This week I want to share a message with you that is not my own. Many people within our church family have been influenced over the years through the teaching ministry of the late Dr. Charles Stanley, who served for more than half a century as Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. The following message was one he shared through In Touch Ministries on January 20th, 1993, as Bill Clinton prepared to be sworn in as our nation’s newly elected President. The principles which Dr. Stanley put forth in a message he entitled, “How to Pray for a President,” were worth heeding over thirty years ago. I am convinced that our nation needs to apply these same principles today as we anticipate Donald Trump’s upcoming Presidential inauguration in the next few weeks.
The responsibility for America does not rest upon the man who is the President. The responsibility for this nation rests upon the people, primarily upon godly people who believe that the heart of the President is in the hand of God, and the people of God can move the hand of God to move the heart of the President.
There are two principles we must embrace as we seek to fulfill this biblical responsibility:
First, every Christian has the obligation to intercede on behalf of our President (cf. 1 Timothy 2:1 – 3).
Then, two, God sovereignly rules over this nation (cf. Psalm 75:5 – 7 \ Daniel 4:17 \ Romans 13:1 – 4).
I want to challenge us as the people of God to make a 30-day commitment to pray for our new President (Donald Trump) in the following ways. I urge you to pray with me that…
1) He would realize his personal sinfulness, and his daily need of the cleansing power of Jesus Christ.
2) He would realize his personal inadequacy to fulfill his task, and to depend upon God for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, and the courage to do what he knows is right.
3) He would reject all counsel that violates spiritual principles, then trust God to prove him right.
4) He would resist those who would pressure him to violate his conscience.
5) By God’s power, he would reverse the trend of socialism and humanism in this nation, both of which deify man and not God. This is a big order, which no man can do apart from the tremendous prayer support of the people of God.
6) He would be ready to forsake his personal ambitions and his political office if, to do so, would be for the sake of this nation and good of the country.
7) He would uphold the dignity, honor, trustworthiness, and righteousness demanded by the office of the Presidency of the United States of America.
8) He would rely upon prayer and the Word of God as the source of his strength, wisdom, and decisions in his daily walk.
9) He would remember to be a good example in his conduct to the fathers and sons (and to all people) of this nation.
10) He would be reminded daily that he is accountable to Almighty God for his position; for the way he handles himself as this nation’s leader; for the decisions he makes which will influence not only the present day, but the future of our nation and to some degree even the future of the world. God has allowed him to be President; it is, indeed, a divine position.
I am sure that other aspects could be added to Dr. Stanley’s list as it relates to praying for our nation’s President. However, the ten factors which make up this prayer list seem to be pretty powerful in their own right. May we give ourselves to praying for a smooth and efficient transition from the Biden administration to the Trump administration over these next several weeks. And may we pray that our next President will prove to possess a heart like that of King Josiah— one whose heart is tender and humbled before the Lord; one who desires to do what is right in the sight of the Lord; one who chooses to live a life of devoted obedience and godliness; one who has purposed within his heart before God not to turn aside to the right hand or to the left (cf. 2 Chronicles 34:2, 27).
Anchored to His Faithfulness,
Dr. Allen Roberts