Cover Fire....
A wonderful friend of mine just wrote a song, and released a new CD called, ' Level Ground'. I love that song! ...I love that visual that we all stand on level ground before Him. That is so true...and such a comfort isn't it? Saints and sinners - we'll all stand on level ground before Him. So scary..but so awesome too!
And while I love that picture....recently I was asked, 'If we're all on level ground, why should leaders get more prayer than others? Why are we always asking for prayer for the leaders, if we're the same in God's eyes?"
Good question!!
Well my friend....first the Bible tells us to pray for those in authority over us! AND that's not just meaning pastors - it means those in any positions of authority eg. teachers, principals, politicians, police . Amazing isn't it! On one hand we are all the same in His eyes...and on the other hand He asks us to pray for those that carry or have authority in our lives. Why? Those who have been required to be in positions of authority face a greater degree of resistance in the spiritual realm..and dare I say it...they also face a greater degree of spiritual attack. Why? Well...sheep without a shepherd scatter...people with a leader often begin to fight among themselves...and the list goes on!
I always remember the old war movies - my dad was a WWII veteran and so we often watched them together, when he could. There seemed to be theme I noticed in any movie that had a conflict. The 'hero' was always the guy who rose to the top, to LEAD, and lead they would - he/she led unselfishly, with honor and integrity. There was another interesting thing....usually when there was new ground that needed to be taken, the leader would yell, ' Cover me!'..and he'd race out to tackle an enemy stronghold that was hurting his people or trapping them from being able to move forward.
Isn't that just like our leaders these days? Don't they often rise to the top because of a sense of honor and integrity in them - a desire to serve, not a desire to 'be the boss'. They come with the same spirit of Christ - humility..and love for the family of God. Are they perfect ? Of course not! But they are serving out of a desire to help 'us' take more ground -move forward - to help us stop being 'trapped' and pinned down by enemy fire! They want us to succeed!
Now..knowing that...wouldn't it be a smart idea of the enemy then, to take out the Leaders! Those brave ones who will charge a stronghold just so we can be released! BUT they are counting on us praying for them - covering them! How many of us think that everyone else is probably praying for them...and so we discount our own prayers and the power of our prayers to provide 'cover' for a leader who's trying to take ground for those coming up behind him!
Now pardon me, if anyone finds this example offensive, but as I said, I often get 'spiritual pictures' from history and often from war stories. We know the greatest victories have come from Leadership rising up..and drawing heroic responses from ordinary men and women. BUT WHAT IF....a group of people decided, ' Well, why should I give them cover fire? Everyone else will...so my little bit of cover fire won't be missed'. Now...asked yourself how that could effect a victory? It's really pretty scary.... And our prayers are like that for our leaders! Don't discount how effect your prayers are..and what they are doing for the Leader's you are praying for!
Remember too...that what you sow, you will reap! If you give generously in prayer to pray for others...when it's your time of need, God will stir people to pray for you too! It's awesome! It's a Kingdom principle! I reap, what I sow! Don't let the enemy tell you that leaders already have lots of people praying for them. Do they really? So many people say they are...but it's like the Christian version of ' Let's do lunch'... it rarely happens. We so glibly say , 'I'll pray for you'..and then get busy with our own lives..and forget to follow through on that offer...Who knows, maybe your prayer, our prayer, will be just in the right place at the right time, to offer 'cover fire', as that leader charges a hill, to prepare the way for those behind him/her to take more ground - to be free!
Your prayer could be the stuff that helps win victories! ..and don't worry if they won't always know you were praying for them. I'm sure many war hero's never knew whose 'bullets' were flying past them, supplying cover - they were just thankful that someone was 'firing' on their behalf!
So....if a leader comes to mind - PRAY!....
And while I love that picture....recently I was asked, 'If we're all on level ground, why should leaders get more prayer than others? Why are we always asking for prayer for the leaders, if we're the same in God's eyes?"
Good question!!
Well my friend....first the Bible tells us to pray for those in authority over us! AND that's not just meaning pastors - it means those in any positions of authority eg. teachers, principals, politicians, police . Amazing isn't it! On one hand we are all the same in His eyes...and on the other hand He asks us to pray for those that carry or have authority in our lives. Why? Those who have been required to be in positions of authority face a greater degree of resistance in the spiritual realm..and dare I say it...they also face a greater degree of spiritual attack. Why? Well...sheep without a shepherd scatter...people with a leader often begin to fight among themselves...and the list goes on!
I always remember the old war movies - my dad was a WWII veteran and so we often watched them together, when he could. There seemed to be theme I noticed in any movie that had a conflict. The 'hero' was always the guy who rose to the top, to LEAD, and lead they would - he/she led unselfishly, with honor and integrity. There was another interesting thing....usually when there was new ground that needed to be taken, the leader would yell, ' Cover me!'..and he'd race out to tackle an enemy stronghold that was hurting his people or trapping them from being able to move forward.
Isn't that just like our leaders these days? Don't they often rise to the top because of a sense of honor and integrity in them - a desire to serve, not a desire to 'be the boss'. They come with the same spirit of Christ - humility..and love for the family of God. Are they perfect ? Of course not! But they are serving out of a desire to help 'us' take more ground -move forward - to help us stop being 'trapped' and pinned down by enemy fire! They want us to succeed!
Now..knowing that...wouldn't it be a smart idea of the enemy then, to take out the Leaders! Those brave ones who will charge a stronghold just so we can be released! BUT they are counting on us praying for them - covering them! How many of us think that everyone else is probably praying for them...and so we discount our own prayers and the power of our prayers to provide 'cover' for a leader who's trying to take ground for those coming up behind him!
Now pardon me, if anyone finds this example offensive, but as I said, I often get 'spiritual pictures' from history and often from war stories. We know the greatest victories have come from Leadership rising up..and drawing heroic responses from ordinary men and women. BUT WHAT IF....a group of people decided, ' Well, why should I give them cover fire? Everyone else will...so my little bit of cover fire won't be missed'. Now...asked yourself how that could effect a victory? It's really pretty scary.... And our prayers are like that for our leaders! Don't discount how effect your prayers are..and what they are doing for the Leader's you are praying for!
Remember too...that what you sow, you will reap! If you give generously in prayer to pray for others...when it's your time of need, God will stir people to pray for you too! It's awesome! It's a Kingdom principle! I reap, what I sow! Don't let the enemy tell you that leaders already have lots of people praying for them. Do they really? So many people say they are...but it's like the Christian version of ' Let's do lunch'... it rarely happens. We so glibly say , 'I'll pray for you'..and then get busy with our own lives..and forget to follow through on that offer...Who knows, maybe your prayer, our prayer, will be just in the right place at the right time, to offer 'cover fire', as that leader charges a hill, to prepare the way for those behind him/her to take more ground - to be free!
Your prayer could be the stuff that helps win victories! ..and don't worry if they won't always know you were praying for them. I'm sure many war hero's never knew whose 'bullets' were flying past them, supplying cover - they were just thankful that someone was 'firing' on their behalf!
So....if a leader comes to mind - PRAY!....
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