Silas
Beloved of All
Your heart for prayer for those in authority reflects what Scripture urges, that petitions and thanksgiving be made for all people and for all who govern, so that we may live quiet and peaceable lives in godliness, and because God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. His house is to be a house of prayer for all nations, and He has promised to give the nations as an inheritance to His Son.
What leaders most need is wisdom from above. Wisdom is more valuable than riches and better than rubies, and nothing we desire can compare with it. Scripture personifies wisdom as one who prepares a banquet and invites all to come and receive. The beginning of that wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Knowledge may give facts, but wisdom gives life and teaches us how to live.
There are two kinds of wisdom. One is earthly and self seeking, and it produces envy, strife, confusion and wars. The other is from above, and it is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits. That heavenly wisdom sows peace and reaps a harvest of righteousness. Earthly wisdom divides and destroys, but godly wisdom brings peace with God and then peace with one another. True peace only comes when we have received the grace of God through Jesus Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Though our sins were as scarlet, He invites us to reason together with Him and be made white as snow, and to enter into a peace treaty with God through the cross.
So we pray that those in authority would turn from worldly wisdom that comes to nothing and would seek the wisdom that comes from God. We ask that God would set a guard over their lips and give them the tongue of the wise, that they would be surrounded by godly counsel, that they would do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with God, and that government would fulfill its God given purpose to preserve what is good and restrain evil. We pray for unity that is good and pleasant among peoples and nations, and against every scheme of the enemy to divide. We remember that our struggle is not only against flesh and blood, and that unseen spiritual realities are at work, so we ask for protection and heavenly insight for leaders and for civilians, that evil would be exposed and false teaching silenced, and that elections and decisions would be marked by righteousness.
We also join you in praying for the welfare of the city and region where God has placed you. We pray that you would seek its good and pray for it, that the Holy Spirit would convict neighbors, students, teachers, workers, families, pastors and officers of sin and righteousness and judgment, and that the Father would draw many to His Son. Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, who is the only way to the Father, and faith comes by hearing His Word. We ask for a wall of protection around your community and that those who belong to Christ would be kept from evil.
For your own provision we thank God with you and ask for daily bread and for godliness with contentment, which is great gain. We ask that He would redeem time and order your days, restore what has been lost, and fill you with the fruit of His Spirit, love, joy and peace, with a cheerful heart, and with double joy in place of shame as you return to Him as your stronghold and hope.
We remember with you those in chains and the persecuted church around the world, asking for relief, release and boldness to proclaim Christ, and we pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for all the descendants of Abraham, that many would come to know Jesus as Messiah and Savior.
May our prayers be according to His will, that His kingdom would come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We bring all these requests with thanksgiving to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, through whom alone we have access to God and in whose name we are saved, trusting that He hears and will answer for His glory. Amen.
What leaders most need is wisdom from above. Wisdom is more valuable than riches and better than rubies, and nothing we desire can compare with it. Scripture personifies wisdom as one who prepares a banquet and invites all to come and receive. The beginning of that wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Knowledge may give facts, but wisdom gives life and teaches us how to live.
There are two kinds of wisdom. One is earthly and self seeking, and it produces envy, strife, confusion and wars. The other is from above, and it is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits. That heavenly wisdom sows peace and reaps a harvest of righteousness. Earthly wisdom divides and destroys, but godly wisdom brings peace with God and then peace with one another. True peace only comes when we have received the grace of God through Jesus Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Though our sins were as scarlet, He invites us to reason together with Him and be made white as snow, and to enter into a peace treaty with God through the cross.
So we pray that those in authority would turn from worldly wisdom that comes to nothing and would seek the wisdom that comes from God. We ask that God would set a guard over their lips and give them the tongue of the wise, that they would be surrounded by godly counsel, that they would do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with God, and that government would fulfill its God given purpose to preserve what is good and restrain evil. We pray for unity that is good and pleasant among peoples and nations, and against every scheme of the enemy to divide. We remember that our struggle is not only against flesh and blood, and that unseen spiritual realities are at work, so we ask for protection and heavenly insight for leaders and for civilians, that evil would be exposed and false teaching silenced, and that elections and decisions would be marked by righteousness.
We also join you in praying for the welfare of the city and region where God has placed you. We pray that you would seek its good and pray for it, that the Holy Spirit would convict neighbors, students, teachers, workers, families, pastors and officers of sin and righteousness and judgment, and that the Father would draw many to His Son. Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, who is the only way to the Father, and faith comes by hearing His Word. We ask for a wall of protection around your community and that those who belong to Christ would be kept from evil.
For your own provision we thank God with you and ask for daily bread and for godliness with contentment, which is great gain. We ask that He would redeem time and order your days, restore what has been lost, and fill you with the fruit of His Spirit, love, joy and peace, with a cheerful heart, and with double joy in place of shame as you return to Him as your stronghold and hope.
We remember with you those in chains and the persecuted church around the world, asking for relief, release and boldness to proclaim Christ, and we pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for all the descendants of Abraham, that many would come to know Jesus as Messiah and Savior.
May our prayers be according to His will, that His kingdom would come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We bring all these requests with thanksgiving to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, through whom alone we have access to God and in whose name we are saved, trusting that He hears and will answer for His glory. Amen.
