As His church, we release the power of God to our nation through prayer.
by Steve Prokopchak
It is being reported by Time magazine that approximately sixty-four nations will have elections this year, along with the European Union. These represent 49 percent of the world’s population. Elections can change the course of a nation for years to come. Governments rise and fall with elections. National elections can be polarizing and may create disunity in our communities. Even families today are not immune from political divisions and strife due to political passions that are particularly peaked around election time.
There is a uniquely interesting scripture located in chapter eighteen of the book of Luke. It begins with an amazing promise and ends with one of the most unsettling questions found in the Bible.
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Jesus was teaching about persistent prayer. But He ends with a question, and that question is a daunting one: will He find faith on the earth when He returns? We need to ask, will He find faith for what? For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the need for faith and hope for our nation.
The mandate of prayer
We find a scriptural mandate for prayer for our nation in 1 Timothy 2:1–3.
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.
As His church, we release the power of God to our nation through prayer. This scripture states that praying for “kings” and all those in authority pleases God our Savior. In other words, He desires us to pray in this way. In our intercession we pray God’s Word and we release the Spirit of God to do what He does so well. We declare the truth of His Word in our prayers by Christ’s name—and with His authority.
Praying for our nation or the nations is a macro-level prayer effort. When we pray for a nation, we are looking beyond our region, our city, and our neighborhood. We are compelled to seek a higher ground in prayer in order to “see” and then petition our Father for what He sees.
Prayer keeps our heart right
You cannot speak against your nation if you are at the same time praying for your nation. You cannot speak ill will of a political candidate if you are praying for him or her. Prayer keeps our heart right.
Also, 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. (Jeremiah 29:7)
How to pray
When you pray, the Spirit of God will guide you. Perhaps the situation looks overwhelming; it may be difficult to know how to direct our prayers. But we are promised in Romans 8:26 that the Spirit of God will guide us when we pray. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
Following are several ways in which we can pray.
Pray in repentance
I have listened attentively, but they do not say what is right. None of them repent of their wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Each pursues their own course like a horse charging into battle. (Jeremiah 8:6)
There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 14:12)
Our nations need an awakening. Our hearts and our minds need to be cleansed. We need to pound heaven with our own repentance and seek God on behalf of the nation, beginning with our national leaders. Pray for public repentance, house-to-house repentance, and an unveiling of what is holding people back from confessing their sin to God.
Further, ask God to bring godly sorrow that will lead to repentance as described in 2 Corinthians 7:10. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
Pray for peace-filled elections
We do not have to accept turmoil, rioting, and civil unrest. God is bigger than that. We can lean on the faithfulness of God along with His mercy; it is new every morning.
Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Pray for the integrity of our leaders
Pray for leaders who realize that they cannot do what they are elected to do without the grace and mercy of their God. Pray for their salvation and for a revelation of God’s love for them, the office they hold, and the nation they serve.
There is no perfect leader and there is no perfect nation. Without God at the center, imperfection reigns. We each need to search our own heart and allow God to test us. Integrity starts with you and me.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)
Pray in the Spirit
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:18)
When we pray in the Spirit and in our prayer language, the enemy is unknowing to our prayer, to our intercession, our groaning for our nation. God will direct the heart of those we are praying for. Pray Proverbs 21:1. In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.
We wage war not against flesh and blood
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
As an active body of believers and those who do not shy away from warfare, we do consistently and unwaveringly wage war against the evil one. It is right and appropriate for us to use the authority given to us by the Holy Spirit to demolish strongholds along with anything that sets itself against the knowledge of God!
God may not answer immediately, or in the exact way we expect. However, our faithful and faith-filled consistent prayer along with that of others who are joining us is that which will weaken the enemy and strengthen the resolve of God. As more and more people are praying, more and more is stirred up in the heavenlies.
Prayer is NOT inaction
Many times when we pray, we pray for our needs and our desires. We ask God for a lot of things. When is the last time you prayed asking God what He wants from you? Asking Him how would He direct you to pray for your nation?
So how do we know that we really need not worry about things happening around us? How do we know that God is hearing our prayer for our nations? One of the best statements I have read when it comes to worry vs. prayer is: “Worry is a conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change. Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things He can change.” (source unknown)
Have you read Psalm 2:8? It says, Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession (emphasis mine). All we have to do is ask, just like the persistent widow did.
God’s Word instructs us to
- pray about everything (Philippians 4:6)
- pray at all times (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
- confess out sins and pray for one another (James 5:17)
- be not anxious, but pray (Philippians 4:6)
- pour our hearts out to God (Psalms 62:8).
Prayer is literally turning things over to God. It is saying we can’t handle it all. Prayer is walking away from worry and anxiety and putting our future into the hands of our living and loving God. Prayer is grappling with all our concerns and then personalizing those concerns into a petition directed by Holy Spirit to our heavenly Father. Prayer is confessing our inability while at the same time confessing His ability in each and every situation. Prayer is faith in action.
Be strong in prayer for your nation!
Tools to help you pray
Dozens of scriptures to help you pray for your spouse and children. Pray them daily and see God work in his or her life! Check out Praying for My Children and Praying for My Spouse.
