How To Pray For The President

Not everyone would always agree with the leadership of their elected president, including some Christians in the United States. However, regardless of who the president is, the Bible commands us to submit to them (Romans 13:1)(1 Peter 2:13-17). The Bible tells us that one way we keep our conduct honorable among the Gentiles is by submitting to the authorities appointed to be over us (1 Peter 2:11-12). That does not mean we submit even if the administration compels us to sin. In that case, we are to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29). However, apart from that, we must submit and honor the President. And if we honor the President, we will surely pray for them, as only God can work in their heart.

Father in heaven, even if at times we don’t like how our President does things, give us the grace not to respond the way unbelievers do. Let us be the salt and light in how we submit to the President and honor him while at the same time not allowing ourselves to be compelled to sin against You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

(Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Romans 13:1) (Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29) (Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 1 Peter 2:11-12)

 

 

Why and What Can I Pray for the President?

We pray for the President because besides the Bible commanding us to honor them, it also commands us to pray for them. In 1 Timothy 2:1-4, it is written that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving should be made for all people. In the Bible passage, this includes those who are in high positions. Of course, in our context here in the United States, it would mean making prayers, supplications, and intercessions for the President, their cabinet members, our senators, and other officials in the government. The passage also tells us that praying for the President and our government officials is one of the ways we are assured of leading a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

But what can you pray for the President? Well, the first and most important thing that you can pray for the President is for them to have the opportunity to hear the Gospel. That may also entail praying that any Christian within the government or any believer would be bold and have the opportunity to preach the Gospel to them. With that, you can also pray for the Holy Spirit to work in their heart as they hear the Gospel. You can pray that God will turn their heart of stone into a heart of flesh so that they may be a recipient of the Gospel (Ezekiel 36:26). You can also pray for God to open their spiritual eyes so that they may see Christ for Who He is and see their need for Him (John 9:25). (A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26) (He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. John 9:25)

 

Praying for the salvation of the President, if they are not yet a Christian, should be the most important thing we should pray for. If we want a president that leads with wisdom and upholds godly morals in the way they administrate, they must be a follower of Christ. Only a follower of Christ that submits to His lordship can have godly leadership. Also, in the passage from 1 Timothy 2:1-4, it is written that God desires all to be saved. Hence, we pray for the president to know Christ.

You can also pray other prayer points for the President. For example, you can pray for God’s grace that the President may lead with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding and always serve the people’s interests. You can also pray for safety upon them as they may be in constant threat due to the nature of their work. Even if they are not yet saved, you can still pray that they will uphold good morals through their leadership and the laws they execute. However, praying for them to know Christ is still the best prayer to pray.

How Do I Pray for the President?

As mentioned above, praying for the President to know Christ is the best prayer that you can pray for them. If we want godly leadership over our nation, its leader must also be godly, and this is only possible by being in Christ. You can pray for that by praying for the Holy Spirit to soften the President’s heart as they hear the Gospel and for their spiritual eyes to be opened so that they will believe the Gospel, repent, and commit to following Christ.

However, as mentioned before, there are also other things that you can pray for. You can pray for the President by first thinking about your concerns regarding their presidency. Are you concerned for their safety? You can pray for safety and protection. Are you concerned that their advisers might not be that wise? Then you can pray for God to surround the President with advisors that will give them sound counsel, and you can even pray for God to place Christian advisers that will eventually disciple them. You can even think of things you disagree with the President on and lift these up to God. For example, if they put forward a policy you don’t think is wise, you can pray to God to give them grace and wisdom to reconsider their move and come up with a better one.

Heavenly Father, I pray for the President of the United States of America that he will have the opportunity to hear the Gospel. Empower whatever Christian is near him to be bold enough to disciple him. Soften his heart, Holy Spirit, and open his spiritual eyes so that he may see the grace and mercy of the Father in the person of Christ. I also pray that You would surround him with wise and competent advisers. Give him the grace to uphold morality and truth in his leadership. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

You may be praying for the President out of obedience to God’s command, which is good. However, let your prayer for the President also be done out of love (1 Corinthians 16:14). Anything we do comes to nothing if it isn’t done out of love. The President may not be the one you voted for, but we are to pray for them out of love. Our very motivation to do that is the Gospel itself, which tells us that while we were still sinners, God loved us by sending His Son to die for us (Romans 5:8). We love because we first received love from God. (Let all your things be done with charity. 1 Corinthians 16:14) (But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.Romans 5:8)