The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever he will.
– Proverbs 21:1
I want to picture, just think of world leaders, government leaders in the places where we live, and the countries where we live, and in countries around the world, and picture all of them, each of their hearts as a stream of water in the hands of God that he turns wherever he wills. In other words, no leader in this world is in ultimate control. All leaders in this world are right now ultimately under the sovereign authority of God.
Proverbs 21:1 tells us that God has sovereign authority over governments.
He holds their hearts in his hands, and there’s a lot of mystery that accompanies this as we think about world leaders, and how they oftentimes do evil or injustice. But this is the comfort we find in Proverbs 21:1, that they amidst doing evil, or injustice, are not ultimately in control, that God is ultimately sovereign over all things, and that God is working ultimately all things, including all that’s happening in the lives of kings, and presidents, and leaders to bring about his good, just, righteous purposes in the end, which is why then we’re commanded to pray for the leaders who are in God’s hands.
Think about 1 Timothy 2 saying, “I urge that supplications prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings, and all who are in high positions, that we may lead.” 1 Timothy 2 says, “a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” So based on Proverbs 21 and 1 Timothy 2, I want us to take our place for the next couple of moments before God, and intercede for world leaders to realize that right now, every one of us, wherever we are, has an audience with God to intercede on behalf of the leaders of the United States, and Russia, and Ukraine, and Israel, and all across the Middle East, and everywhere in the world, and in the cities, and states where we may live.
Proverbs 21:1 encourages us to pray for world leaders.
We have the privilege and responsibility to pray for leaders whose hearts are in the hand of the Lord, and that God would move them in such a way that we may lead peaceful and quiet lives, godly and dignified in every way. And you keep on in 1 Timothy 2, and it talks about the spread of the gospel for people to be saved.
So let’s take our place now. God, we want to faithfully intercede for leaders in the world around us. And God, even as I pray that we pray that you’d forgive us for so often not interceding for world leaders, and for leaders in our country, or leaders in our state where we live. God, we pray right now for the leaders who are coming to our minds, leaders who are governors in our state, or legislators, or judges in our states, or our countries, for me, for the leader of the United States, for president, and vice president, and senators, and congressmen, and congresswomen.
Lord, we pray for Supreme Court justices, and other judges, and not just for leaders in our country. God, we intercede right now for leaders of Russia, for the leaders of Ukraine, for leaders across the Middle East amidst strife and war, god, for leaders all around the world that you’ve put in positions of authority, that are in your hand.
This verse us to pray for the accomplishment of God’s plan through earthly leadership.
God, we pray for all of their salvation. As we think of all these leaders, we pray that they would come to know your grace, and your mercy in Jesus. God, we pray for their salvation. We pray that they would know their hearts are in your hands. We pray they would turn in their hearts to you. And God, we pray that you would help them to lead with humility, and justice, for righteousness, for good.
God, we pray especially that as a result of their leadership, that people may lead peaceful, and quiet lives… And specifically, your people to be able to live godly and dignified lives. God, we pray for the flourishing of people under their leadership. Oh God, we know there is such evil and injustice in so much leadership in the world. God, we pray that you would restrain that evil and injustice. Bring about good, Romans 13 good government, that protects people, and promotes people’s good.
Oh God, help us to be faithful intercessors for leaders, and all who are in high positions… Knowing that you are the leader of them all… Believing, and trusting, and hoping in your sovereign rule and reign over all. Jesus, we praise you that all authority in Heaven and on Earth belongs to you. You are ultimately, oh God, working all things together… Including the actions of leaders around the world to bring about your good purposes. Come, Lord Jesus, come and assert your rule, and reign… Your perfect justice, and your perfect righteous reign over all things, over all creation.
Prayer for the Maba People
And God, we pray that you’d help us to spread the good news of your lordship… Of your loving leadership, of your salvation for all who trust in you as Lord through our lives… And the places where we live, under the leaders where we live. And God in places around the world, especially where this gospel hasn’t gone. God, we pray for the Maba people of Chad… 600,000 of them who’ve not been reached with the good news that Jesus has died on a cross, and rose from the dead, and reigns over all. God, we pray that the good news of Jesus as Lord would be proclaimed among the Maba people… Proclaimed among all the peoples of the world. Oh God, we pray all of this according to your Word in Proverbs 21:1. Help us to faithfully pray for our leaders in Jesus name we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
