Pastor, how do you pray for your congregation?
We use prayer cards, ask for requests, and take notes on our weekly conversations for specific needs in our congregation. What do you pray generally for the people under your care?
Every Friday we have prayer and fasting at our church. We open the sanctuary with soft music playing from 11:30 am t0 1:30 pm, so that anyone in town can come by on their lunch break and spend time in prayer.
This week I felt led to pray the Scriptures. I have to confess that I don’t usually pray straight from the word of God. Scriptural concepts and Scriptural promises, sure. But not praying right off the page.
I was asking God to flow the Fruit of the Spirit out of us, when I grabbed my Bible and turned to Galatians 5. From this familiar passage, verses 16 to 25, I prayed the following thoughts for my congregation. )These are the main ideas, not my complete prayer.)
1. Help us to walk in the Spirit. We do not want to fulfill the flesh, or to war against the Spirit. We want to be led by the Spirit. (See vv. 16-18.)
2. Remove from us the works of the flesh. Take away any desire or thought that is the root of these sins, for Christ said the smallest step towards any of these is as if they had been done outright. Lead us from each of these. We want to inherit the Kingdom, not disqualify ourselves from it. (See vv.19-22.)
3. Produce the Fruit of the Spirit in us. Start with our hearts, for these flow from the inside out. Grow each of these in us, and let them pour onto the lives of those around us. (See v. 23.)
4. Help us to know that our flesh, desires and passions are crucified. To reckon our old self dead on the cross, and now alive as new creations. (See v. 24.)
5. Teach us to live in the Spirit, to walk by His leading, so that we would not miss any encounter or task that You have for us. (See v. 25.)
What about you? How are you praying for your church?
Chris MacKinnon 