When the glamour wears off and the rigor sets in

Aaron Leatherdale - Rapper 
Follow Aaron on Twitter: aleatherdale
Website & personal blog: aaronleatherdale.org
Aaron grew up in Prince George, BC, Canada and moved to IHOP in May 2007. His passion and desire is to serve the Lord through prayer and fasting and to preach the love of Christ to the nations of the earth.


How have you sustained yourself as a musician and singer over the years?
Life as a full-time intercessor in the house of prayer can sometimes feel monotonous and routine.  Every week I do the same religious disciplines:  Reading the Bible, praying, singing and fasting.  As months and years pass by it can be easy to “coast” through the spiritual activities without actually engaging my heart.  On a worship team it can be easy to fall into the trap of putting performance above prayer.  It’s easy to go through the motions of singing and writing songs without actually encountering God and worshipping Him. 

I never want the work of an intercessor to become just “another job”.  I don’t want it to become boring and mundane.  There are a few things I do to prevent this from happening as I serve in the house of prayer.

First, I like to remind myself that Jesus is alive and He hears my voice.  I remember the day that I had a revelation that God hears my prayers.  I was praying through a prayer list everyday when it finally dawned on me that I wasn’t just talking to the air.  The prayers really mattered.  Having a revelation that your prayers and songs actually move the Lord’s heart and bring about change will help to sustain you during the dry times when you feel nothing and it seems like nothing is happening.

Another thing I do, especially when I’m on stage or in the prayer room is speak short phrases to the Lord.  Sometimes when I am in the prayer room my mind is in another place or I feel like I would rather be doing something else.  When I feel this way, I picture myself before the throne of God looking at Jesus.  It helps to become familiar with Revelation chapter 4 so you know what it looks like in heaven and what is happening there.  I’ll picture Jesus and say something like, “Jesus, I love you” or a similar phrase.  One of my favorite things to say to the Lord when I am in the prayer room is, “Jesus, I am here for You”.  These phrases will realign your heart with the Lord and with the wisdom of a life of prayer.

If you are a singer on a platform, the glamour wears off very quickly and the rigor of being a full-time singer and intercessor sets in.  The praise of man will not sustain you.  After months and years of playing the same songs over and over you have to be doing it for the Lord or you will burn out and your heart will grow dull.  I come into the prayer meetings knowing that I am standing before God and that He sees my weak love.  And knowing that my efforts will be rewarded in eternity helps to keep me doing it day after day.

© 2011 Aaron Leatherdale