THE spirit of prayer is one of the precious gifts of the Holy Spirit to all the members of Christ’s Church in the world, and is an eminent mark and evidence of the life and reign of grace in their souls. We mean by those members such as have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, through the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, and are united to the glorious Redeemer by faith in Him and love to Him. They are members one of another and are brethren in the Lord, and are counselled to “pray one for another” (James v. 16), having a mutual care for the spiritual prosperity and providential good of one another. But there is a special call to prayer which appears in the Epistles, where Paul particularly, once and again, makes request to his brethren in Christ Jesus to pray for himself and his fellow ministers in the Gospel. The Apostle, on his part, was much given to prayer for those to whom he preached the glad tidings of salvation, and who were blest thereby with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, and had need of growing in grace that they might worthy witness for their Lord in the world and be with Him ultimately in heaven. As he writes to the Philippians, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you; always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy” (Philip. i. 3-4). And truly his example in this is followed by every sent servant of the Lord Jesus, that much of their exercise at the Throne of Grace is in the behalf of poor, lost sinners and their fellow believers, to whom they seek to minister in the expounding and preaching of the Word of Life. Now it is but reasonable, and especially out of true spiritual need, that the ministers of the gospel express the desire that God’s people should seek grace to be much given to prayer for them. And so the Apostle writes, “Brethren, pray for us” (I Thess. v. 25).
It may be that God’s people are lacking in this regard to-day. Every conscience will give its own testimony. There may be a frame of mind abroad within the Church of Christ which considers that ministers of the gospel have such a familiarity with the public exercises of God’s worship and the particular matter of preaching that it is not a burden-some or difficult duty at all, but on the contrary, one to which a minister may be called at any time and discharge with the greatest ease, if not always to the satisfaction of his hearers. We would appeal to our serious readers to dispense with this view as speedily as possible, inasmuch as the sincere and spiritual servant of Christ finds no such ease and freedom from anxiety in his preparation for the pulpit and in his approach to the serious business of declaring the whole counsel of God to his fellow sinners, and the needy children in Zion. For Christians to go to the House of God on Sabbath and weekday to hear the Word, and yet habitually or frequently to omit secret prayer in the behalf of ministers of the Word, is deplorable conduct. Such persons cannot expect to be fed with spiritual food and have no ground to be dissatisfied when the sermon or exposition neither nourishes nor revives their souls. There ought to be humble, earnest cries to the Lord, at the Throne of Grace, that ministers of the Gospel would get out of the fullness of Christ Jesus and His Truth, to give to needy souls in their congregations, and to the end that careless and carnal sinners would be awakened to cry out, “What must I do to be saved?” And in God’s time led to believe upon the only Redeemer of God’s elect, who is the Lord Jesus Christ.
To pray for ministers of the Gospel is to pray for needy men. Although the servants of Christ are converted men and have their commission from the Lord Jesus Himself, to devote themselves to the ministry of the gospel, and possess varying gifts to assist in the discharge of their duties, yet they are indeed but men and rightly described as “earthen vessels.” Paul came to the Corinthians, not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto them the testimony of God; but he says “And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling” (I Corin. ii. 1-3). And so do ministers of Christ know by experience, to-day also, somewhat of this weakness, fear and trembling, in relation to the life of grace in the soul and in connection with burdens and responsibilities of their office. They are not ignorant of the uprisings of a carnal, sinful and vain heart and mind, and of the activities of Satan, to the distracting and disturbing of their minds even in the midst of spiritual and gospel exercises in private and public. And in many cases they oftentimes meet with sore and difficult afflictions in their own persons and in their providential circumstances like others; and yet find it obligatory upon them, at such times, to go forth before their fellows, to endeavour to serve their Master in preaching the Word of the truth of the Gospel. They have their seasons of spiritual desertion, when one of the most difficult things for them is to meditate upon and to delight in the precious Scriptures, out of which they are expected to bring “things new and old,” at regular and stated times. This can affect the servant of the Lord with a strain and anxiety that his hearers know nothing of, and which constitute a severe mental trial, sending him with cries to the Lord for help and deliverance, for truth and light, and for a spiritual frame of mind. Then again the general indifference to the most solemn and wonderful doctrines of Christ’s gospel, and the absence of conversions where these truths are constantly and consistently preached and taught, is all a trial and test to true gospel ministers as to persevering in the Lord’s work. They go forth weeping, bearing precious seed. They have their times of disappointment, loneliness, temptation, spiritual darkness, and a keen sense of unfitness for the Lord’s service. These are men to be prayed for, by all those who desire and expect the tidings of the gospel of salvation from their lips.
What should the brethren pray for, on behalf of Gospel ministers? They require from the Lord all the spiritual blessings and divine care which all other believers have need of while sojourning here and in contemplation of Eternity. But we would suggest several particulars which really ought to find a place in the prayers of the Lord’s people when pleading for ministers of the Gospel. Ministers need especially that the Most High would anoint them abundantly with the Holy Spirit as the spirit of truth, grace, power, love, and of a sound mind. A ministry devoid of the anointing of the blessed Spirit must in all respects be a barren, dead and unprofitable one, not only with respect to the Church of Christ, but in the sight of God. And surely they need a large and constant measure of the spirit of prayer not only for themselves but in relation to their office and the activities of the same. What an essential to a gospel minister, is communion with the God of all grace! And pray, Christian reader, that any minister in whom you are interested, be also favoured with a mind to meditate in the law of his God day and night; that he may, by the grace of God, show himself approved, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of God (II Tim. ii. 15). Then, how comforting it is for a minister of the Gospel to have his mind directed to and fixed upon portions of the Scriptures in view of the recurring services of the sanctuary, and to be given, by the Spirit of truth, an insight into such parts of God’s Word. Let the brethren seek to have this in mind at the throne of grace. Pray also that utterance may be given unto them that they might preach with spiritual clarity, liberty, and under the unction and with the authority of the divine Spirit. And do you feel oftentimes your need of a word in season from the Lord? Then one way of seeking this is to ask the Lord to give to your minister such a word in season for your weary and needy soul. And finally, let the brethren pray, that the Lord would sustain His servants in mind and body, in and by His good and kind providence. God has indeed a special interest in His sent messengers; and surely therefore He will have a special regard for the prayers of the brethren on their behalf, and all for the sake of His own eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.