Praying For Your Pastor

Recently, Ligon Duncan, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, MS, posted a list of ways he asked his church to pray for him. It’s a wonderful list, so I’m asking our church to pray for me in this way as well.

1. Pray that Pastor Jim would know and love the living God, would have a saving interest in Christ, being purchased by His blood, and thus would be bound to the Lord by the indissoluble bond of the Holy Spirit.

2. Pray that Pastor Jim would know, embrace and ever more deeply understand the Gospel and be shaped by it in life and ministry.

3. Pray that Pastor Jim would be a useful servant of the Lord; that he would know and love God's word, God's people, and God's kingdom; that he would be used to build it up and so that it prevails even against Hell's gates.

4. Pray that Pastor Jim would study, practice and teach the Word of the Lord, by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

5. Pray that Pastor Jim would love to pray, because he loves to commune with his God, and that he would be a man of prayer, characteristically.

6. Pray that Pastor Jim would be ever dependent upon and filled with the Spirit; and that he would possess true Spiritual wisdom.

7. Pray that Pastor Jim would be holy unto the Lord and that his tongue and heart would be wholly God's.

8. Pray that Pastor Jim would be kept from pride, and especially spiritual pride. Pray that the Lord himself would be gracious to slay pride in him, and that he would endeavor to always be putting pride to death, by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

9. Pray that God would give Pastor Jim guidance as to where to focus his efforts in ministry.

10. Pray that He would protect Pastor Jim from himself, from the enemy of his soul, and from all earthly enemies.

11. Pray that no decision which Pastor Jim ever makes or desire that he ever pursues would restrict his ability to pour his whole soul into the Gospel ministry.

12. Pray that many would be converted and many built up under Pastor Jim's ministry, to God's glory alone.

13. Pray that the Lord would bless Pastor Jim's wife, Miranda, with holiness and happiness, Gospel assurance and Gospel rest.

14. Pray that God would make Pastor Jim a decent husband and father.

15. Pray that Pastor Jim would be a good friend to his wife, and love her self-sacrificially,

16. Pray that Pastor Jim would be a good daddy to his children. Pray that they would love God, their parents and the church.

17. Pray that Pastor Jim would be a testimony in the home so that his wife might be able to respect him when he is in the pulpit, and so that he will be able to feed her soul, along with the rest of the congregation.

Thank you for your prayers!