Inviting Pastors & Leaders to Reflect on Their Prayer Needs

Partners in Prayer Australia

INVITING PASTORS & LEADERS TO REFLECT ON THEIR PRAYER NEEDS.

Our General Need for More Prayer. We invite you to reflect prayerfully on ways for the Body of Christ to move together in united prayer toward intentional mission, to see Jesus Kingdom made visible in our behavior toward each other across age, ethnicity, culture and social policies and structures. Only God can transform us, our families, communities, states and nation. He waits on us to move as one with Him. Prayer is a tool Jesus has given to build our relationship with Him and with each other. We encourage and support pastors to appoint prayer leaders to build up prayer within local churches and united prayer across local churches for their region.

Our Specific Need for Prayer Shields. Many pastors and leaders in government, business and the Church acknowledge their need for more prayer time and more prayer support. There is a history of lack of trust in relationships between pastors and intercessors so we challenge all parties to examine what you need to do to move forward. We seek to help leaders establish contracted relationships with confidential spiritually mature trusted people who will pray for them and their families and intercede for their ministries and businesses. These questions are offered for personal reflection.

Who prays for you or your ministry/business? ______You may like to ask God to reveal, over the next few days, those who pray for you. Names will come to mind and people will contact you to say they pray for you.

A strong prayer shield can deepen your relationship with God and people; your peace of mind in the midst of challenge; your family’s wellbeing; your wellbeing; your work and the power of God moving through you. Ask your family how well you are all doing. Reflect honestly on any aspects of your life that need more of God’s leading and grace: ______

On this basis do you think you need a stronger prayer life/ prayer shield? ______

A prayer shield can have 3 layers. 1. The inner circle is a few people whose confidentiality, discernment and wisdom you deeply trust. You rely on frequent deep advisory communication with them. 2. These are intercessors who have an expressed arrangement to stand in the gap and pray for you. They need you to communicate –eg monthly with a list of your needs and feedback . 3. Finally there are those in your general network who pray for you even though you may be unaware of this. Name those in your first prayer shield? ______Name those in your second prayer shield? ______Your prayer shield intercessors need clear contracts e.g. to pray for you for the next 6 months when you come to mind, sufficient information on your needs and plans; feedback, thanks and permission to bring discernment to you. Your prayer shield needs more people during crisis and as your authority/territory expands. You need intercessors who are confidential, spiritually wise and discerning and people with a range of intercession skills and gifts targeted to your needs/sphere. e.g. faithful list pray-ers and people who intercede in crisis; specific issues or people groups, for healing; evangelism; finance; who discern what God is saying; pray in the Spirit; in tongues; with symbolic acts, worship, warfare, mercy- tears and travail. What do you need to do to strengthen your prayer shield? ______If you have questions or would like assistance in equipping those who pray for you; identifying mature intercessors; resources on why leaders need prayer support; or referral to confidential prayer ministry: Contact Sue Tinworth sue@partners in prayer .org.au 0418 389 419

Partners in Prayer Australia

BECOMING PART OF THE PRAYER SHIELD FOR PASTORS, LEADERS AND INTERCESSORS These questions are offered for personal reflection.

YOU CAN STRENGTHEN HOW YOU CAN PRAYER FOR OTHERS. Many pastors and leaders in government, business and the Church acknowledge their need for more prayer support. But there is a history of lack of trust in relationships between pastors and intercessors based on poor understanding of each other’s gifts and roles, broken confidentiality and lack of humility, wisdom and skill in communicating and bringing discernment. We challenge all parties to examine what you need to do to move forward. We seek to help leaders establish contracted relationships with confidential spiritually mature trusted people who will pray for them and their families and intercede for their ministries and businesses. Reflect deeply- asking God to remind you of when you have lacked sufficient spiritual maturity, confidentiality, discernment and wisdom in how you have prayed for, spoken of and related to leaders. ______

TO INTERCEDE– IS TO STAND IN THE GAP TO PRAY FOR OTHERS. We all do it but some are called and gifted to intercede for particular people, people groups, territories or issues. A prayer shield needs people with a mix of skills and gifts. A prayer shield can have 3 layers. All layers are crucially important. Your relationship with a leader will naturally change over time. 1. The inner circle is just a few people who may have a frequent deep advisory communication with the leader. 2. These intercessors have an expressed arrangement to pray for the leader and receive communication –eg a monthly list of the leader’s needs and feedback. 3. Those people pray for a leader even though they may be unaware of this.

WHO DO YOU FEEL CALLED TO PRAY FOR? Identify the leaders you pray for: ______

Note with (1) (2) (3) which layer of their prayer shield you fulfill and reflect on whether you have sufficient information/feedback. Communicate sensitively with these leaders. If you would like to become part of a prayer shield for a leader approach them and offer. Accept whatever level of shielding they give you. Identify domains in our society you feel called to pray for. Underline items in the following list: Family, Business, Church & Charity, Creative arts, Education, Government, Health, Justice, Media & Sport. Identify geographic regions, topics or people groups (age groups; ethnic; Indigenous people, needs) you feel called to pray for:______

WHAT KIND OF AN INTERCESSOR ARE YOU? Identify the ways you intercede. Underline items in the following list: I like to have listed prayer points. I pray as prompted by God –when a face or name or detail comes to mind. I pray strongly in crisis; for healing; for evangelism/lost souls; for specific issues or people groups for large sums of money; for shifts in the spiritual realm; with a sense of what God is saying or declaring. I pray through tongues, song, worship, symbolic acts, heartfelt identification–tears or travail.

WHO PRAYS FOR YOU? ______Intercessors also need prayer shields – especially if they are in the inner layer of a leader’s shield or interceding in crisis or warfare. Does your wellbeing and that of your family indicate you have sufficient prayer shielding? ______If you have questions or would like to become more equipped as an intercessor; connected with others; would like resources on intercession or on why leaders need prayer support; or referral to confidential prayer ministry: Contact Sue Tinworth sue@partners in prayer .org.au 0418 389 419