Why and How Should I Pray for My Nation’s Leaders? | Faith & Life

In both the Old and New Testaments, God instructs us to pray for the government, with specific matters to intercede for.

In some churches, corporate intercession during the worship service may regularly include prayers for Singapore and its government or leaders, along with the usual ones for the church community and individuals.

For some in the congregation, this may seem like a natural thing to do. But there may also be some who do not fully agree with the government or its policies, and may wonder: Why should I pray for the government? Do I need to pray for leaders I do not support or agree with? And how should I do this?

The apostle Paul would probably have a ready answer. He believed God’s answers to prayer could shape governments as well as our own individual lives. So, he wrote:

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Why should we pray for our leaders?

Paul said that the goal of our praying should be that we may live “peaceful and quiet” lives.

These words echo the earlier counsel given by the prophet Jeremiah to the Jews living in exile under the foreign and pagan government of Babylon (Jeremiah 29:4–7). Under the kind of government that the Israelites could have found so wrong, Jeremiah shared the very words of the Lord:

Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. (Jeremiah 29:7)

It is significant that though they lived centuries apart, one in Babylon and the other in Rome, both Jeremiah and Paul urged God’s people to pray for those in positions of highest national authority—who were also foreign rulers—so that they might have peace.

If you value the peace that we enjoy in Singapore, will you pray for our leaders to govern well so that we can continue to experience peace and flourishing in our daily lives?

How Can We Pray for Our Leaders?

What kinds of prayers should we offer for those in government?

In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Paul used four different ways to describe the kinds of prayers we should offer on behalf of our governments:

petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings.

For example, this could mean appealing to God to enable our policymakers and law enforcers to exercise fairness as they do their work. These include our parliamentary representatives who make laws and check on policies, and those who enforce the laws—judges, magistrates, mediators, as well as the police force and other supporting agencies.

It could also mean praying for the general needs of our government, such as the need for wisdom and justice, and for ministries and agencies to take care of the needs of the nation.

Taken together, Paul’s call for such prayers reminds us that

God wants us to express our confidence in the higher authority and power that are His alone.

The activities of the governments of the world are a part of the spiritual battle that will end when Christ returns to set up His kingdom. In the meantime, God hears our prayers, and we have this great promise: “If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14). So, let’s pray for our nation’s leaders according to 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation. We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation.

What Do We Really Desire?

The Singapore pledge captures the country’s ideals and communicates the aspirations of happiness, prosperity and progress for the nation. These could well be part of our prayer for the country.

Yet, even these lofty and noble goals will fall short of what our hearts ultimately yearn for. Jesus told His disciples:

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:25–28)

It’s amazing that our King of kings “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Since Jesus’ day, countless kings, governments, and empires have come and gone. But the King, who set himself apart from all other kings by dying in our place, remains.

Jesus is the only One with the power and authority to meet our deepest needs. He alone can provide the protection and liberty that satisfies us both now and forever. He alone can fulfil our highest hopes.

The best way to change society is not by new laws or human leaders, but by allowing our own hearts to be changed—by inviting the King of kings to His rightful place in our lives.

Read other articles about our citizenship on earth:

Extracted and adapted with permission from Discovery Series Citizens of the Kingdom: Responding to Government as Christians © Our Daily Bread Ministries.