The Primacy of Prayer for God’s People

by Pastor Dave

Hopefully soon you’ll notice prayer cards with photos of pastors from the persecuted church in Orissa who I personally met while in India. Many of them carry physical scars from beatings they incurred from evil men. All of them carry emotional scars from seeing their homes and churches burned, and hundreds of believers murdered when mobs of militant Hindus ravaged over 400 Christian villages in Fall 2008.

Some of the 33 pastors have returned to their villages to attempt rebuilding. Most of them, however, remain in hiding, knowing their lives are still in danger. Another pastor was poisoned to death in that city just weeks before I arrived on November 9. Though we felt safe in the hotel, we were told not to open our doors if anyone knocked during the night. One of our teammates was awakened by pounding on his door in the middle of the night and, disregarding it, remained safe.

As I met with these men at a Pastor’s Conference, I told them that their pictures would be used to encourage folks to pray for them. You probably heard my ministry report on Sunday morning, Dec. 11. (If you missed the sermon, you can listen on our Sermons Page.)

The real work, however, wasn’t in taking the pictures. It wasn’t in gaining the information of the pastor’s family or church name. It isn’t primarily in printing the prayer cards. The real work remains to be done. The real work is prayer.

The Apostle Paul recognized the primacy of prayer as well. This super apostle, this mighty missionary, realized that he could do nothing apart from the prayers of God’s people. Notice what he writes in some of his epistles:

"With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel..." -Ephesians 6:18-19 (NASB)

"Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith." -2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 (NASB)

Now, notice the confidence Paul exhibited in such prayers of God’s people:

"And He will yet deliver us, you also joining in helping us through your prayers, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed upon us through the prayers of many." -2 Corinthians 1:10b-11 (NASB)

E.M. Bounds wrote in "Prayer and Praying Men," "Paul solicits and pleads for the help of others. Their prayers are just now needed... To prayer there are the greatest hindrances and the most inveterate foes. Mighty evil forces surge around the closets of prayer... Hell must fear and stagger and under the mightiness of the prayer stroke. The strongest graces and the manliest efforts are requisite here. Enemies are to be faced and routed and fields are to be won. The most unflagging and invincible bravery and the highest qualities of Christian soldierhood are demanded for prayer. It is a trumpet call to prayer, a chieftain’s clarion note, sounded out for earnest, persistent prayer as the great spiritual conflict rages."

Would you join me in praying for these men? Obtain a prayer card and put it in a place where you’ll be reminded to pray for one of these faithful servants of the Lord. Pray they will remain faithful to the task before them. Pray for God’s provision, as they are struggling to make ends meet. Pray for God’s protection, as there remain evil men who want to hinder the work of God.

"Rise up, O men of God! Have done with lesser things; Give heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the King of kings. Rise up, O men of God! The Church for you doth wait; Her strength unequal to her task; Rise up and make her great!" -From "Rise Up, O Men of God" by William Merrill