The Bible has a lot to say about prayer, but one of the most important is that we should pray for our leaders. That’s right, God wants you to pray for the people who are leading you spiritually.

In Acts 12:5-11, Peter was imprisoned because he had been preaching the gospel. He was alone in his cell when an angel appeared and released him from prison. The angel told him that someone had prayed for him while he was in prison (Acts 12:5). The angel also said that he had come to release Peter from prison because of the prayers of this person (Acts 12:7).

Now, who do you suppose it was that prayed for Peter? You guessed it—it was none other than another church leader named John Mark!

So why did God allow Peter to be imprisoned? Why did He allow him to be tortured? Why didn’t He just let Peter go free so that he could continue preaching the gospel? The answer can be found in Acts 12:1-4 where we see that there was a plot against Peter’s life by Herod Agrippa. God allowed this plot against His servant so that His name would be glorified through His servant’s death or imprisonment.

Right here on Churchgist, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on intercessory prayer for church leaders, 31 scriptures to pray for your pastor, scriptural prayers for pastors and leaders and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.

Bible Verses Prayer For Church Leaders

Introduction

I’ve been serving in ministry for the past 15 years and I’ve seen my share of church leaders who seem to burnout, get discouraged, or simply just quit. Sometimes it seems like their effectiveness is dependent on how strong their self-esteem is that day. These types of leaders need a lot of encouragement and help to continue growing as Christians and as leaders. That’s why I want to share with you some prayers for our pastors and other church leaders. You can pray these anytime for your pastor or another leader at your church.

Lord, I pray that you will be with our pastor and other leaders of the church. I pray that you would give them wisdom and strength in their daily decisions and actions.

We all know the importance of prayer. The Bible says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). And if you are a leader in the church, then it is vital that you pray for yourself and your team.

Here are some things I pray for my pastor as he leads our church:

• I pray that he would have wisdom from above so that he can make good decisions.
• I pray for his health both physically and spiritually so that he can serve God longer.
• I also ask God to bless his family because they sacrifice so much to serve Him with their husband/father.

Lord, I pray that you will help our pastor/leader to continue to grow as a Christian and leader.

The Bible is filled with verses to pray for your pastor/leader, and these are just a few of them:

• “Pray for us, too, that the word of the Lord may run quickly and be glorified throughout the whole world.” (2 Thessalonians 3:1)
• “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
• “And this ministry which I have received from my Father indeed has been given to me for you also.” (John 17:18)

Lord, help them to live a life of integrity, honesty and faithfulness.

Lord, help them to live a life of integrity, honesty and faithfulness.

Leaders are often faced with difficult decisions in the course of their responsibilities. They must be willing to stand on principle and show courage when circumstances require it. Help them to know what is right from wrong, what is best for the church body at large and how to lead with wisdom and grace. Give them discernment to know when they need counsel or advice so that they can make wise choices at all times.

Lord, I pray that you would help our leaders with their priorities. Help them to focus on what is most important first.

As you pray for your leaders, remember that they are human and make mistakes. Pray for them to be honest with you about their failings and shortcomings. Pray for them to be transparent with their struggles so that the rest of the team can help carry the burden of leadership.

Pray that God would help our leaders see what is truly most important in life and order their lives accordingly so as not to get distracted by things less significant. For example, it’s easy for a pastor’s wife to get caught up in household responsibilities instead of spending time with her family or serving others through ministry activities because these tasks feel urgent compared to other things going on around her house (like cooking dinner). It might be difficult at first, but if she takes time every day before bedtime praying specifically about ordering her priorities first so that she can set aside some time each morning/afternoon/evening where she focuses solely on being present as a mother instead of doing laundry or cleaning floors; then over time this will become easier until those normal daily tasks are completed without much thought at all!

Lord Jesus Christ grant unto me thy servant grace in all wisdom: instruct me I beseech thee how best I may both profit myself & others according Psa 35:10-11& Rom 1:11-12& Col 4:6-7

Lord, I pray that you would help our church leaders focus on the big picture. Help them not to get bogged down or discouraged by small or petty things.

• Focus on the big picture, not the small details.
• Don’t get bogged down by the small things.
• Don’t let the small things get you down.

Lord, I pray that our leaders will have good health physically and spiritually so they can serve You effectively.

Lord, I pray that our leaders will have good health physically and spiritually so they can serve You effectively.

I pray for their physical strength to be restored when needed, but also for them to be able to rest as much as possible. As a leader, we must always be ready for the next task at hand, but it’s often our physical health that suffers from this. Please restore balance in the body, soul and spirit of all those who lead Your church.

I also ask You to bless their minds with wisdom in all things so they can make decisions wisely not just for themselves but for all those whom they serve as well. Lord help us all learn from one another’s mistakes as we live out our faith together!

Lord, I pray that You will help our pastor/leader to un-clutter their schedule so they have time for the important things in life.

• Your pastor/leader should have time for the important things in life.
• Your pastor/leader should have time for their family.
• Your pastor/leader should have time for their own spiritual growth.
• Your pastor/leader should have time for their own physical health.
• Your pastor/leader should have time for their own emotional health.

