The Military is dealing with soldiers returning from the war zones. Some soldiers return with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and other mental problems. The suicide rate for returning soldiers in the Army is at the highest level since they have keep records. The Military has programs to prepare all of the returning soldiers to readjust to home-life. These problems are very real and for some they are very difficult. We need to pray for our soldiers.
The Apostle Paul teaches the young pastor Timothy, that the pastor is a soldier (II Timothy 2:3-4). The ministry of a pastor is a spiritual battle. Sometimes this spiritual battle is physical but, more often it is mental. Paul describes this in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. He tells of the physical sufferings he faced as a missionary. In verse 28 Paul says, “that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” The “care of the all the churches” is the mental aspect of the ministry.
Paul shares that he deals, “daily” with the concerns of the churches. Everyday God’s man is on the battle field caring for the Church. Thank God for the good days in the ministry but, the fact is that, many of the days in the life of the pastor are days of battle. In II Timothy 2:3 Paul tells Timothy to “endure hardness”. The ministry has always been hard.
The pastor does not report to work at 9a.m. and then walk away and leave his job behind at 5p.m. In reality, the nature of the good pastor’s ministry is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from the time God places him into the ministry, till the time he is called home to heaven. Praise the Lord for churches that allow their pastor time to take days off and time away. However, it is my experience that the “care of the church” is continually on his mind even when he is away. The Man of God is always on deployment.
Now, just as the soldier in the military needs resources to handle the pressures of battle and its effect, so does the pastor. I would like to focus your attention on an important resource.
Romans 15:30 “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;”
Paul understood God had given him an important resource in praying people. He asks the Roman believers to pray for him. Behind every great Man of God there are people praying. Paul realized he could not make it without people praying.
No soldier is “Superman” and neither is a pastor. Physical bullets and bombs are not threatening most pastors’ lives but, there are many spiritual bullets and bombs that do. A pastor that is truthful will tell you that the ministry takes a physical and a mental toll. You are one resource that can help him.
Pray for your pastor!!!
