I want to share this from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland's "From Faith To Faith" for today because it involves a subject that I believe it very important for born again believers to understand and to get right!
The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turns it whithersoever he will. Proverbs 21:1
Think about that for a moment! God has reserved the right to override the will of a nation's leader, if need be, to see that His people are governed according to His will.
What's more, God will hear the prayer of any government leader. Even if he's the worst reprobate in the whole world. He heard the prayer of old King Nebuchadnezzar. Believe me, that means He'll listen to any leader!
You see, Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. He was an ungodly ruler of an ungodly nation. However, he'd taken captives from the land of Judah. He had some of God's people under his authority. So, God began to deal with him.
Again and again, God warned him, Nebuchadnezzar, you're going to lose your mind if you don't straighten up. And, sure enough, he went just as crazy as could be.
He stayed that way for years too. Then one day he cried out to God and God heard him.
Despite his status as a heathen king of a heathen nation, God intervened repeatedly in Nebuchadnezzar's life and heard him when he finally cried out for help. Why? Because he had God's people under his control! (Read Daniel 4:1-37)
That same principle still holds true today. If we'll open the way through prayer, God will deal with our leaders!
If we will humble ourselves in unity and pray, God can change the injustice and corruption that exist in our country, or any country for that matter. He'll change the hearts of everyone from the White House on down to make sure His children are governed justly.
Make it a point to pray for our leaders today!
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty KJV
This also includes the "why" that we pray! The area that many believers err in is WHAT they pray! I have heard people pray for the health, prosperity, safety and many other natural things for our leaders. While this "sounds" like the loving "Christian" thing to do, this would not be an accurate way to pray! First of all, we are told to pray for these leaders so that WE may be able to "lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty"! Secondly, if they are living in ungodly ways, denying Jesus as Lord and Savior, not involved in tithing and giving, we can pray all day long for their health and well being and it is simply NOT going to happen! Theses things are promises of God for HIS people! We cannot pray against God's will! Look at 1 John 5:14-15:
14 And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. 15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him. AMP
So, how DO we pray? We pray what we KNOW is God's will for them. We pray that they receive Jesus as Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3:9), that laborers would be sent to minister to them (Luke 10:2), that their hearts would be turned by the Lord (Proverbs 21:1) to make those decisions that would enable God's people to worship freely and live that peaceable, godly life (1 Timothy 2:2)! Pray, also, in the Spirit and allow Him to pray through you what you do not know! AMEN! If we begin to pray earnestly (James 5:16) and knowledgeably, we will give God what He needs to work with in order for His will to be carried out! LET'S DO IT! AMEN! Here is Hillsong with "Desert Song":
Shalom in Him!
