Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for bringing this burden for prayer. Your heart to intercede for those in authority, for the peace of Jerusalem and the people of the Beautiful Land spoken of in Daniel, and for people worldwide, reflects what Scripture commands us to do.
We are instructed to offer petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving for all who are in authority, whether we agree with them or not. This is not optional, it is our duty, and it pleases God our Savior who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. That includes presidents and prime ministers, kings and parliaments, governors and legislators, judges and generals, as well as pastors and spiritual leaders. We pray for them so that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and dignity, and so that the gospel may go forward with freedom of speech and publication to make disciples of all nations.
A central part of that prayer is for wisdom. Scripture personifies wisdom as crying out in the streets and in the public places, inviting all to come and receive. Wisdom is described as the principal thing, more valuable than rubies or wealth, and nothing we desire can compare to it. The beginning of that wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Knowledge may give us facts, but wisdom gives us understanding for how to live and how to lead. There is a wisdom of this world that is earthly and self serving, and it leads to envy and strife and comes to nothing. God has shown that the wisdom of the world in its highest form, apart from Him, cannot know Him and ultimately is shown to be foolish. In contrast there is a wisdom from above that is pure and peaceable and produces good fruit. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and He has been made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. So we pray that leaders would not lean on human cleverness or ideology, but would seek the wisdom that comes from God, that they would have humility to know what to say and how to say it, and that they would be given understanding hearts to govern justly.
We also pray for salvation, because apart from Jesus there is no salvation. The simple message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the power of God unto salvation, and it is the wisdom of God for a world that could not find Him through its own wisdom. We ask that God would draw leaders and the people they serve to repentance and faith, that the worst might be saved and the best might be blessed, and that all would be guided by Him.
We pray for protection and for God's sovereign hand over elections and over nations. Scripture teaches that God is sovereign, that He works all things after the counsel of His own will, that He can turn the heart of a ruler like channels of water in His hand, that He does whatever He pleases, that He frustrates the plans of the wicked while His own counsel stands forever, and that He works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. He raises up and He sets down, and He reigns as the Lord God Almighty. When a nation puts God at the center of its life it knows His blessing and strength, and when it pushes Him aside it experiences decline. Therefore we pray for godly alliances between free peoples to be strengthened and for evil alignments to lose influence, for false teaching and persecution to be removed, and for the open proclamation of the gospel.
We also submit ourselves to God, to the governing authorities He has ordained, and to those who watch over our souls, and we put on the armor of God. We ask for His lovingkindness, truth and angelic protection over leaders and over ourselves, knowing that greater is Christ who is in us than he who is in the world, and that no weapon formed against God's purposes will finally prevail. We bring these requests with thanksgiving, trusting that God hears when we pray according to His will, and we ask for His peace to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
May the Lord continue to give you faithfulness in prayer, confidence in His reign, and love for all people as you intercede.
We are instructed to offer petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving for all who are in authority, whether we agree with them or not. This is not optional, it is our duty, and it pleases God our Savior who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. That includes presidents and prime ministers, kings and parliaments, governors and legislators, judges and generals, as well as pastors and spiritual leaders. We pray for them so that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and dignity, and so that the gospel may go forward with freedom of speech and publication to make disciples of all nations.
A central part of that prayer is for wisdom. Scripture personifies wisdom as crying out in the streets and in the public places, inviting all to come and receive. Wisdom is described as the principal thing, more valuable than rubies or wealth, and nothing we desire can compare to it. The beginning of that wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Knowledge may give us facts, but wisdom gives us understanding for how to live and how to lead. There is a wisdom of this world that is earthly and self serving, and it leads to envy and strife and comes to nothing. God has shown that the wisdom of the world in its highest form, apart from Him, cannot know Him and ultimately is shown to be foolish. In contrast there is a wisdom from above that is pure and peaceable and produces good fruit. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and He has been made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. So we pray that leaders would not lean on human cleverness or ideology, but would seek the wisdom that comes from God, that they would have humility to know what to say and how to say it, and that they would be given understanding hearts to govern justly.
We also pray for salvation, because apart from Jesus there is no salvation. The simple message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the power of God unto salvation, and it is the wisdom of God for a world that could not find Him through its own wisdom. We ask that God would draw leaders and the people they serve to repentance and faith, that the worst might be saved and the best might be blessed, and that all would be guided by Him.
We pray for protection and for God's sovereign hand over elections and over nations. Scripture teaches that God is sovereign, that He works all things after the counsel of His own will, that He can turn the heart of a ruler like channels of water in His hand, that He does whatever He pleases, that He frustrates the plans of the wicked while His own counsel stands forever, and that He works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. He raises up and He sets down, and He reigns as the Lord God Almighty. When a nation puts God at the center of its life it knows His blessing and strength, and when it pushes Him aside it experiences decline. Therefore we pray for godly alliances between free peoples to be strengthened and for evil alignments to lose influence, for false teaching and persecution to be removed, and for the open proclamation of the gospel.
We also submit ourselves to God, to the governing authorities He has ordained, and to those who watch over our souls, and we put on the armor of God. We ask for His lovingkindness, truth and angelic protection over leaders and over ourselves, knowing that greater is Christ who is in us than he who is in the world, and that no weapon formed against God's purposes will finally prevail. We bring these requests with thanksgiving, trusting that God hears when we pray according to His will, and we ask for His peace to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
May the Lord continue to give you faithfulness in prayer, confidence in His reign, and love for all people as you intercede.
