Yesterday I wrote about the need to pray for the leaders of this nation regardless of who they were and whether we agree with them or not. The purpose for this praying was on behalf of all men, “so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:2). So whether the people you hoped would get into office did or didn’t, we still have a responsibility to pray.

Now some things about prayer. In Matthew 21:22 Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (KJV).

In the Amplified Bible verse 22 says, “And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive.” Prayer takes faith. You must believe that you will receive. And the only way to really believe that you will receive something from God is to find His will concerning your situation in His Word. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17, KJV).

In James 1:6 it says, “let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (KJV). In order to receive the answer to our prayer, we must pray in faith (trusting God and trusting that He will do what He said He would do).

So we must pray in faith, but there’s another important aspect to prayer. We must pray in love. Galatians 5:6 tells us that faith is activated, energized, expressed and works through love. Remember what it says in 1 Corinthians 13:2 (Amplified), “and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).”

The level of your faith doesn’t make a difference at all if you don’t have love. And love is not a feeling, it’s a choice.

So as you prayer for your leaders, whether you agree with them or not, you must yield to God’s love for them in you if you want those prayers to be answered. You don’t have to agree with them. You don’t have to roll over and let them pass unwise legislation, but you do have to love them and pray for them.

Father, as I pray over those in authority and over this nation I yield to Your love in me. I yield to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. I take my place in the heavenlies and from this place of power I pray.