - Standing in the Gap

Intercession and Intercessors are needed in every generation. Ezekiel echoes these word "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none."                                                                              Ezekiel 

The Ministry of Intercession is what will hold God to His promises regarding lives, be they for a family, a city or even a tribe. Prayer Warriors, Intercession.  N one ministry has all the revelation necessary to strategize over nations". That is, it would take the body coming together for battle plans to be revealed.
This ministry need not be left for the very spiritual. All can become intercessors. In fact, we are all called to this ministry.
Intercession can be at several level.

(a) Family Intercession - Interceding on behalf of your family members.

(b) Local Intercession - Interceding with other believers on behalf of the city or locality.

(c) National Intercession - Interceding on behalf of your country.

(d) International Intercession - Interceding on behalf of regions, comprising of several nations.

Please note that as the level change, the type of intercession can change. You will move from individual level to corporate level intercession.

We Are In A WAR~

 In whatever way you look at it, we are all in a war and intercessors are needed world over. You need to put on the full armour of God and get ready.
Start here... Let us pray for The Family Unit

The Bible says "Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." (Psalm 127: 1-5)

Friends, Let us pray and declare that: -

OUR PEACE

May His peace be evident in our lives · Let us believe God that He will remove every worry and anxiety that is within our homes. Let us pray that God will give an uncommon peace as we learn to trust in Him;

· Let us agree with those that are trusting God for the fruit of the womb that He will give them peace in this regard; and

· Let us believe God for Peace and unity within the family.

OUR INTERCESSOR

· Let us pray that each of our children shall be prayer a warrior and shall contend with the devil;

· Let us pray for a warrior’s spirit to rest upon our children that they will know their position in Christ Jesus; and

· Like David, they will not rest when the Name of The Lord is put to shame but instead will pick up the sling-shot of prayer and bring down the powers of darkness

Be blessed as you intercede for your family.

Please note that as the level change, the type of intercession can change. You will move from individual level to corporate level intercession.

· Let us believe God for Peace and unity within the family. 

OUR INTERCESSOR

 Quiet Time Tips

HELPS TO INTERCESSION- DAYS 1- 15

This Guide is help us begin to have disciplined time of Intercessory Prayer. 

If you are not overly disciplined in intercession, you are encouraged to follow this plan and begin praying.

HOW TO PRAY - In the Spirit

"Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication." Eph.6:18 "...pray in the Holy Spirit;...." Jude 20
Our Lord gave His disciples  on His resurrection day the Holy Spirit to enable them to wait for the full outpouring on the day of Pentecost. It is only in the power of the Spirit already in us, acknowledged and yielded to, that we can pray for His fuller manifestation. Say to the Father, it is the Spirit of His Son in you is urging you top lead His promise.
WHAT TO PRAY - For all Saints

Pray at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,...." Ephesians 6:18 

 WHAT TO PRAY - For all Saints HOW TO PRAY - In the Love of the Spirit "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35
"...I...pray...that they may all be one; so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." John 17:21
"I appeal to you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,...." Romans 15:30

Above all hold unfailing your love for one another,...." 1 Peter 4:8
If we are to pray we must  To Study more on prayer

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TO WAKE UP THE DEAD (CHURCH)

I've had this happen many times, and you've probably come across this too. (So have many who now avoid church like the plague.) You walk into a church event or a worship service, and you sense an overwhelming deadness. And you know it's not your imagination or your spiritual pride kicking in. When you're sitting among those frozen chosen, what can you do?

First : pray. Pray that God uses you or anyone else to breathe the Spirit into the place. Pray for those up front who are doing what they're doing : liturgical assistants, facilitators, eucharistic celebrants, and so on. Pray for the preachers and speakers (but not so much that you're too busy praying to listen). Then, pray a moment for each person around you. (This is best done with eyes open.) Fan out from there, to each person further and further away, until you've prayed for each person at the event or service. Second : sing. You don't have to be a good singer, just an energetic one who can come reasonably close to pitch. (If you're clearly pitch-impaired, don't sing; you'll only inspire thoughts of murder not divinity.) If they're singing the same old hymns or praise songs and just going through the motions, sing boldly. If they're just blurting out the liturgical cants, belt out your response parts. God can use prayer and music to light a fire under anything.