Blog

By Bill Lawrence, President of Leader Formation International

Today I am asking you to pray for a special leader among leaders in Ukraine.
 
I have served with this leader, a pastor of pastors, a trainer of both current and future Ukrainian pastors throughout and now in non-Russian Ukraine. I am choosing not to identify him for fear that the Russians may seek him out at some point in time, which is their pattern, and that would be harmful for him. However, he is a leader among leaders, a shepherd under the Shepherd, and I want you around the world to remember him in prayer and hold him up before the Lord. I have worked with him in Ukraine in the past, have known him as a strong leader, and want him to continue to make a difference for the Lord according to His will. For this reason, I ask you to pray for Him.
 
Spiritually
 
That he will be desperately dependent on the Lord (John 15:5)
That he will influence other leaders to be desperately dependent on the Lord.
That he will constantly be in God’s word and influence other leaders to know the word
That he will consistently call those he influences to walk with the Lord
 
Personally
 
That he will grow in his walk with the Lord in these painful times of Russian intrusion
That he will have discipline in these seasons of uncertainty
That he will have peace and confidence when all he has planned is radically threatened
That those he influences will find the truth of God’s word to be the hope they need
That he will have the strength he needs to lead others forward for the Lord
That he will have the ability he seeks to guide with the certainty of God’s truth
 
Physically
 
That he will have the health he must have to be the husband, father, and leader in these days
That he will have the strength he must have to be the man his people desperately need
That he will have the discipline he must have to be the leader everyone wants
 
Family
 
That his wife will find strength and stability to stand in this uncertain time
That he and his wife can serve together in courage and confidence to honor the Lord
That his wife can be a source of stability to stand with him in these overwhelming moments
That his growing children can speak with him matter what they must bear
That all of them together can be one with the Lord at this time
That they can be one no matter what they must experience before the sovereign Lord
 
Ministry
 
That he can support those who must pay the Russian price, especially in eastern Ukraine
That he can train those who are in seminary to learn to serve the Lord today and in the future
That he an equip those who are writing material so they can stand for the Lord
That those who are primary leaders can guide those they lead in vital ways
 
There is much more I could say, but this is adequate for our purpose at this time. The demands are overwhelming, and I simply want to encourage all I know that there are many who are with you and want to support you in these overwhelming days. Please stand with me as we stand with you and want to support you in your struggles. You are paying prices we can never begin to understand, and we join with you in facing the burdens you must bear. This is the cross Jesus carried up Calvary’s hill. We pay this price with you and want you to know that you are not alone in carrying His cross. Remember, the only way up is down, but the glory of the resurrection only comes this way if we follow the Lord together His way and find His glory through Calvary.