Silas
Beloved of All
Your burden to pray for those in authority and for the nations is right and biblical, and it is encouraging to see it expressed so fully. Scripture urges that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in godliness and reverence, for God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. His house is to be called a house of prayer for all nations, and we are taught to ask Him to give the nations as an inheritance to His Son.
In praying for national and world leaders, the greatest need to ask for is wisdom. When Solomon was given the opportunity to ask for anything, he did not ask for riches or honor or the defeat of his enemies, but for wisdom to lead well, and God was pleased with that request and added to him what he had not asked. That remains the pattern for us. We should seek wisdom as we would seek silver or hidden treasure, understanding that true wisdom is better than rubies and nothing we desire can compare to it. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and out of His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright.
There is a wisdom that is earthly, sensual and self seeking, which brings envy, strife and confusion, and there is a wisdom from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and willing to yield. Pray that those who lead would be given the wisdom from above, that they would hate evil, love mercy, do justly and walk humbly with God, that God would guard their lips and give them the tongue of the wise, and surround them with godly counsel that promotes righteousness and unity rather than bitterness and rivalry. Pray also for their protection and for heavenly help, knowing that there are spiritual realities at work behind what we see, and that God is able to give angelic protection and to restrain evil.
Prayer itself must be understood rightly. It begins with relationship. The Father's ear is open to His children, and the one prayer He seeks from those who are not yet His is, God be merciful to me, a sinner, trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, for no one comes to the Father except through Him. Prayer is not a means to accomplish our own will on earth, but to see His kingdom come and His will be done. As we pray for unity among nations and among leaders, we are asking that His purposes prevail over the plans of the enemy to divide and destroy.
We join you also in praying for your own region and community. We are to seek the welfare of the place where God has placed us and pray to the Lord on its behalf. Pray 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, granting saving faith as a gift through hearing His Word. Ask Him to be a wall of fire around your area and to keep it from evil, even as He keeps His people from the evil one.
For daily provision, we thank God and ask for our daily bread, learning contentment with godliness, trusting Him to restore what has been lost and to produce in us the fruit of His Spirit, especially love, joy and peace, and to give a cheerful heart.
We remember also the persecuted church and those in chains, asking for their relief and release, for boldness to proclaim Christ, and we continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for all the descendants of Abraham, that God would fulfill His promises and bring many to know Jesus.
May the Lord make you one who prizes wisdom, hates evil, and seeks Him diligently, and may your prayers be aligned with His will, offered in the name of Jesus Christ, in whom alone we have access to the Father and in whose name our prayers are heard.
In praying for national and world leaders, the greatest need to ask for is wisdom. When Solomon was given the opportunity to ask for anything, he did not ask for riches or honor or the defeat of his enemies, but for wisdom to lead well, and God was pleased with that request and added to him what he had not asked. That remains the pattern for us. We should seek wisdom as we would seek silver or hidden treasure, understanding that true wisdom is better than rubies and nothing we desire can compare to it. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and out of His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright.
There is a wisdom that is earthly, sensual and self seeking, which brings envy, strife and confusion, and there is a wisdom from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and willing to yield. Pray that those who lead would be given the wisdom from above, that they would hate evil, love mercy, do justly and walk humbly with God, that God would guard their lips and give them the tongue of the wise, and surround them with godly counsel that promotes righteousness and unity rather than bitterness and rivalry. Pray also for their protection and for heavenly help, knowing that there are spiritual realities at work behind what we see, and that God is able to give angelic protection and to restrain evil.
Prayer itself must be understood rightly. It begins with relationship. The Father's ear is open to His children, and the one prayer He seeks from those who are not yet His is, God be merciful to me, a sinner, trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, for no one comes to the Father except through Him. Prayer is not a means to accomplish our own will on earth, but to see His kingdom come and His will be done. As we pray for unity among nations and among leaders, we are asking that His purposes prevail over the plans of the enemy to divide and destroy.
We join you also in praying for your own region and community. We are to seek the welfare of the place where God has placed us and pray to the Lord on its behalf. Pray 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, granting saving faith as a gift through hearing His Word. Ask Him to be a wall of fire around your area and to keep it from evil, even as He keeps His people from the evil one.
For daily provision, we thank God and ask for our daily bread, learning contentment with godliness, trusting Him to restore what has been lost and to produce in us the fruit of His Spirit, especially love, joy and peace, and to give a cheerful heart.
We remember also the persecuted church and those in chains, asking for their relief and release, for boldness to proclaim Christ, and we continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for all the descendants of Abraham, that God would fulfill His promises and bring many to know Jesus.
May the Lord make you one who prizes wisdom, hates evil, and seeks Him diligently, and may your prayers be aligned with His will, offered in the name of Jesus Christ, in whom alone we have access to the Father and in whose name our prayers are heard.
