How to Pray for our Country

 God has blessed this country with a lot. I believe that is a result of his direct blessing and indirectly through godly people and principles.

This part of the country really does celebrate America. We need to make sure we don't worship the country, but the One who has given it to us. Some believe that Christians shouldn't get involved in politics, but we absolutely need to be involved politically....vote, write officials, campaign, run even. But what Christians SHOULD do is PRAY for our country. The future is bright, in a recent poll 74% or young people said that they want to grow spiritually. 44% were more interested since COVID.

The first "Great Awakening" began even before we were a country. In the 1700's churches and ministers did not keep up with the growth in the colonies. Many people due to "enlightenment" and "Rationalism" turned to Deism, Universalism and even atheism. God did a great work through men like Whitfield, Edwards and Wesley. During this time they saw the start of mission societies, new churches, new ministers, missionaries, a rise in attendance, holiness. They began teaching people the importance of a genuine relationship with God.

1 Timothy 2:1 (ESV) "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people,"

I. Pray for the lost to come to Christ

Do we still pray for the lost? How many lost people are on your prayer list? Do we have a heart for the lost? Do we have compassion for the lost?

Jesus had great compassion on the multitudes

Matt. 14:14 (ESV) "When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick."

Matt. 9:36 (ESV) "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like the sheep without a shepherd."

Matt. 15:32 (ESV) "Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 'I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.'"

Think of someone you know who is lost...and pray for them. Pray for a revival, but specifically pray for a  lost person.

1 Timothy 2:2-4 (ESV) "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 Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

II. Pray for political leaders (those elected and those unelected)

Pray for their salvation. They need Jesus. Wouldn't it be amazing if revival broke out in D.C.?

III. Pray that they would govern righteously

 So that we may have freedom to live godly lives. So we have the freedom to assemble, to worship, to pray, to preach, to evangelize...without threat of violence of imprisonment like Daniel, Paul and the Apostles. When Paul wrote these words in 1 Timothy, Nero was the emperor in Rome. He was known for persecuting Christians. Paul was encouraging Timothy to pray for leaders, even Nero.

We should pray  that our leaders would govern righteously so that we may have the freedom to live godly lives.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (ESV) "and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one."

Pray that we can work hard, earn an honest living and train up the next generation to do the same.

Acts 5:29 (ESV) "But Peter and the apostles answered, 'We must obey God rather than men.'"

We should be thankful for our freedom, but we must obey God rather than men.

IV. Make sure you walk the walk

1 Peter 4:14-16 (ESV) "If you are insulated for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name."

Matt. 5:16 (ESV) "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

As Christians we ought to be the best people in our communities. We should love and care for others. In a Christian society a church is seen as a blessing. In a lost society it's seen as a threat. Let our lives honor God.

V. Pray that they might punish evil and reward good

Justice is God's idea. Many of our laws were built on OT law given to Israel.

Romans 13:3-5 (ESV) "For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience."

1 Peter 2:13-17 (ESV) "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, of to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Hoor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor."

Let us pray that our leaders punish real evil so as to protect real good.

Proverbs 29:2 (KJV) "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

Government is God's idea, but men have gotten in the way.

The greatest slavery is in our sin. Pray for the lost. Pray for our country and shine your light in the world.