teaching notes from ltci, siliguri - based on j oswald sanders book, spiritual leadership

1. Spiritual
Leadership
LTCi course 602
EBI courses 115 & 224

2. 115 - This course focuses on how to teach and practice
the principles of spiritual leadership. Topics include
the leader’s challenge, role, preparation, vision, character,
goal, influence, decisions, schedules, pitfalls, and rewards.

3. Section 6 - The Leader’s Goal
Group Activity: Create a one-
pagevisual summary of moving
people on to God’s agenda.
Study chapter 6 in Blackaby
Study chapters 11-12 in Sanders
Print an article on leadership at:
http://www.biblicist.org/systematic/
TableOfContents.htm

4. Section 6
The Leaders
Goal
J. Oswald Sanders, Chapter 11,
Prayer and Leadership

5. “The spiritual
leader should
outpace the
church, above all,
in prayer”
Yet no leader fails to be
conscious of how much
more he could grow and
develop in this area.

6. CJ Vaughan, “If I wanted to humble
someone I should ask them
questions about their prayers. I
know nothing to compare with
this topic for its sorrowful self
confessions”
Prayer is the Christians vital air and
native breath.
Yet we often fail to pray!
We talk of prayer as drawing near to
God, as a place of power, it is
indispensable, a place of delight, a
command.
Yet often we fail to pray.

7. We need to look at the example of great men of
God, Samuel Chadwick,
He was essentially a man of prayer. Every
morning he would be astir shortly after six
o’clock, and he kept a little room which was
his private sanctum for his quiet hour before
break­fast. He was mighty in public prayer
because he was constant in private devotion.
When he prayed he expected God to do
something. “I wish I had prayed more,” he
wrote toward the end of his life, “even if I had
worked less; and from the bottom of my
heart I wish I had prayed better.”

8. One famous leader confessed he found his heart loath
to go to God in prayer and when he did he was loath to
stay - yet he confessed the need for self discipline here,
encouraging those who knew him to greater depth and
discipline in prayer even when they thought they could
not.
The time and effort given to prayer is a measure of how
important it it to us.

9. Martin Luther declared extra work was
not a reason to pray less, “Work, work
from early till late. In fact I have so
much to do that I shall spend the
first three hours in prayer.”
We cannot learn about praying except
by doing it! Intellectually it might
seem hard to understand but by
looking at Jesus we see the necessity
of it - and if anyone could manage
without it, surely it would be Jesus. Yet
prayer was dominant and prominent
in his life and a regular part of his
teaching.

10. D. M. McIntyre wrote:
In Luke 5:16 we have a general
statement which throws a vivid light
on the daily practice of the Lord. “And
He withdrew Himself in the deserts
and prayed.” It is not of one occasion
but of many that the evangelist
speaks in this place. It was our Lord’s
habit to seek retirement for prayer.
When He withdrew Himself from men,
He was accustomed to press far into
the uninhabited country – He was in
the deserts.

11. The surprise of the onlookers lay in
this, that One so mighty, so richly
endowed (gifted; enabled) with
spiritual power, should find it
necessary for Himself to repair (to
go) to the source of strength, that
there He might refresh His weary
spirit. To us, the wonder is still
greater, that He, the Prince of Life,
the Eternal Word, the Only-begotten
of the Father, should prostrate
Himself in meekness before the
throne of God, making entreaty for
grace to help in time of need.

12. Jesus at prayer:
Lk 6:12 - full nights
Mk 1:35 - rising early
Lk 5:16 - often
Mk 6:46 - after feeding 5000
Lk 9:28 - before transfiguration
Lk 6:12 - before choosing the
apostles
Heb 5:7 - with loud cries
“All vital praying makes a drain
on a man’s vitality. True
intercession is a sacrifice, a
bleeding sacrifice” J. H. Jowett.

13. Col 4:12 - Epahphras is wrestling for
you in prayer
Col 2:1 - Paul is struggling (a word
usually used for agonising or being
in agony) - the same word is used of
one who is weary (Col 1:29),
competing (1 Cor 9:25), a soldier
batting for his life (1 Tim 6;12), a
man struggling to deliver his friends
form danger (Jn 18:36)
“True prayer is a strenuous
spiritual exercise which demands
the utmost mental discipline and
concentration”

14. Rom 8:26-28 In the same way, the
Spirit helps us in our weakness. We
do not know what we ought to pray
for, but the Spirit himself intercedes
for us through wordless groans. And
he who searches our hearts knows
the mind of the Spirit, because the
Spirit intercedes for God’s people in
accordance with the will of God.
And we know that in all things God
works for the good of those who
love him, who have been called
according to his purpose.

15. Pray in the Spirit
Holy Spirit is the master
teacher in prayer - more is
mentioned of this aspect of
his ministry than of any other.
All true prayer comes from
his activity in our souls.
Paul and Jude both speak of
“praying in the Spirit” - the
same things, lines, name, as
he does

16. Pray in the Spirit
“True prayer
Holy Spirit is the master
teacher in prayer - more is
rises in the
mentioned of this aspect of
his ministry than of any other.
spirit of the
All true prayer comes from
Christian from
his activity in our souls.
Paul and Jude both speak of
the Spirit who
“praying in the Spirit” - the
same things, lines, name, as
indwells us”
he does

17. Pray in the Spirit for 2 reasons:
1. The HSp is the atmosphere and
sphere of the life of a Christian - yet
much of our praying is merely
physical, in the area of the mind alone,
produced by our thinking not the
Spirit’s teaching.
“Real prayer is deeper. It uses the
body, requires the cooperation of
the mind, and moves in the
supernatural realm of the Spirit...it
transacts business in the heavenly
realm”

18. 2. Pray in the power and energy
of the Spirit.
Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit
on all occasions with all kinds of
prayers and requests. With this in
mind, be alert and always keep
on praying for all the Lord’s
people.
Human power and energy are not
enough!