Lord, I pray that You will help our leaders to set boundaries with their time and commitments so they don’t become overwhelmed.

• Set boundaries with your time. Don’t overcommit yourself.
• Don’t be afraid to say no when you need to, especially if it’s for the greater good of others.
• Ask for help when you need it and don’t be afraid to say no when someone asks for your time or commitment; remember everyone has their own life too!

Lord, I pray that our church leaders will be able to discern truth from lies both in themselves and others –– especially the devil’s lies!

Discernment is an important skill for all Christians, but it is especially crucial for leaders. A pastor’s life is full of temptation and lies that can lead him astray if he doesn’t have discernment.

Discernment is necessary because there are so many different kinds of lies in this world: the devil’s lies, other people’s lies, even your own personal lies! If you don’t discern between what’s true and what’s false then you’ll be easily deceived by false information which could potentially damage your relationship with God or even lead you astray from Him altogether!

Lord, help our leaders to have a teachable spirit – one where they are willing to learn from their mistakes and change when necessary.

As you pray for your leaders, ask God to help them have a teachable spirit. A teachable spirit is one that is willing to learn from mistakes and change when necessary. This kind of leader will be more effective because they can adapt their style based on the needs of those they serve better than someone who is stubborn or set in their ways. They are also less likely to needlessly offend people or cause conflict because they will be more flexible in how they lead and interact with others, which helps everyone feel heard and valued.

intercessory prayer for church leaders

Prayer for Wisdom
Almighty God, I come before You on behalf of our pastor leaders and church. Please crush any weapon formed against them, and do not allow it to prosper. God, we pray that You will grant our leaders with the spirit of Solomon so that they may have sound wisdom, knowledge and understanding. Lead them with the Holy Spirit. Counsel our pastor leaders and church so that they may do Your work and lead Your people. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Isaiah 54:17, 2 Chronicles 1:10

Prayer for Healing
Jesus our Redeemer, we thank You for Your Word that reminds us that ‘by Your stripes we are healed.’ You have pardoned our sins and restored us to Your favor. You have suffered in our places. Lord, I pray that You would grant supernatural healing for our leaders. Grant Your healing powers on them, so that Your healing flows and touches every organ and function of their bodies. Your suffering on our behalf has saved the world. Please once again purchase for our pastors and church the Spirit and grace of God. By faith, we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Isaiah 53:5

Prayer for Help Through Challenges
Heavenly Father, I thank You that You are the joy of our strength. I ask that You grant joy and strength to our pastor leaders and church, in Jesus’ name. Father, in the midst of challenges, help them to push through, even though their spirits feel weak and their thoughts tells them to quit. Help our pastor leaders and church to condition themselves to draw on Your strength to overcome the plans of the adversary. In Christ Jesus, Amen.
Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 23:4, 2 Corinthians 12:10

Prayer for Obedience to Scripture
Our loving Savior, hallowed be Your name in and over all the earth. Lord, we pray that You will help our pastor leaders and church preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness, with clarity and without fear of criticism of Your truth. I declare that our pastor leaders and church will stand on Your word, in which You said that You have not given them a spirit of fear, but of power, love and of a sound mind. Keep them obedient to Your word with a clear understanding and sound judgment of the scriptures. Amen.
2 Timothy 1:7

Prayer for Endurance
Dear Father, I thank You for our pastor leaders and church and the blessings they bring to the congregation. I pray that You will help them to walk in determination, steadfastness and endurance. Give them the strength to finish what they have started and endure to the end, just as Christ endured the cross. Father, we trust in Your Word, and pray that they will put aside every weight, and sin which so easily ensnares them, and they will run with endurance the race that is set before them, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Hebrews 12:1-2

Prayer for Peace
Dear Lord, we thank you for Your peace that surpasses all understanding. We bless You because Your Word teaches us to say, peace, be still! Just as Christ rebuked the wind and the sea, I intercede on behalf of our pastor leaders and church and declare that they have the power and authority to silence every turmoil and earthquake in their life and that of the church family. Lord, help them not to be anxious about anything, because You will keep them in perfect peace if they keep their mind on You. Amen.
Philippians 4:7, Mark 4:39, Isaiah 26:3

Prayer for God’s Deputies to Prophesize
God of Jacob, I pray for our pastor leaders and church in Your holy name. Help them and our church to walk in victory and not be defeated. Make every pastor leader fruitful and not fruitless, happy and not sad. Crush the workings of satan so that they are not overwhelmed by his evil forces. Give them the power and authority to root out, pull down, destroy, throw down, build and plant. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Jeremiah 1:10

Conclusion

Jesus Himself had a great ministry among the people and was blessed with success in all that He did, but He knew it was important to take time away from the crowds and spend some quiet time with His father. I know that you are very busy, but I pray that you will make time to get away and rest. This is not a selfish act, rather it is something which is crucial for your spiritual health as well as your physical health.