Many people spend a lot of time complaining about the government, and poking fun at the
government, but have you ever thought about the fact that God expects Christians to pray
for the government?
First Timothy 2, teaches that, “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks
be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet
and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”
Notice the four things mentioned: supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks.
Supplications are requests for particular benefits.
Intercessions are prayers/pleadings on behalf of another.
And, of course, giving of thanks is obvious.
We should express gratitude.
The Lord expects us pray for particular, specific benefits.
He expects us to make intercessions/plead on behalf of those in power, and of course,
to give thanks for them.
After all, Romans 13:1 says, “For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities
that exist are appointed by God.”
And the reason that we are supposed to offer these prayers for our leaders is - that so
much depends on their character and plans; that the security of life, liberty, and property
depends on them."
And then notice the next phrase, “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and reverence.”
We desire a quiet and peaceful lives where we can serve God in reverence, but today,
these liberties are threatened more and more each day.
And I want you to consider with me the fact that there is POWER in prayer.
In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God said, “If My people who are called by My name will 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 heal their land.
15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.”
Someone might say, “Well that was the Old Testament,” but listen to these words in
James 5:16, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
(In other words, when a faithful Christian prays, it has great power with God)…..And
then to support his point, James cites Elijah from the Old Testament.
He says, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it
would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”
Sometimes we think that our prayers must be LONG, but I think about Nehemiah 2.
Nehemiah was cup bearer for King Artaxerxes.
He brings the king his drink, and the king notices that Nehemiah is upset about something.
The king asks him, “What’s wrong?
Why are you sad?”
Nehemiah says then “I was very sore afraid.”
Chapter 2:4 says, “So I prayed to the God of heaven and I said unto the king......”
Here’s the point.
Apparently, before Nehemiah answered the King, he quickly, silently, said a prayer to God.
Our prayers can be long, and sometimes should be, but there are times when a short, quick,
silent prayer is appropriate.
In the book of Ezra, King Artaxerxes, though he was neither a Jew, nor a follower of Jehovah
God…he still recognized the value of having God’s people pray for him.
In fact, he ordered the local governors to make provision for God’s people “that
they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the
king and his sons” (Ezra 6:10).
Indeed, these same prayers for government leaders are commanded in the New Testament
as well.
God teaches Christians to obey government (Romans 13), pay taxes to the government (Matt
22) and to pray that the government will provide peace and tranquility in which they can serve
God and enjoy his blessings.
Now, more than ever, let’s pray for our country.