Minister’s Prayer

By Billy Long

 Inspired by the Apostle Paul’s statement of his confident ministerial expectations, I read through the scripture and made a list of spiritual experiences that should describe God’s ministers. I cry for the Lord to do these things in my life as a preacher and teacher of God’s word. The list is shown below and should be every minister’s desire and prayer.     

(1) To go forth in the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel of    Christ. Romans 15: 29.

(2) To know the Lord. Not superficially, but intimately. 1 Sam 3:7,     Ex 33:13, Philip 3:7-10.

 (3) To have spiritual substance. So that our words are spiritual life   and have weight and are not just intellectual fluff. 1 Sam 3: 19-21,   Luke 1:8, 2:40, John 6:63.

 (4) To have the Lord’s Presence. His manifested presence moving among us. John 15:20, Acts 5:32, 7:9-10, Exodus 33:13-16, 34:9.

 (5) To actually feed the sheep. John 21: 15-17, Acts 20: 28.

 (6) To equip the saints. Ephesians 4: 11-16.

 (7. To strengthen the church. Acts 14:22, 15:32,41, 18:23.

 (8) To impart spiritual gifts. Romans 1: 11

 (9) To complete what is lacking in the lives of those to whom I       minister. 1 Thess 3:10. 

 (10) To walk in the power and anointing of Jesus' commission to His disciples. To minister salvation, healing, deliverance from evil spirits, supernatural comfort, healing the broken-hearted,  sight to the blind, the deaf hear, the lame walk. Luke 4:18, Matthew 10:7-9, Acts 19: 11-12, 4:27-33. 

(11) To stand in the council room. To have prophetic insight and   revelation. Zechariah 3:7, Jeremiah 23:18, Prov 29:18.. 

 (12) That the word be wheat (to feed), fire (to purge and cleanse),   hammer (to break the strongholds of the enemy). That the word not 
 be chaff. Jer 23:28-29.

 (13) To have grace and anointing to lay hands on believers and they   receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:14-17, Acts 19:6.

This list is by no means complete. But it is a start. How awesome and magnificent would the church be if preachers of the gospel would experience and follow the verses quoted above. May the Lord visit us His servants and raise up laborers for the harvest and shepherds for the flock, and make us vessels unto honor, sanctified, and fit for the Master’s use.           

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