PRAY AMERICA GREAT AGAIN
By Steve Henry
Burke County
PRAY FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY OVER US
Do you ever ask yourself the question “How should I pray for our elected officials?” It’s easy to pray for those we agree with but what about those that run counter to what God’s Word teaches?
First of all, we need to recognize the fact that it is Almighty God who assigns (ordains) men to places of power. It was true in Old Testament times as well as New Testament times. Some are godly some are of the basest sort (Daniel 4:17; Romans 13:1) but they all have been assigned to places of authority over us by Him.
Daniel 4:17 “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.”
Romans 13:1” Let every soul be subject to the higher authorities. For there is no authority but of God; the authorities that exist are ordained by God.”
Secondly, God expects us to pray for them.
1Timothy 2:1-4 “First of all, then, I exhort that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
When He mentions four different types of prayer in one sentence I think it would be safe to assume that He wants us to take this responsibility very seriously.
First and foremost we should offer up a prayer for their salvation (vs.4). If we’re not sure whether they are lost or saved we can always pray that the Lord will lead them to repentance and rest assured that He will, for it is not His will that any perish but all come to repentance (2nd Peter 3:9). He will never force them to repent but He will do all that is necessary for their lives to bring them to that saving knowledge of Christ, the decision will always be theirs.
Second, we must pray that God will deliver us from the evil within them (Matthew 6:13).
Psalm 28:2-6 “Hear the voice of my prayers, when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your Holy Place. Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, yet evil is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their practices, give them according to the work of their hands; give them what they deserve. Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy (to pull down or in pieces, break, destroy) them, and not build them up. Blessed is Jehovah, because He has heard the voice of my prayers.”
Sometimes it is obvious that some of our elected officials have no regard for the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands when they speak peace to their neighbors, yet evil is in their hearts.
Then is the time we should ask God to deliver us from the evil within them by “giving them according to their deeds and according to the wickedness of their practices, give them according to the work of their hands; give them what they deserve”, and destroy anything they are trying to build up.
I didn’t say that, the Word of Almighty God said it, therefore it is Biblical praying.
Third, for those who do have regard for the works of the Lord we should pray for the Grace of God to enable them to withstand the onslaught of the evil one and having done all, to stand (Ephesians 6:13).
Fourth, Praise Him for hearing our prayer and expect things to happen, “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him” (1st John 5:14-15).
Once again, it is Biblical to pray the prayer of repentance for ourselves and others and to pray for deliverance from evil, therefore when we pray in this way we don’t have to wonder whether it is His will to give us what we ask for.
Oh, by the way, before we pray for those in authority over us maybe we should consider the evil within ourselves (Romans 7:19) and take God’s advice in 2nd Chronicles 7:14 to heart; “if My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
In our present political climate, we want to blame the other side for all the troubles in our country, but God says if we as His children (not the “crooked politicians”) will get serious about our relationship with Him, repent of our sin, and cry out to Him, He will forgive our sins and heal our land.
__________________________________________
Steve Henry has been a lifelong resident of Burke County. God blessed him with an incredible lady that he has been married to for 43 years. He has also blessed Steve with two wonderful children and two beautiful granddaughters.
Today’s Christian can Read more Christian news here.
__________________________________________
