“Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there.” – Romans 15:31
Scriptural foundation
The apostle Paul understood the reality of spiritual attacks on those who serve the Lord. His plea for prayer in Romans 15:31 remains just as urgent today. Across the globe, pastors, missionaries and Christian leaders face unseen pressures. Their calling is holy, but the opposition they encounter is fierce.
The onslaught
A quick scan through Christian publications reveals the alarming number of spiritual workers who drop out of ministry. The reasons are varied: increasing immorality, divorce, high stress levels, lack of job satisfaction. These are not people without conviction, they are men and women who once testified to receiving a clear calling from the Lord. Yet, the attacks against spiritual workers today seem fiercer than ever.
Types of attacks
Attacks against spiritual workers manifest in several ways:
- Direct demonic attacks through satanists, spiritualists, witch doctors and similar agents.
- Worldly pressures to compromise, conform and love the things of the world.
- Fleshly struggles, the conflict between the old nature and the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:13–18).
- Direct temptations that must be resisted.
- High stress and pressure, pastors and ministers carry some of the heaviest emotional loads in society.
- Unresolved personal wounds, the enemy exploits pain and trauma from a worker’s past.
These can be summarised as:
- Struggle against inner sin (personal sin).
- Conflict at a social level (external pressures).
- Conflict from above (direct demonic attack).
The truth is that all Christians face spiritual warfare, but the attacks on spiritual workers are often more severe.
Reality of the battle
One vivid example is the reality of satanist activity. During three years of ministry to someone trapped in satanism, it became evident that satanists actively targeted spiritual workers. They would gather to ‘pray’ for pastors’ marriages to collapse, ministries to be ruined and leaders to fall into sin. At times, they even claimed to astral-travel into the homes of leaders, attacking families and sowing discord.
On a flight from Johannesburg to Windhoek, a Christian lady encountered a satanist who admitted openly that she prayed daily for the collapse of ministers’ marriages. Similar reports have surfaced around the world. C. Peter Wagner records the testimony of a professor who sat next to a satanist on a flight in the USA. He, too, was tasked with praying against Christian leaders.
One satanist cell was even honoured for causing five prominent leaders to fall into immorality within a single year. These chilling stories are not isolated; they are confirmed by ministers worldwide who work closely with those delivered from occult backgrounds.
Confirmation from elsewhere
At the Lausanne II Conference in 1989, leaders from Latin America confirmed that spiritualists also carry out such attacks. Dr Wagner further records ministers from Ontario reporting satanist onslaughts on their congregations. The devil knows that if he can neutralise a pastor, tempt a missionary into sin, or divide a Christian worker’s heart, he can do great harm to the Kingdom of God.
From the mission field
Missionaries often face direct attacks from witch doctors through curses, black magic, voodoo, or even physical violence. Wycliffe Bible Translators note that Bible translators, especially in the final stages of their work, experience intensified demonic opposition. Satan fears the spread of Scripture.
The statistics are sobering: in Taiwan, 50% of missionaries fell ill or returned home within their first year due to despondency or attack. This is but one example of the global strain placed on those who carry the Gospel into dark places.
The spiritual answer
The assaults are real, but believers are not left defenceless. The spiritual worker’s security lies in the promises of God. The spiritual worker:
- Was purchased by the blood of the Lamb.
- Is shielded by God in Christ.
- Has authority in Christ over the powers of darkness.
- Is in-dwelled by the Holy Spirit.
- Shares fellowship with other believers.
Yet there is one often-neglected source of strength: intercession for spiritual workers. Prayer is a powerful shield, but too seldom is it intentionally directed toward the protection of pastors, missionaries and leaders.
The power of intercession
The fruit of intercession is undeniable:
- Charles Finney – His ministry, which led nearly a million to Christ, was covered in prayer by two men, Nash and Clarey, who often travelled ahead of him to pray during his meetings.
- William Carey – This pioneer missionary to India attributed much of his success to the faithful intercession of his invalid sister in England.
- J.O. Fraser – Missionary to Lisuland, who partnered with his mother and her prayer group in England, saw great breakthroughs due to their intercession.
- J. Wilbur Chapman – His ministry flourished after elders gathered weekly to pray for him before services, eventually growing to hundreds in prayer support.
- John Maxwell – Supported daily by 100 intercessors, he was convinced that their prayers sustain his ministry.
- C. Peter Wagner – In Prayer Shield, he shares how his personal intercessors strengthen his work.
- Personal testimony – The author himself confirms the difference once he requested a group of committed intercessors to pray for his ministry, family and life.
Call to action
The evidence is overwhelming: spiritual workers need intercessors. The Kingdom suffers when leaders are neutralised by sin, stress, or discouragement. But when they are lifted up in prayer, the results are powerful and lasting.
Will you commit to pray daily for your pastor, missionary, or Christian leader? Their battle is intense, but your intercession can be their shield.
“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” – James 5:16
