“Effectual
Fervency in Supplication for Pastor Grant”
While I was in early elementary school, the student
body memorized the whole book of Jude. I can’t quote it from memory any more,
but many of the most poignant sections of that brief letter have stuck with me over the years.
Please read this excerpt…
“Beloved,
building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking
for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion,
making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless
before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power,
both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude
20-25)
Did you notice the foundations for effective ministry,
victorious living and a Christ honoring life? One of the four pillars was, “Praying in the Holy Ghost.” Evangelism,
holiness and praise are (in part) only possible as we pray. Not just any prayer,
but Spirit filled prayer. Consider these support texts…
“The
Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession
for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searches the hearts
knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27)
“Praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication
for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me,
that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein
I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:18-20)
There is an old trite expression that I use and
reuse often. Yet, it can’t be overused because it is so true. It goes like this, “Much prayer, much power; little prayer, little power; no prayer, no power.” Perhaps that is a slight oversimplification, but the point is plain.
Remember when the Disciples failed to accomplish
what Jesus had commissioned them to accomplish in Mark 9? Speaking of a man’s
demon possessed son, “His disciples asked Him privately, ‘Why could not we cast him
out?’ And He said unto them, ‘This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer
and fasting’” (verses 28-29). Even doing the right thing is not possible
without doing it God’s way. God’s presence, power and approval come to those
who pray in the Holy Ghost.
Twice this week my attention has been directed toward
this subject. I received the following e-mail from a friend and missionary, Barry
Secrest. Read this…
Dear
Supporters,
Many
of you have asked, on a regular basis, for what to pray. I have never seen anything
as relevant as what my mother sent to me as an outline of what she prays for on our behalf.
I think it will be useful for all of us. Please use this outline if you
truly do want your prayer to be effective for us. THANK YOU!
1. Pray for Character (Hebrews 13:18-19)
Lord please help Barry and Barb
to have a clear conscience,
to be innocent when accused,
to be blameless when dealing with sin in others,
to never cut corners or compromise convictions,
to live an honest, noble, and honorable life,
2.
Pray for Clarity (Colossians 4:4)
to make the message plain and simple,
to openly present the gospel for all to hear,
to conscientiously study the local language,
to constantly seek ways to impact the local culture,
to allow the Holy Spirit to do His work,
3.
Pray for Courage
to develop a fearless, daring heart,
to speak out even when physically or emotionally drained,
to have freedom to speak out when opportunity is given,
to be culturally conscious, but always turn to the Scriptures,
4.
Pray for Chances (Colossians 4:3)
to seek diligently for open doors,
to depend upon the Lord to open doors,
to knock until doors open,
to avoid forcing doors open,
to realize that big doors always mean many adversaries,
5.
Pray for Deliverance (ll Thessalonians 3:1-2)
to be shielded from malicious wickedness,
to be protected so ministry can progress,
to be careful not to shun serving in difficult places,
to be anticipating opposition to all true ministry, and
to be rescued when facing all harm.
I
hope this was not too long, but thought it was good and helps me when praying for you.
Love
MOM
Barry
Secrest for Barb, Thomas, David and Anthony, Las Piedras, Uruguay, South America
My Father got the same e-mail and “revamped”
the outline and sent it out like this. I repeat it for emphasis and to share
the slight changes he made. Read on…
“For
What Do We Pray?”
“Brethren, pray for us” (I Thessalonians 5:25).
I
have never seen anything as relevant as what Berry Secrest mother sent to Him as an outline of what she prays for on his behalf.
I think it will be useful for all of us.
Paul
and David gives us some verses of instruction that will help our prayer life…
1.
Pray for Character
“Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner”
(Hebrews 13:18).
Lord
please help Brother Talley to have a clear conscience,
to
be innocent when falsely accused,
to
be blameless when dealing with sin in others lives,
to
never cut corners or compromise convictions, and
to
live an honest, noble, and honorable life.
2.
Pray For Clarity
“That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak” (Colossians 4:4).
Lord
please help Brother Talley to make the messages plain and simple,
to
openly present the gospel for all to hear,
to
conscientiously study the word of God,
to
present the teaching of God’s Word in a plain and simple manner,
to
constantly seek ways to impact the field in which we work, and
to
allow the Holy Spirit to do His work.
3.
Pray For Courage
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say,
on the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14).
Lord
please help Brother Talley to develop a fearless, daring heart,
to
speak out even when physically or emotionally drained,
to
have freedom to speak out when opportunity is given, and
to
be culturally conscious, but always turn to the Scriptures.
4.
Pray For Chances
“Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak
the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds” (Colossians 4:3).
Lord
please help Brother Talley to seek diligently for open doors,
to
depend upon the Lord to open doors,
to
knock until doors open,
to
avoid forcing doors open, and
to
realize that big doors always mean many adversaries.
5.
Pray for Free Course
“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be
glorified, even as it is with you: and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.”
(ll Thessalonians 3:1-2)
Lord
please help Brother Talley to be shielded from malicious wickedness,
to
be protected so ministry can progress,
to
be careful not to shun serving in difficult places,
to
be anticipating opposition to all true ministry, and
to
be rescued when facing all harm.
What else is there to say?
Now, not only do Barry Secrest and Arthur Talley
need this prayer, I need people praying for me in this way. My brother Robert,
who is also a Pastor, needs such intercession on his behalf. I have friends in
ministry in the DelMarVa Baptist Fellowship who need supplications to be offered to God for them after this manner. We have missionaries that our church supports that need us to be praying for them in this way. Our Deacons need prayer. But, most prominently in my mind
right now: our church has just voted to call Pastor Derrick Grant to be the Youth Pastor at Grace. He too needs Christians praying in the Holy Ghost for him to prosper in accordance with this outline of
prayer.
Based upon the model prayer and the outline from
Barry’s Mom, here is my prayer today…
“Oh, my Father in heaven, I come to You
in the name of Jesus. You alone are holy. You
alone are worthy. I’m here before You to pray for this new co-laborer in ministry. Reign in the life of Pastor Grant. Use
him to establish Your kingdom in the hearts of young people. Draw his attitudes
and actions into compliance with your wishes. Provide for the Grant family today. Forgive them when they fail. As you guide
Pastor Grant in harboring no vindictiveness against any person, Lord, be patient with him and don’t hold anything in his past
against him. Place a hedge around him that will keep evil away from him. He is Yours. You are in Him. All credit for what He accomplishes belongs to You.
Dear God, please help Pastor Grant to have a
clear conscience, to be innocent when accused, to be blameless himself when dealing with sin in other’s lives, to never cut
corners or compromise convictions, to live an honest, noble, and honorable life, to make the messages to our children plain
and simple, to openly present the gospel for all to hear, to conscientiously study the Word of God, to present the teaching
of God’s Word in a plain and simple manner, to constantly seek ways to impact Hurlock, to allow the Holy Spirit to do His
work, to have a fearless, daring heart, to speak the truth boldly even when physically or emotionally drained, to have freedom
to speak out whenever opportunities are given, to be culturally conscious, but always turn to the Scriptures, to seek diligently
for open doors, to depend upon the Lord to open doors, to knock until doors open, to avoid forcing doors open, to realize
that big doors always mean many adversaries, to be shielded from malicious wickedness, to be protected so ministry can progress,
to be careful not to shun serving in difficult places, to be anticipating opposition to all true ministry, and to be rescued
when facing all harm.”
Could you, my dear reader, pray this prayer in the
Holy Ghost for Pastor Grant today?
