Praying for Our Leaders
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Jer 29:7, "Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Rom 13:1, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." Eph 2:18–20, " 'For all the Lord's people' and for himself that he would speak the gospel boldly." When those in authority obey the will of God, it is easier to ". . . live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God." 1 Tim 2:2. When evil men are in authority, our prayers for them are just needed. William Tyndale’s last words as he was being burned at the stake: "Lord, open the King of England's eyes." Leadership can be a tiring task. Jam 3:1, "Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." Leaders carry a great responsibility to their followers. Leaders are often the targets of criticism and the go-to people in a crisis. If they are leading well, they are living their lives in service. We pray for them because we recognize the greatness of their task and we are grateful for their willingness to lead. Whether or not our leaders are believers, we should pray God will guide them as they guide us. Pray they be wise and discerning and surrounded by helpful advisers. God has placed our leaders in authority over us Rom 13:1, "Obey the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and He puts these rulers in their places of power." We should pray for their protection. Pray for them to have strength in the midst of spiritual warfare and to remain encouraged in the Lord. Pray for their families, who often feel scrutinized and bear an extra load. Speak the names of leaders before God in prayer asking Him to have His way in their hearts, to use their leadership to benefit their followers. Leaders carry vision and bear great responsibility. They are vision-casters and vision-fulfillers. They lead, guide, and make tough decisions every day; and at times are greatly influenced by people near and around them. We need to pray for our leaders, about those clamoring voices and opinions that fill their minds and pull them in opposing directions. They need prayer to help them bear the burden of authority as well as decipher the right decision that serves the vision and purpose of their office for the good of all they lead. God knows that prayer is what moves hearts towards Him and softens our hearts towards others. It's easy to pray for the leader you like. But when it's someone you don't like, whose ideology may be different than yours...this command to pray for them gets challenging. Pray for Leaders in Government As leaders fulfill their role in government, we should ask God to guide them and give them wisdom to make good decisions. Ask God to protect them from double-mindedness, corruption, and evil demonic influences. That God strengthens their integrity and gives them fortitude to stand on truth and righteousness so that they glorify Him. The position of power is God-ordained. What leaders do with that power is the leader's choice and their responsibility to choose wisely. Not all leaders make wise choices and many abuse the power their position. We Are Not Prohibited From Praying For The Removal Of Wicked Leaders Pro 25:4-5, "Remove impurities from the silver and the silversmith can craft a fine chalice; 5 Remove the wicked from leadership and authority. . ." As believers are accountable when we see evil and we are to speak out against it. Pro 24:24-25, "Whoever whitewashes the wicked gets a black mark in the history books, But whoever exposes the wicked will be thanked and rewarded." David asked God in Psa 94:16, "Who will protect me from the wicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers?" Pro 6:16-19, "There are six things the LORD hates no, seven things he detests: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, 18 a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, 19 a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family." Isa 5:20, "What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter." Sometimes leaders simply pervert the truth! Eph 5:11-14, "Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light." Mat 18:15-17, "If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector." "King David a man after God's own heart" considered his enemies and did not always pray good for them. This one seems especially harsh but God understood the plea behind it and why David asked it. Psa 109:6-15, "My enemies said, 'Find some worthless fools to accuse him of a crime. 7 Try him and find him guilty! Consider his prayers a lie. 8 Cut his life short and let someone else have his job. 9 Make orphans of his children and a widow of his wife; 10 make his children beg for food and live in the slums. 11 Let the people he owes take everything he owns. Give it all to strangers. 12 Don't let anyone be kind to him or have pity on the children he leaves behind. 13 Bring an end to his family, and from now on let him be a forgotten man. 14 Don't let the LORD forgive the sins of his parents and his ancestors. 