Do you believe in prayer? Are you aware that prayer is powerful? Do you know that prayer was instituted by God, and He is the one who instructs us to pray for our leaders and for all those who are in authority? Has it ever occurred to you that – rather than giving those who govern us a piece of our minds that we could pray for them instead?
Well, no matter who governs our country, it is our duty to offer prayers on their behalf. We may have done the voting, but God is the one who puts leaders in place whether we are for them or not. God has His purpose for whatever He does or allows. No one rises to places of authority without God’s hand in it. Psalms 75:7 states it clearly: “It is God alone who judges; He decides who will rise and who will fall.” And Romans 13:1-5 state, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”
It further admonishes us, “Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power?”
“Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience’s sake.”
You see, my friends, God takes leadership seriously. Therefore, we must not play with it. God always has a plan, and He always has a man or woman to fulfil His plan for His people, and He also knows the right time to do so. The Bible is replete with scriptures and stories that substantiate that fact. One of the stories is about the leadership of King Saul and David. While King Saul was King of Israel, God anointed David to be the next king, but David had to wait and trust God’s timing for him to govern the people of Israel.
While King Saul governed Israel, despite David’s anointing, David respected Him. David never tried to usurp King Saul’s leadership. When David had a chance to speak badly about King Saul, he instead chose to thank those who buried him. David showed honour to him, even though King Saul tried on numerous occasions to kill him. Although David had killed men in war, he would not kill King Saul who wanted him dead.
David never encouraged his men to harm King Saul either. When David’s men told him to seek revenge for himself, he answered them saying, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” David explained to his soldiers how God oversaw the situation. David refused to kill King Saul because he was anointed by God. You see, Samuel the prophet anointed Saul and set him apart to be king over Israel.
David would certainly not take matters into his own hands but rather waited on the Lord to bring judgement on the house of Saul. David realised that if he touched God’s anointed he would be guilty before God. He saw God as establishing Saul’s leadership even though he was in rebellion.
Therefore, during those difficult times David experienced with King Saul, he prayed to God. He knew the power of prayer. Even after Saul was killed in battle, David grieved over Saul with deep and genuine sorrow. In his heart, there was no thought of hate or pleasure at the death of his enemy.
That is how it should be with us, my friends. We must always pray for our leaders and leave them into the hands of the Almighty God. They are answerable to Him. One day, they will have to give an account for their stewardship.
Our leaders need our prayers not only for themselves, but rather because almost every aspect of our daily lives is affected by the decisions they make upon our behalf.
Our leaders need our prayers because they carry a lot of responsibilities, and they need strength and wisdom every day to carry out their tasks. Some of the decisions they make not only affect our lives, but also the lives of people in other jurisdictions.
One of Paul’s very first instructions found in 1 Timothy 2 to his protégé, Timothy, was to pray “For kings and all those in authority, that they may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” Paul’s message is as relevant now as it was then. It states, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
We must pray that those in authority can approach each relationship they have with kindness and an attitude of openness. Let us ask God to guide their conversations with Christ-like love and humility.
If perchance you do not know how to pray, here is a prayer written by Michael Saward, that you can pray daily. It says:
Lord of the universe and leader of your people,
Give wisdom to all those who exercise authority.
Teach them to put the good of the many before the greed of the few.
Help them to love truth and to hate falsehood and corruption, and, above all, urge them to remember that the one who would be greatest must learn to be the servant of all, for Christ’s sake. Amen.
Remember: Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night. Prayer doesn’t just change things – it changes us. Prayer requires more of the heart than of the tongue.
About the Author: Mrs. Marilyn Hodge owns and operates the Wellness Centre in the Farrington, Anguilla. The Centre offers Counselling Services by Appointment Only and has now published Positive Living Volume 3. Contact information: 476-3517 or email: marilynb@anguillanet.com. www.facebook.com/axawellnesscentre
