I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty – 1st Timothy 2:1-2.

Sadly, to say far too many Christians live burdened down by the negative influences of the world. There is nothing wrong with listening to the news and we should as Christians to know what is happening around, plus it gives us more to pray for, but when we allow the negativity to get into our heart and spirit it weakens our faith.

It would be foolish to deny that we live in a negative world, we live in a world full of trouble, real problems exist everywhere such as the COVID-19 that hit the world with a force that eliminated thousands of lives. If that was not bad enough, we constantly face predictions of impending natural, economic, and political disaster as such as the attack on Capitol Hill threatening the lives of our world leaders. As Christian, what should we do? First of all, we can take comfort in the fact that nothing in the world is news to God, nothing takes Him by surprise.

God warned us in His written Word about inevitable difficulties (And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation; and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows – Matthew 24:6-8. Jesus forwarned the Christians of what will happen prior to His return for the church. Staying connected to God in these troubled times is the key to having inner peace. We stayed connected to God through prayer for our leaders, nations, neighborhoods, family.

The first thing we have been instructed to do is to pray for all those who have authority. In the Apostle Paul’s day, kings usually ruled the nations, while today, our government’s head is the president. Not only do we suppose to pray for our president, but for all that is in authority, this means world wide, not just in the United States! Prayer reaches the heart of God and His hand will come forth to help in the time of need. The first thing we must do before praying for anyone or anything is to examine ourselves to see where we may have sinned against God’s Word and His instructions.

If our hearts don’t convict us, then we should ask God to reveal anything in our lives that may be sin and strengthen us that we will no longer continue in that sin or sins. After we have confess our sins and repented of our sins then we can ask for our petitions. The problem is that many want to pray asking God for help, but don’t want to repent of their sins nor submit themselves to His written Word.

When we repent of our sins, then we can expect our prayers to be answered. Those that are in leadership both naturally and spiritually need our prayers. Satan wants to distract us from the Word of God with worry, discouragement, fear, and anxiety. With all this in our mind and spirit, we will not pray, and Satan continues to steal, kill, and destroy. We must fight Satan with the Word of God as we live according to His Word for it to be effective against Satan’s attacks.

Don’t stop praying because you didn’t receive an immediate answer, continue to pray until you see your prayers being answered (The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much – James 5:16). The prayer is effective when it consists of a righteous heart. Continuous prayer is faith unmoveable. You have to go after God like a bull-dog once he gets his teeth in you, he doesn’t let go until he has done some damage. We have to do the same thing with Satan and his co-host. Pray until we see his attacks being diminished. Faith moves God, and when He arises, Satan and His co-host will flee when they see God is in the battle with you!

Pray for those that have authority worldwide, then are we aligning our prayers with the Word of God. Many that are in authority does not have a relationship with God they have a religion. As Christians, our responsibility is to pray, when we pray, God will direct us in areas we never prayed for, areas that need to be brought before God for His deliverance, His healing, His provisions, His protection, His salvation, His counsel and direction. Prayer is the answer to this world’s turbulence. As Christians, we are soldiers, and soldiers fight; our ammunition is prayer and the Word of God accompanied with faith!