I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. (1 Timothy 2:1–2 NLT)

Our nation needs prayer. Our political views, among many other things, divide us, and we need to ask for God’s intervention, for His will to be done. We need to pray for a spiritual awakening to sweep over our country. We need to pray for the church. We need to pray for one another. We all need prayer. Prayer is powerful. Prayer changes things. Prayer changes us.

Notice that prayer is the first thing Paul recommended to Timothy: “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1–2 NLT).

Prayer sets the proper tone for our country that is polarized by political views because it places things in God’s hands. When we pray, we acknowledge that God’s way is better than ours. We humble ourselves before Him and admit that we must rely on His wisdom and power. Prayer keeps us from placing too much faith in our leaders, our political policies, or ourselves.

Prayer is also the ideal tool for healing the divisions that occur during an election season. Emotions run high. Accusations fly. Grudges form. Unloving words are exchanged. Relationships are damaged. Prayer has the potential to undo that damage and unify people with opposing views. Prayer compels us to show genuine love and concern for “all people”—particularly those with whom we disagree. Notice that Paul makes no distinction about who we must pray for. We don’t get to choose the people we want God to bless. Our responsibility as believers is to intercede on behalf of others and give thanks for them. God wants us to recognize their value.

Paul’s instruction to Timothy, “Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority,” is as important today as it was in the first century. We live in a complex world. Political power must be used wisely. A decision that benefits one group could prove devastating to another. Our leaders desperately need our prayer. They desperately need the Lord’s guidance. Living “peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity” is a goal worthy of striving for.

Prayer is essential because it’s the most powerful spiritual weapon in our arsenal. When a political election is over, the battle rages on. And it’s not a battle between Democrats and Republicans or between progressives and conservatives. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul warns, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (NLT).

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