15 Don't let the LORD forget the sins of his family, or let anyone remember his family ever lived.' " Psa 137:7-9, "O LORD, remember what the Edomites did on the day the armies of Babylon captured Jerusalem. 'Destroy it!' they yelled. 'Level it to the ground!' 8 O Babylon, you will be destroyed. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us. 9 Happy is the one who takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks!" These type of Psalms ask God to curse, destroy, or remove an enemy. They are pleas for vengeance, justice, and equity for those unable to defend themselves. David is expressing himself to God in need. He is telling, "God things are so bad right now because of this, will you enact vengeance upon them because of their wickedness." Praying this way the outcome is left to God. This doesn't mean God will answer at that moment. It means the responsibility of setting things straight is put into the righteous hands of God. As believers we can and should pray for the removal of wicked leaders from positions of authority who harm those they rule over. As God wills, in His time and manner. Pray that God will make them powerless, remove them from office, and prevent them from gaining access to power again. Mat 5:43-44, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you!" Pray for Leaders in Church Ask God to show you His true church, the right location that benefits you as well as others the most. To fill it with Righteous, truth filled, obedient leaders to God's word. That pastors, deacons, elders, teachers will all have a loving spirit and that each member is able to utilize to his or her utmost ability the gifts, talents, and skills God has endowed them with. That church members are financially blessed and able to support the church in order to help one another. That church members will all benefit, so it is also a light to the community. Pray they work with integrity of heart and wisdom, to bind love and faithfulness in their hearts as guides in their leadership position. That every leader and church member knows God's love and faithfulness so they to can show love and faithfulness too. May God give them a spirit of humility. That God guides them with the Holy Spirit to direct and advise, counsel members in the right direction. Pray for Leaders in our Schools Ask God to be with our children and grandchildren's teachers, school administrators as they oversee the education of our children. Pray that God helps their hearts be sensitive to our children in their care and to parents and guardians. Give them eyes to see beneath the obvious. Help them know how to call out the good in students with mercy, correct the bad. Give them hope when they see none, and direction when they need it. Stir in their hearts a passion for God and His righteousness as they work in the school systems. That they stand firm for what is right when they see wrong corrupt behavior or teachings that promote immoral or wrong behavior. Pray for Leaders in the Workplace Thank God your for employers or business. Ask that their businesses prosper so that they can continue to employ people. Give them prudent business sense and keep them connected to humble roots so that they grow in favor with you, their employee, and their customers. Let supervisors and managers cultivate a sense of excellence and respect for their fellow workers and that they affect their workplace for good. Pray for Leaders in the Homes Pay for God to lead and guide the grandparents, parents, guardians, husbands, and wives. To give wisdom so that they can navigate the changing stages of their children. Pour out understanding and compassion on them so they may point the family towards God's laws and commandments. Pray that god gives them the ability to respond in grace and mercy, and to be a light of goodness to the younger generation, and stand for what is right. That they may a listening heart towards their children and youth, so they in turn will become good leaders in their calling within home, church, and community. Leadership positions often place people under scrutiny. Leaders are people with pasts, present, and dreams for the future, too. At times, it's difficult to make right judgments, which is why we should prayer to God in have leaders that can correct something and have the grace to admit if they are wrong and change. 1Tim 3:2, shows the need for church leaders to be " . . . vigilant, serious-minded, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching." But these qualities are not limited to church leaders,but extended into the home, community, and world around us. If we chose, consistently, the behavior laid out in God's commandments. Our society would experience an incredible transformation. But, without the help of the Holy Spirit, people's hearts tend to grow hard. Hard hearts lead to seared consciences, which makes choosing God's right ways difficult. Our behavior leans towards sin, but we may experience refinement as growth and maturity occurs in Christ and we make godly choices praying for one another, especially our leaders. 1 Pet. 2:17, "Show honor to everyone. Love the brotherhood, revere God and honor the king {president}."
