Praying for Our Country During Election Season
Praying for Our Country During Election Season
Learning to seek God’s Heart in Prayer
God’s word teaches us how to pray and gives us language to express God’s heart. Using scripture to pray aligns us with God’s kingdom and will, helps us lean into God’s promises, and deepens our intimacy with God.
Intercessory Prayer Tips
Intercessory prayer is simply prayer on behalf of others. If you feel stuck in how to pray, you may consider doing a search in the Bible for prayers related to an issue or passion that God has placed in your heart. Biblegateway.com is an excellent resource, but there are an abundance of other online tools, commentaries, and apps that you can use to help you as well. As you find scriptures that connect with the topic, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you pray. God is not looking for perfect prayers, but a heart that seeks his own.
Prayers for Righteousness
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people. – Proverbs 13:34
Pray Daniel’s prayer of repentance in Daniel 9:1-19 on behalf of our country, asking God to contextualize the points of connection in this prayer to his kingdom vision for our nation during this unique time in history.
Pray Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1:9-11 over our country, particularly God’s people.
Specific prayer topics may also include issues such as abortion and the sanctity of life, sexual ethics, and being wise stewards of the earth/environment.
Prayers for Justice
By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down. – Proverbs 29:4
Pray Psalm 10. Let this scripture give you freedom to express your frustrations about the lack of justice you see in our country as well as the faith to ask God to act.
Specific prayer topics may include topics such as the character and integrity of our political leaders, gun control, public safety, policing, immigration, education, national security, foreign policy, civil rights and our legal system.
Prayers for Peace
But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. – Psalm 37:11
Read Jesus’s prayer for his disciples in John 17. Pray for the church in our country in the way that Jesus models for us. Use the following scriptures to guide your prayers for peace during this time: Philippians 4:6-7, John 14:27, & Numbers 6:24-26. Pray that people would look to Jesus as their Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), rather than to politicians.
Prayer topics may include praying for peace within our country, between our country and other countries, among God’s people, within families, in government, and in the midst of long-standing racial tensions.
Prayers for Provision
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. – Psalm 23:1
Pray Psalm 145:15-16. Start by thanking God for all the good things he’s given us. Then simply ask him for everything we need.
Prayer topics may include themes such as job opportunities, the cost of living, quality and affordable healthcare, inflation, taxes, energy production, debt management, the national budget, and caring for the poor
When in doubt about how to pray, Matthew 6:9-13 is always a great place to start. Use the Lord’s prayer to pray daily and as an outline for how to pray in general:
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”
(and added later through Christian tradition…)
“For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”