Mark 1:35 “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”
Luke 6:12 “And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continue all night in prayer to God.”
Acts 6:4 “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”
Christian leader and author J. Oswald Sanders gives amazing advice to spiritual leaders throughout his work Spiritual Leadership. Some of the best quotes from this classic leadership work include:
- “If you want to maintain an image of infallibility, find something else to do besides leading people”
- “The leader should read to have fellowship with great minds”
- “More failure comes from an excess of caution than from bold experiments with new ideas”
Each of these thoughts are challenging and thought-provoking. Yet, there is one thought that may be more convicting than all the rest: “the spiritual leader should outpace the rest of the church, above all, in prayer.” Wow!
Whether we are a leader OF the church or a leader IN the church, a fervent prayer life is the key to success. It applies to our leadership roles WITHIN the church and OUTSIDE the church. It is the benchmark of faithfulness and the gold standard of preparedness. It is the pathway by which a Christian receives wisdom, power, and motivation. It eclipses all other elements of our development because it connects us to God Himself.
Jesus prioritized prayer! The disciples prioritized prayer! So must we!
PLEASE PRIORITIZE PRAYER AS THE KEY TO AN IMPACTFUL LIFE. To be successful and effective, it is something we must do above all.
