John Lindell My blogs on life, family and ministry.

This Sunday is Leadership Appreciation–the notes of appreciation and testimony are always encouraging. But the greatest encouragement is to know that people are praying for us and those who are part of the JRA Leadership. Nothing is more important.

The “Prince of Preachers,” Charles Haddon Spurgeon, wrote the following:

The prayer meeting is an invaluable institution ministering strength to all other meetings and agencies. This brings a further observation. This united prayer should specially be made for the ministers of God. It is for them in particular that this public prayer is intended. Paul asks for it: “Brethren, pray for us” (1 Thessalonians 5:25). God’s ministers will always confess that this is the secret source of their strength. The prayers of the people must be the might of the ministers. Keep in mind why the minister more than any other person in the church needs the earnest prayers of the people. Is not his position the most perilous? Satan knows if he can once smite through the minister’s heart, there will be a general confusion among God’s people. It is around the standard bearer that the fight is thickest. There the battle-axes ring upon the helmets and the arrows are bent upon the armor, for the foe knows that if he can cut down the standard, he will strike a heavy blow and cause deep discouragement. Press around your minister, then, you men at arms! Knights of the cross rally to his defense, for the fight grows hot. The person you call to the office of the ministry needs you to stand fast at his side in the hourly conflicts. The life of a minister is so perilous that I may well cry, “All hands on deck!” Let every saint give himself to prayer; let even the weakest saint become instant in supplication.

Do pray for those in ministry. If God gives a minister to your church and you accept the gift most cheerfully, do not so despise both God and the minister as to leave the minister without your prayers.

The preservation and health of the minister is one of the most vital points to the church. You may lose a sailor from the ship, and that is very bad–both for him and for you–but if the captain should be washed overboard, what is the vessel to do? Therefore, though prayer is to be made for every person in the church, yet for the minister is it to be offered first and foremost because of the position that he occupies. If you were to keep a private table for personal spiritual growth, he is, as it were, to keep a public table–a feast of good spiritual things for all comers. How shall he do this unless his Master gives him rich provisions? If you are to shine as a candle in a house, the minister is to be a lighthouse to be seen far across the deep. How shall he shine the whole night long unless he is trimmed by his Master and fresh oil is given him from heaven? If there is any truth in all this, I implore you to generously and constantly pray for those who minister to you.