Jesus formed a prayer team. Unfortunately, when He needed them, His prayer team slept on the job. They paid a personal heavy price (Matthew 26).

Hopefully, yours won't.

Plan and prepare all you want, but a wide-awake prayer team is vital the success of any ministry or program.

But then, it depends upon how you define “success.” If you want a slick, entertaining public persona, hire talented professionals If you want your staff protected and blest, strongholds demolished, captives delivered—and most of all—Jesus glorified by your service, form a prayer team.

Here's what your prayer team will do:

1. Prayer teams influence leadership choices.

A person may be a dynamic speaker. His/her resume may be impressive. While we look on the outward appearances, only God knows the heart's secrets. Only He knows whom He has anointed and appointed for positions of leadership.

For example: Judas Iscariot was dead, leaving a gaping hole in the early church's board of directors. Who could be trusted to fill the important position of treasurer?

After criteria was determined and qualifications were presented, only two made the cut: Matthias and Joseph “Barsabas” Justus.

Before voting on the two, the prayer team went into action: "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show us which of these two Thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell…” (Acts 1:24, 25 KJV)

Matthias was chosen.

2. Prayer teams cover leaders with prayer.

Everyone faces loneliness, temptation, discouragement, and attacks but leaders often take the brunt. What happens to leaders, spiritual, secular, cultural, and political, impacts everyone.

Esther mustered her prayer team when Haman plotted the destruction of her people (Esther 4:16). Although she was queen, she would not be exempt from Haman's evil plans. Neither would any Jew around her.

Because of her prayer team's fervent efforts, lives were saved.

When you pray for your leaders, remember this: If the enemy takes out your leadership, you're next.

3. Prayer team members pray for one another and others.

One of the greatest blessings we can is to pray for each other. Bearing one another's burdens is a way to fulfill the law of Christ, which is that we love one another (Galatians 6:2a).

• Unless disaster looms, it is easy for prayer to get pushed aside, so seek people who already make prayer a priority. Ephesians 6 reminds us how important prayer is to God’s program: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against… powers… of wickedness in the heavenly places… With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and (pray) on my behalf…

If prayer is a priority, your team members will be faithful in their prayer commitments. They won't just say, "I’ll pray for you," but will do it.