Praying as a church in Pergamum
Prayer: The Foundation for Bold Witness in Pergamum
Before addressing specific challenges, we must recognise that prayer is not merely one strategy among many but the essential foundation from which all bold witness flows. The church in Pergamum, living where “Satan has his throne,” needed to understand that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
Foundational prayer practices for Pergamum’s church:
- Corporate Prayer following the apostolic example (Acts 4:23-31) of specifically praying for boldness when faced with opposition
- Prayer for Spiritual Vision to see beyond earthly realities to Christ who stands among the lampstands (Rev 1:12-16)
- Intercessory Prayer for civil authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-4), even those hostile to the faith
- Prayer of Remembrance, recalling God’s faithfulness in past deliverances
- Prayer for Divine Protection against spiritual attacks and temptation to compromise
Only a praying church could maintain the spiritual vitality required to stand firm where Satan’s power was manifest and to speak truth where falsehood dominated.
With this foundation established, here are three substantial challenges the church at Pergamum faced in witnessing boldly for Christ, ranked from most to least difficult:
1. Living Where Satan Has His Throne (Rev 2:13)
Difficulty: Most difficult
Pergamum was a centre of imperial cult worship with temples dedicated to “Roma and Augustus,” Zeus, and Asclepius. As an administrative capital, imperial loyalty was constantly tested. To confess “Jesus is Lord” was inherently to declare “Caesar is not Lord”—an act potentially viewed as treason. This environment of spiritual opposition was so intense that Christ Himself acknowledged they lived “where Satan has his throne.”
How church leaders might address this through prayer and action:
- Establish regular prayer gatherings specifically focused on spiritual warfare, claiming Christ’s authority over spiritual powers
- Institute prayer walks around places of pagan worship, interceding for God’s kingdom to come
- Pray corporately for discernment to recognise Satan’s schemes and strategies
- Teach believers to begin each day with prayer for divine courage and protection
- Ground all strategic responses in prayer for wisdom and divine guidance
- Teach clearly that Jesus is Lord over all powers, both earthly rulers and spiritual forces
- Encourage believers to “fear God more than man” (Matthew 10:28)
- Point to Antipas as a model of faithful witness even unto death (Rev 2:13)
2. False Teaching That Encourages Compromise (Rev 2:14-15)
Difficulty: Very serious
Revelation 2:14-15 specifically condemns those holding to the “teaching of Balaam” and the “Nicolaitans”—false teachings that permitted idolatry and sexual immorality. These seemingly small compromises (“It’s just food” or “It’s only a social custom”) represented profound betrayal of loyalty to Christ and contaminated the church’s witness.
How church leaders might address this through prayer and action:
- Establish prayer teams dedicated to interceding for doctrinal purity in the church
- Pray for wisdom for elders to discern and address false teaching with love and firmness
- Lead focused prayer for those deceived by false teaching to receive divine revelation
- Prioritise prayer before and during teaching ministry for spiritual protection from error
- Guard the truth of the gospel through systematic catechesis
- Refute false teaching with clear biblical exposition
- Establish clear theological boundaries and church discipline procedures
- Call the church to genuine repentance before Christ comes “to fight against them” (Rev 2:16)
3. Fear of Social Exclusion and Economic Pressure
Difficulty: Still serious, but more manageable
Pergamum’s prosperity was tied to its religious institutions and trade guilds, which were inseparable from idolatrous practices. Christians faced potential economic hardship, social isolation, loss of status in guilds, damaged family relationships, and public mockery for their exclusive devotion to Christ.
How church leaders might address this through prayer and action:
- Gather for prayer before marketplace engagement and after experiences of rejection
- Pray specifically for believers facing economic hardship due to faithfulness
- Intercede for persecutors as Jesus taught (Matthew 5:44)
- Establish prayer partnerships between those experiencing hardship and those who can support them
- Build a strong church family where those who suffer for Christ are supported and honoured
- Teach that suffering for Christ is a mark of blessing (Matthew 5:11-12)
- Develop economic support systems within the Christian community
- Model boldness in public witness, demonstrating that the Spirit gives power, not fear (2 Timothy 1:7-8)
Summary Table
| Rank | Challenge | Prayer-Based Response | Practical Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Satan’s throne: living in a spiritually hostile culture | Spiritual warfare prayer; prayer walks; intercession for divine protection | Teach Christ’s Lordship; encourage godly fear |
| 2 | False teaching that permits compromise | Prayer for doctrinal purity; prayer for those deceived; prayer before teaching | Teach truth faithfully; call for repentance; discipline where needed |
| 3 | Fear of exclusion or persecution | Prayer for the persecuted; prayer for persecutors; prayer before marketplace engagement | Build strong church community; honour suffering; model bold witness |
Biblical Examples of Prayer in Persecution
The church at Pergamum could draw strength from biblical examples such as:
- The early church praying for boldness after persecution: “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness” (Acts 4:29)
- Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns in prison (Acts 16:25), demonstrating that prayer enables joyful witness even in suffering
- Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane as a model for facing suffering (Matthew 26:36-46)
- Daniel’s faithful prayer despite the edict against it (Daniel 6:10)
The church at Pergamum needed to remember Christ’s self-identification as the one with “the sharp, double-edged sword” (Rev 2:12), indicating both His authority to judge and His word that divides truth from falsehood. Despite their challenging circumstances, Christ commended them for remaining true to His name and not denying the faith (Rev 2:13).
The call to faithfulness in Pergamum remains the call for churches today: to hold fast to Jesus’ name and not deny His faith—even where Satan dwells. This faithfulness begins and ends with prayer—not as a mere strategy but as the lifeline connecting believers to the One who overcame the world. Through prayer-empowered witness, the church in Pergamum could overcome despite living at the very throne of Satan.