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Intention
The hearts of our leaders are directed by God, which means that prayer is our most powerful political weapon.

Scripture

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.”
—Proverbs 21:1

Reflection
I’ll never forget seeing this particular verse — with a photo of Ronald Reagan underneath it—on the kitchen fridge of a Christian friend in the United States. Below were a number of dot points about what they were especially praying for. I had never seen anything like that before. And I quickly realised that this was something they were personally committed to.

How different the world is because of the prayers of God’s saints! Mary Queen of Scots is famously reported to have said that she feared the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe. Through the eyes of faith, we see how true this statement is.

COVID-19 has not only brought massive disruption to the lives of everyone in the world, but it has also exposed the tyrannical nature of governments under the guise of “health and safety”. How much more then, do we need to put into practice the words of the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1-2:

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

When we come to God in prayer, we know that He — the King of kings and Lord of lords — holds everything in His hands. He even directs the heart of the king wherever He pleases, just as he would a watercourse.

This world might seem like it is out of control, but it’s not. It might appear that the rulers of this world do whatever they desire, but they don’t. The Bible tells us that the LORD is sovereign over everything that happens. And as such, it’s right that we ask Him to guide and direct the decision-making of those whom He has placed in authority over us (see Romans 13:1).

Let’s resist the temptation then, to simply complain or criticise the government—and instead, recommit ourselves to spending more time interceding for them. It will not only help our own mental wellbeing, but it is the most powerful and effective thing we can do. The world will be a different place!

Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we praise and worship You. You alone are the King of kings and the Lord of lords. With You is all power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and authority. And as such, You are in sovereign control over everything that takes place. Not even a sparrow falls from the sky apart from Your will.

Please forgive us for our prayerlessness. We confess to You that we have spent more time grumbling about our leaders then we have in prayer for them. We uphold them before You now, and we ask that You would guide and direct their thinking. Empower them to make decisions that honour You and are good for our nation.

Thank You for the many blessings that You shower upon us each and every day, and especially for Your loving mercy which is new every morning. Thank You for the sacrifices and service of all those who have gone before us, and we pray that we too would make a positive contribution to our community.

Throughout this season of sickness, continue to transform us into the image and likeness of Your Son. May we trust Him and bring Him honour, glory and praise. We ask all of this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer Points for October 2020
1. Pray for a Breakthrough for LIFE, specifically an end to abortion and euthanasia in our nation. Exodus 20:13
2. Pray for a Breakthrough for INDIGENOUS LIFE, specifically an end to high youth suicide and premature death due to ill health. 3 John 1:2
3. Pray for new POLITICIANS for LIFE, especially pray for the upcoming elections in Queensland (31st October), ACT (17th October) + USA (3 November) & New Zealand (17 October). Proverbs 29:2
4. Pray for the Revitalisation of SPIRITUAL LIFE, namely repentance, renewal & transformation, that our nation might return to God. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Mark Powell has six children and he is a Presbyterian minister at Cornerstone Church in Strathfield, Sydney. Mark writes for the Spectator and is a passionate advocate for faith and family; he has been on radio and TV advocating for Freedom, Faith, Family and Life.

We invite you to join the daily 1-hour Zoom video National Prayer Call every night:
DATES: 1st– 31st October 2020
TIME: 8pm-9pm AEST
ZOOM URL LINK: https://zoom.us/j/776881184
ZOOM MEETING ID: 776881184
See Zoom tutorial here.

Daily devotions brought to you by the Canberra Declaration.