Praying For Leaders
By Fredi Trammell
An elderly gentleman came to our home one day for counseling with his pastor, my husband. Our young daughter suddenly entered the room with an “urgent” request of her father. After she left the room, the visitor remarked with surprise, “You know, Pastor, this is the first time I realized you are a dad like I am and have every day circumstances like other people!”
The gentleman spoke volumes in his simple statement.
Leaders are human. They have families to care for. Their emotions run high and low. They have the every day hassles that go with rearing a family and paying the bills.
They have yards to mow, family heartaches to bury, and physical illnesses to cope with. Many hours must be spent preparing and delivering the messages God gives them for their followers.
It is so much easier to be critical and judgmental than to pray! The sinful nature of man controls the carnal mind. Criticism and judgmental attitudes should never be a part of the Christian’s life. The body of Christ works in unity with one purpose- -evangelizing the world. All have a sinful nature, made pure only by the blood of Jesus Christ. The enemy is sly, wily, and intent upon infiltrating the minds of Christians with critical thinking and disdain for both government and spiritual leaders.
The will of God is to pray for leadership and those placed in authority. We disobey the Word of God when we fail to pray.
Apostle Paul requested his brothers and sisters in the Lord to pray for him. The importance of prayer warriors interceding for him is shown by records in eight different books of the New Testament.
One lady explained her method of praying for the pastor.
Every day ask the Lord to place the helmet of salvation upon his head. This will help him think clearly when he studies for his sermons. He will comprehend with new understanding the message he must bring.
Ask that his loins be girded with truth to proclaim the whole council of God without fear or favor.
Pray the breastplate of righteousness upon him. This piece of armor of God covers the heart area. It guards the heart from unrighteousness and keeps sin from filtering through. (He becomes susceptible to sin without the breastplate of righteousness just as any other person does.)
Next, pray that his feet will be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. Pray all his dealings of the day will be peaceful as he carries the gospel in the community.
Ask God to place within his grasp the shield of faith and sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. He needs a shield from the fiery darts of the enemy.
A few years ago it became known that Satan worshippers met regularly at midnight and prayed for hours that all preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all spiritual leaders would be destroyed by sin entering their lives, their families and homes.
Satan has launched an all-out attack upon the leadership of the Church. In the midst of this furious, vicious attack from the devil, God is raising special warriors to pray for His leaders. An intercessor may be assigned to one leader to spend time daily warring against the enemy in his behalf. God may at times give the intercessor a word of encouragement for the leader in his care.
Less failures occur when faithful followers PRAY persistently and consistently for their leaders.
It is the will of God and scriptural to pray for both spiritual and government leaders. We need to call the names of our mayor and city councilmen in prayer often. We should pray for their integrity and ask God to give them divine wisdom. We must also pray for state and national leaders by name. The President, his cabinet members and the Supreme Court justices of the nation need our prayers.
President George Bush recently said, I believe in prayer!
When asked how one should focus prayer while praying for a president, he answered without hesitation, Pray for strength. Do not pray necessarily for political victories, but pray for divine strength to carry out the duties of the office.
I attended a prayer service where pictures of all the civic leaders, the president and his family, the Supreme Court of the United States, and senators and their families were displayed. This is a beautiful way to pray for leadership in government. Families can use this method to pray for pastors, teachers, missionaries, and others in leadership positions.
With this method of praying, children not only learn to pray, but they learn respect for, and submission to those who hold authoritative positions.
We may not agree with everything our leaders do, but it is the will and plan of God to pray for them. As we pray for political leaders, we can ask God to draw them by His Spirit to salvation if they are unsaved.
In the midst of Satan’s furious battle against leaders, God calls great prayer warriors and intercessors to the front lines of battle to pray against the powers of the enemy of the Kingdom of God.
The Lord says, “Don’t be afraid! Don’t be paralyzed by this mighty army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s…go down and attack them. . .you will not need to fight! Take your places; stand quietly and see the incredible rescue operation God will perform for you. . . don’t be afraid or discouraged!. . . for the Lord is with you!” (II Chronicles 20:15-17 TLB).
Our warfare is not against flesh and blood. Our warfare is spiritual–we fight on our, knees!
Moses learned that as long as his hands remained uplifted, Israel prevailed against their enemy. After the battle raged for hours, being human, his arms became heavy and tired. Aaron and Hur stood beside their great leader holding his raised hands and the Israelites won the battle. This exemplifies loyal, faithful intercession of followers for their leader.
We should never feel unworthy to minister to a leader. If God gives the intercessor an encouraging word, a scripture, or a special prayer for his leader; write and give it to the leader. This kind of encouragement from the Lord through an intercessor can change the course of a leader’s life.
By the simple obedience of a follower who prays for and encourages him, courage rises in a leader’s heart and strength is given to do what God called him to do.
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn (Proverbs 29:2).
Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation (Hebrews 13:7).
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account that they do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly (Hebrews 13:17, 18).
One author gave the following points in praying for our leaders:
1. Pray that unjust leaders will make mistakes that will help advance the gospel. (Psalm 109-29)
2. Pray that tyrannical leaders will fall from power through unsound advice. (Psalm 5:10)
3. Pray that all God-fearing leaders will discover scriptural wisdom to govern their nations. (Proverbs 28:2)
4. Pray that all leaders will receive a personal message of God’s love. (Isaiah 52:15)
5. Pray that leaders in troubled nations will grow weary of continuing bloodshed. (1 Kings 5:3, 4)
6. Pray that corrupt leaders will recognize their evil ways and turn to God. (11 Chronicles 33:12, 13)
7. Pray that leaders will realize that God gave them their positions. (Daniel 2:19-22)
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. (1 Samuel 12:25)
The following prayers are the author’s prayers for our nation. Make them your prayers.
Prayer
God, I love my nation. I thank you for freedoms which no other nation in the world enjoys. I pray for our land. God, my Father, replenish the good in the land. I pray that the power from your mighty hand will sweep this land for righteousness sake!
Forgive us our sins. Forgive our backsliding. Grant us grace to forgive others as you are willing to forgive us. Restore peace among our neighbors. May we as brothers and sisters hold each other’s hands and pledge our loyalty to one another and to You. Bring your people to the unity which You desire. May our first love be for you and for Your righteousness, O’ Mighty Savior.
In the Name which is above every Name, I make these requests of you. In JESUS NAME. Amen. Amen.
Prayer
Oh, Lord God of all righteousness, stretch forth your mighty arm and save our nation from murdering our precious unborn. Forgive! Forgive! Pardon the gross sins of bloodshed at our hands!
Oh, my God, allow your HOLY, ETERNAL SPIRIT to probe into the depths of the hearts of men and women who are captured by satan’s forces and release them of evil which the enemy of the soul has them bound.
In JESUS NAME, I take authority over evil, bloodthirsty demons who are bent on destroying our young children. I cast these demons into the darkness of hell, the pit from which they came to be bound in chains until the LORD reigns victoriously in every life.
IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST! Amen.
Excerpted from : “The Power of Focused Praying” By Fredi Trammell
