When we pray for a particular person or subject, over time we get God’s heart and thoughts for it. One huge example of this for me (Theresa) personally was my journey with praying specifically for our President. My journey began while I was still in college when I joined in on prayer and fasting with a local church group for the 2008 elections. In addition, I usually kept the web stream of the Global Prayer Room playing on low volume throughout the night as I didn’t always sleep well at night. There were several occasions where I would wake up to someone praying for the President or the government. God was beginning to share His heart and burden for praying for those in leadership of our nation.
Fast forward to joining staff at the house of prayer here in Kansas City. On the night watch we had a presidential prayer team, and I joined the team. Each team member prayed on the mic on a different day of the week so there each day he was being covered in prayer. President Obama was in office when I was on the team. I didn’t know much about him and honestly felt indifferent to him as a President. Slowly over time, I knew my heart was changing and God was sharing His heart and thoughts for Obama and his family. I still vividly remember one night praying on the mic where I began to weep through my prayer as I was overcome with God’s heart for this man. I saw him as a man standing before God, one who God’s hands had created, formed and fashioned, and a man who God has dreams and plans for, a man that God sent His only Son to the cross for, and a man God desired eternal life for. This really shifted how I looked at governmental leaders and those put in places of influence.
I love Daniel 2:21 that tells us God “removes kings and raises up kings”. God really does put into place Governmental leaders and takes them out as He sees fit. There is an also a bible verse that says that God’s holds kings hearts and can direct them like channels of waters (see Prov 21:1). He moves them where He pleases. While I don’t fully understand God’s sovereignty and the free will He gives man, I know the Bible is the best place to keep us properly oriented as we pray for our President and national leaders. God’s Word is living and active and is for today, so I know that praying scriptures is not only powerful but keeps me with Jesus at the center. One of my favorite verses to pray for the President is Colossians 1:9-11. I pray that God would fill them with wisdom & put wise people around them, like Daniel in the Bible. I pray for the fear of the Lord, that they would have a walk that is worthy and pleasing to the Lord. I find that this verses like this one work well for Presidents especially when it can be hard to gauge where their personal relationship with Jesus is.
