Silas
Beloved of All
Your burden to pray for those in authority is right and biblical, and we join you in thanking God that He calls us to this. Scripture exhorts us first of all to make petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving for all people, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and reverence. That is not only good, it pleases God who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
In praying for national and world leaders, the greatest need to ask for is true wisdom. There is a wisdom of this world that God has shown to be foolish. The world in its own cleverness did not come to know God, and that earthly wisdom is sensual and leads to strife, rivalry and even wars. It comes to nothing. But there is a wisdom from above, a hidden wisdom that God ordained, and all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ. That wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle and full of mercy, and its fruit is righteousness sown in peace. The beginning of that wisdom is the fear of the Lord. So we pray with you that leaders would turn from worldly counsel and seek the wisdom that comes from God, that He would set a guard over their lips and give them the tongue of the wise, that they would be surrounded by godly counsel, do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God, and that their decisions would promote righteousness and peace rather than division.
We also agree with you for unity that is of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Jesus prayed that His people would be one so that the world may believe that the Father sent Him. True unity is not compromise on essential truth, but a oneness that comes when hearts are surrendered to Christ and to His Word. We pray against the schemes of the enemy to divide and destroy, and we remember that behind the seen world there is an unseen conflict. As Daniel learned, from the first day he set his heart to understand and humble himself before God his words were heard, yet there are spiritual forces at work that we do not always see. Therefore we put on the whole armor of God and ask for angelic protection and heavenly insight for those in authority, and for the silencing of what is false.
You are right to pray for the welfare of your own community as well. We are called to seek the peace of the place where God has put us and to pray to the Lord for it, for in its welfare we find welfare. We join you in asking that the Holy Spirit would convict neighbors, students, teachers, workers, parents, pastors, law enforcement and local leaders of sin, righteousness and judgment, and that the Father would draw people to His Son. Faith comes by hearing the Word, and salvation is a gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. We ask the Lord to be a wall of fire around your area and to keep His people from evil, even as Jesus prayed not that we would be taken out of the world, but that we would be kept from the evil one, for we are not of the world even as He is not of the world.
We thank God with you for daily provision. He teaches us to ask for our daily bread and promises that godliness with contentment is great gain. He can restore what has been lost and give the fruit of His Spirit, love, joy and peace, and a cheerful heart. Even when there have been years of affliction, He is able to heal and bind up and give joy in place of shame.
And we remember with you those who are persecuted for their faith and those in chains, and we pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for all who suffer for the name of Christ. In this world we will have tribulation, but Jesus said to take courage, for He has overcome the world. The peace He gives is not as the world gives. The world once boasted of peace because a great empire had forced all nations to bow to its decree, yet the true Prince of Peace was born under that very decree, showing that God is sovereign even over the most powerful rulers who think they are in control.
May the Lord keep you steadfast in prayer, seeking His face, humbling yourself before Him, and trusting that His kingdom will come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We give thanks for you and pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, through whom alone we have access to the Father and in whose name we are saved.
In praying for national and world leaders, the greatest need to ask for is true wisdom. There is a wisdom of this world that God has shown to be foolish. The world in its own cleverness did not come to know God, and that earthly wisdom is sensual and leads to strife, rivalry and even wars. It comes to nothing. But there is a wisdom from above, a hidden wisdom that God ordained, and all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ. That wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle and full of mercy, and its fruit is righteousness sown in peace. The beginning of that wisdom is the fear of the Lord. So we pray with you that leaders would turn from worldly counsel and seek the wisdom that comes from God, that He would set a guard over their lips and give them the tongue of the wise, that they would be surrounded by godly counsel, do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God, and that their decisions would promote righteousness and peace rather than division.
We also agree with you for unity that is of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Jesus prayed that His people would be one so that the world may believe that the Father sent Him. True unity is not compromise on essential truth, but a oneness that comes when hearts are surrendered to Christ and to His Word. We pray against the schemes of the enemy to divide and destroy, and we remember that behind the seen world there is an unseen conflict. As Daniel learned, from the first day he set his heart to understand and humble himself before God his words were heard, yet there are spiritual forces at work that we do not always see. Therefore we put on the whole armor of God and ask for angelic protection and heavenly insight for those in authority, and for the silencing of what is false.
You are right to pray for the welfare of your own community as well. We are called to seek the peace of the place where God has put us and to pray to the Lord for it, for in its welfare we find welfare. We join you in asking that the Holy Spirit would convict neighbors, students, teachers, workers, parents, pastors, law enforcement and local leaders of sin, righteousness and judgment, and that the Father would draw people to His Son. Faith comes by hearing the Word, and salvation is a gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. We ask the Lord to be a wall of fire around your area and to keep His people from evil, even as Jesus prayed not that we would be taken out of the world, but that we would be kept from the evil one, for we are not of the world even as He is not of the world.
We thank God with you for daily provision. He teaches us to ask for our daily bread and promises that godliness with contentment is great gain. He can restore what has been lost and give the fruit of His Spirit, love, joy and peace, and a cheerful heart. Even when there have been years of affliction, He is able to heal and bind up and give joy in place of shame.
And we remember with you those who are persecuted for their faith and those in chains, and we pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for all who suffer for the name of Christ. In this world we will have tribulation, but Jesus said to take courage, for He has overcome the world. The peace He gives is not as the world gives. The world once boasted of peace because a great empire had forced all nations to bow to its decree, yet the true Prince of Peace was born under that very decree, showing that God is sovereign even over the most powerful rulers who think they are in control.
May the Lord keep you steadfast in prayer, seeking His face, humbling yourself before Him, and trusting that His kingdom will come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We give thanks for you and pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, through whom alone we have access to the Father and in whose name we are saved.
