A Primary Partnership
By Eddie Smith
Pastors in record numbers are abandoning their mental caricatures of each other, forsaking suspicion and competition and developing meaningful relationships and strategic ministry partnerships. Pastors’ prayer groups and prayer summits are proliferating as a growing number of pastors acknowledge the importance of prayer.
Spiritual leaders in our cities are identifying their intercessors, seeking to understand them and their unique ministry and establishing ministry partnerships with them. This partnership between the watchmen (intercessors) and gatekeepers (pastors) is God’s latest move against the forces of darkness.
Around the world, God is bringing the ministries of the watchmen and the gatekeepers together in interdependent, blended ministry. In so doing, He has created a new awareness among His people that doing Church is a spiritual business that requires spiritual tools.
The army of Christ’s spiritual kingdom is battling against real, spiritual enemies. We can no longer risk flying blind. The stakes are too high! During the Persian Gulf War, we saw on television the effectiveness of “night vision” infrared technology. Just as the infrared technology of Desert Storm allowed soldiers to see in the dark, prophetic intercessors can see in the spirit. Their spiritual sight, when developed and properly applied, is critical equipment for the war that lies ahead of us.
Just as Old Testament kings relied on their prophets, those uniquely “tuned” to hear God’s voice; God has given pastors intercessors to be their ministry partners. Pastors need to employ these prayer warriors effectively in the days ahead to wage war against Satan.
Intercessors prayed Peter out of jail. A prophetic intercessor forewarned Paul of the dangers he would face in Jerusalem. James, one of three pillars of the Jerusalem church, may have died prematurely because the church did not pray for his protection.
Intercessors can sense dangers on the horizon, but when ignored by leadership, they can become very frustrated. Frustration can produce negativity. Then prayer warriors become part of the problem, not part of the solution.
Pastors must learn that intercessors will either war alongside you, or they will war without you. Intercessors were born for battle! When you find yourself in the trenches with bullets whizzing past your head—and you will—these same warriors will be there to fight with you…if you let them.
A great deal of my time is spent consulting with pastors about their prayer ministries and their intercessors. Alice and I often teach intercessors how to understand and support their pastors. We find that in many cases pastors and intercessors tend to frustrate one another.
Understand this: The pastor-intercessor relationship will constantly be under assault. The enemy knows that unity empowers ministry (see Matt. 18:19). He also knows the significance of this partnership, and he cannot afford to ignore it. Neither can we!