19. The HSp helps us to pray even in our
failings;
- in our sin HSp leads us to grace
and forgiveness in the blood of Jesus
- ignorance of mind can stop us
praying but HSp knows the mind of
God and reveals it to us as we wait
and listen, so we know our prayer is
in accordance with God’s will
- sickness and weakness stops us
praying, HSp brings life and healing,
enabling us to rise above such things
And, of course, satan tries all sorts
of tricks to stop us praying

20. Do you pray in the
Spirit?
Do you walk in the
Spirit - all of the time,
sometimes,
occasionally, rarely,
never?
Are your prayers
powerless and
frequently (always)
unanswered?

21. Biblically prayer is often seen as
spiritual warfare;
- Eph 6:12 - the Christian at prayer
stands in between God and the devil -
wielding no personal power but having
a strategic role - the victory won by
Christ works through our prayers to
those in captivity and darkness.
Jesus seemed at times to be less
concerned over the sinful person as
the power behind their sin (or
sickness) - the grip of satan in such
lives is released through the power of
the cross taken hold of in prayer

22. Such understanding is vital in
spiritual leadership - know where
the battle is meant to be won and
pray there in spiritual warfare.
Matt 12:29 - “Or again, how can
anyone enter a strong man’s house
and carry off his possessions unless
he first ties up the strong man? Then
he can plunder his house.”
Sanders suggests that this refers to
neutralising the power of the enemy
- a task fulfilled by taking hold of
the power of the cross - the power
of which is taken hold of in prayer.

23. Luke 10:19where
Such understanding is vital in
spiritual leadership - know
I have given you
the battle is meant to be won and
pray there in spiritual warfare.
authority again, how can
Matt 12:29 - “Or
to trample
on snakes and
anyone enter a strong man’s house
and carry off his possessions unless
scorpions and to
he first ties up the strong man? Then
he can plunder his house.” the
overcome all
Sanders suggests that this refers to
power of the enemy;
neutralising the power of the enemy
nothingcross - the power
will harm
- a task fulfilled by taking hold of
the power of the
you.
of which is taken hold of in prayer.

24. Hudson Taylor
“It is possible
to move men,
through God,
by prayer
alone.”

25. Practice
We might all say we believe in the
power of prayer - but practicing it is
very different. Do you believe you
can take hold of God’s power to
move the cold, unyielding hearts of
men?
We might think this is inconsistent -
how can we speak of freewill and yet
also of this power of prayer to affect
hearts?
Sanders notes:

26. 1. God is always consistent
with himself - no
contradictions - therefore if
answer to prayer is promised it
will come in a way consistent
with who God is - 2 Tim 2:13
2. Prayer is commanded by
God - meet the conditions
suggested by God and he will
answer - he commands prayer
for kings and those in
authority, so surely such prayer
has power consistent with
God’s created order.

27. 3. We can know God’s will regarding what we are
praying - Ro 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the
Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless
groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the
mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for
God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
As we seek the will of God and the HSp impresses
upon our hearts and minds God’s desire - this leads
us into the prayer of faith - even if it takes time to be
answered

28. “One day George Mueller began praying
for five of his friends. After many
months, one of them came to the Lord.
Ten years later, two others were
converted. It took 25 years before the
fourth man was saved. Mueller
persevered in prayer until his death for
the fifth friend, and throughout those 52
years he never gave up hoping that he
would accept Christ! His faith was
rewarded, for soon after Mueller’s
funeral the last one was saved.”
"God does nothing except in response
to believing prayer." John Wesley

29. “One day George Mueller began praying
for five of his friends. After many
months, one of them came to the Lord.
Muller was asked if he believed
Ten years later, two others were
these men took 25 years before the
converted. It would really be
converted, hesaved. Mueller
fourth man was replied,
persevered in prayer until hiswould
“Do you think God death for
the fifth friend, and throughout those 52
have keptgave up hoping that he
years he never me praying all
these years if he did not
would accept Christ! His faith was
rewarded, for soon after Mueller’s
intend to save them?”
funeral the last one was saved.”
"God does nothing except in response
to believing prayer." John Wesley

30. It is important to remember we deal
first with the ear of God in prayer -
not the ear of men.
Remember it is not our prayer that
moves people - but the influence of
God upon them.
If you want to move someone you
must be sure you can move God first!
Prevailing prayer that moves
people is the result of a right
relationship with God - most
unanswered prayers are centred
on the believers relationship with
God.

31. Are your prayers full of...
- self interest
- impure motives
- sin - if you cling to sin you
move away from God
- unbelief (Heb 11:6)
Great leaders in the Bible
were great at prayer, EM
Bounds says,

32. “They were not leaders
because of brilliancy of
thought, because they
Are your prayers full of...
- self interest
were exhaustless in
- impure motives
resources, because of
- sin - if you cling to sin you
their magnificent
move away from God
culture or native
- unbelief (Heb 11:6)
Great leaders in butBible
endowment, the
because, by the power
were great at prayer, EM
of prayer, they could
Bounds says,
command the power of
God.”

33. The school of prayer begins
with the kindergarten
understanding of
communion with God and
proceeds beyond graduate
studies - where is your
prayer life now, is it
progressing?
Who are your prayer
models, who has helped you
most in prayer?