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Blessings of Praying for Our Leaders |
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1. Contentment The benefit of praying for leaders is the contentment of an obedient heart. A hard heart is a heart that struggles to bend to God’s will. If you struggle praying for your leaders, consider it as an act of obedience to the Lord and watch how your heart changes. 2. Peace The second benefit of praying for leaders is a peaceful heart. People argue with one another rather than lean in and listen. All a shouting contest does is to see who can shout the loudest and longest—all that’s heard is noise. Prayer is one pathway to peace. It’s what holds our hearts still in the middle of uncertain times. Through prayer we express our disappointment and hopes about our leaders and entrust them to God. 3. Victory The third benefit of praying for leaders is our prayers may be crucial to their salvation. God desires everyone to come to know him our prayers help with that. 2 Cor 10:3-4, "For although we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the overthrowing of strongholds." Though we live in the world, we don’t wage war as the world wages war. Our prayers are the weapons God gives us to deflect the enemy’s strategies and proclaim God’s truth, power, and love in someone’s life. 4. Gratitude The fourth benefit of praying for leaders is gratitude. Leaders bear a heavy burden. James 3:1, states that ". . . do not many of you become teachers, knowing that we will receive more severe judgment." Those who teach or lead bear greater responsibility. Their decisions have long-lasting effects—When we pray for our leaders, we are able to develop a heart of gratitude for the burdens they bear. Let's be thankful for the one who's willing to bear that load. Praying for leaders is our responsibility as Christ-followers to our fellow believers and to mankind. True some leaders abuse their power, but when we do our part by praying, we've risen to our responsibility as image-bearers of Christ. James 5:16, "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." Set aside your opinions of the quality of leadership we're under and do what God has called us to do—pray for our leaders. One last thing; As our world spirals out of control under a wicked regime controlled by demonic forces who hate God and His laws and authority. We need to realize we must put God and His laws above all others and not comply with things contrary to his word, and truth or righteousness. This world is now under demonic control and will be for a very short time. We must then trust God, not worry about how we will survive. Many will have to make a choice to disobey wickedness to bow down to evil or to submit and lose salvation. Who will you choose? Salvation or Death?, The Mark of the Beast (Mammon and riches and pleasures for a moment)? Or for God to provide all you will need? Psa 91:1-16, "Live under the protection of God Most High and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful. 2 Then you will say to the LORD, 'You are My fortress, My place of safety; you are My God, and I trust You.' 3 The Lord will keep you safe from secret traps and deadly diseases. 4 He will spread His wings over you and keep you secure. His faithfulness is like a shield or a city wall. 5 You won't need to worry about dangers at night or arrows during the day. 6 And you won't fear diseases that strike in the dark or sudden disaster at noon. 7 You will not be harmed, though thousands fall all around you. 8 And with your own eyes you will see the punishment of the wicked. 9 The LORD Most High is your fortress. Run to Him for safety, 10 and no terrible disasters will strike you or your home. 11 God will command His angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will carry you in their arms, and you won't hurt your feet on the stones. 13 You will overpower the strongest lions and the most deadly snakes. 14 The Lord says, 'If you love Me and truly know who I am, I will rescue you and keep you safe. 15 When you are in trouble, call out to Me. I will answer and be there to protect and honor you. 16 You will live a long life and see My saving power.' " Deu 30:15-20, "See, I have put before you today, life and good, and death and evil; 16 In giving you orders today to have love for the Lord your God, to go in His ways and keep His laws and His orders and His decisions, so that you may have life and be increased, and that the blessing of the Lord your God may be with you in the land where you are going, the land of your heritage. 17 But if your heart is turned away and your ear is shut, and you go after those who would make you servants and worshippers of other gods: 18 I give witness against you this day that destruction will certainly be your fate, and your days will be cut short in the land where you are going, the land of your heritage on the other side of Jordan. 19 Let heaven and earth be my witnesses against you this day that I have put before you life and death, a blessing and a curse: so take life for yourselves and for your seed: 20 In loving the Lord your God, hearing His voice and being true to Him: for He is your life and by Him will your days be long: so that you may go on living in the land which the Lord gave by an oath to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
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