Prayers for Our New President

Have you been praying about the upcoming election? If so, you can count yourself among the millions who have been talking to God earnestly about Tuesday, Nov. 8th. When was the last time a single day on the calendar received so much attention in our prayer times? Americans know electing a new president has massive implications for the future of this nation.

Yet the reality is that while many people are pouring their hearts into prayer at this moment, their energetic efforts will start to subside in the days after the votes are tallied. It happens every four years. Special prayers for Election Day and a new American president are soon replaced by ordinary prayers for more urgent matters, closer to home.

“For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing.”

However, the Bible commands us to keep praying for our leaders. The Apostle Paul reminds Christians that “requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone — for kings and for all those in authority” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Even though Washington, D.C., and the Oval Office feel far removed from our daily lives, the truth is that the decisions made there can have drastic impacts on the way we live, work, and worship. So how should you be praying for a new president?

Pray for our president to hold the office with humility.
Many former presidents have acknowledged an inability to sleep during the first few weeks in the White House. Being elected to the most powerful office in the world is an awesome privilege — one that comes with massive responsibility as well.

Looking back, our best presidents carried out their power with great humility, recognizing their authority was delegated to them not only by American voters — but ultimately by God Himself (Romans 13:1). President Ronald Reagan once remarked, “It’s not enough to depend on our own courage and goodness; we must also seek help from God.”

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Reagan understood that while his presidential power was great, he was still accountable to One Whose power and authority was greater. Pray that our new president will hold the office in full acknowledgement of the God Who permitted this power to rise.

Pray for our president to protect justice and promote good decisions.
The Bible says of a government leader, “For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13:4).

Just as every coin has two sides, every president has two assignments: enforcing the rule of law and making decisions that bring good to everyone. Pray that God will give our new president abundant wisdom to fulfill these twin tasks of promoting what is good and right for America — while also protecting “liberty and justice for all.”

Related: Pastors Unite to Strengthen Christian America

Pray for our president to see Christians as allies — not enemies.
Christians have often been accused of being anti-government, but this charge is completely false. We have tremendous respect for government, believing that God created human government to keep evil at bay and preserve basic freedoms such as “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Scripture commands every Christian to submit to governing authorities, pay taxes, and be model citizens, because this kind of public testimony reflects well on the Savior we serve. Contrary to popular opinion, Christians do not want to run the government or see it abolished. All Christians want is for government to stay in its lane, so that we can accomplish the tasks that matter most: loving God, loving our neighbor, and seeing people transformed by Jesus.

Related: WikiLeaks and Faith: Julian Assange Has Brought ‘Light’

Christians pray for presidents, because when leaders succeed, it creates for us an environment in which we can “live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:2). So pray for our new president to view Christians as allies rather than enemies. We earnestly want to see the new U.S. president succeed, not only that our country might rally to renewed growth and greatness — but that Christians might spread godliness and the Gospel.

The countdown to Election Day is upon us, and people across the nation are praying earnestly about the candidates and the issues. We know that this may be the most important presidential election in a generation, with critical issues at stake such as immigration, the economy, terrorism, and Supreme Court appointees. With only a few weeks to go until Nov. 8, millions of passionate prayers are flying from earth to heaven, asking God to help us choose our next chief executive.

But if we truly want to honor God and have a country that flourishes under righteous leadership — we need the Bible’s reminder that it isn’t just how we pray before Election Day. It’s how we pray the day after.

Ryan Day is senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, where he has served for 17 years. He and his wife have six children.