It’s Our Duty to Pray For The Nations
It shouldn’t have to come to a crisis point for us to come to the point where we ask how to pray for the nations. If we follow what we learn in scripture it should come quite a bit more naturally than it does. However, if we’re honest with ourselves, as we try to be on this site, we must admit that our minds and our prayers will gravitate more to our personal and local situations more times than not. Yet, we can take steps to do something about that. We can develop more habits of praying for other nations and, more importantly, develop more of a desire to pray for those nations.
To pray for the nations of this world you simply set your thoughts and hearts toward them and humbly ask God to bless that nation and for His will to be accomplished in that nation. It may be that the country for which you praying has come into some troubled times or maybe facing fearful times ahead. Ask God to give those in positions of authority of that nation wisdom in guiding and providing strong and wise leadership in times of uncertainty and when there are times of well-being and prosperity.
How To Pray For The Nations? First…the WHY.
The Bible is very clear about loving others and putting others first. Yet we somehow put other countries into the back of our minds and quite literally forget to pray for them. We need to ask God to give us the desire to pray for the nations around the world and not just our own.
For certain we would like to pray for the safety, well-being, and success of other nations. We will give some example prayers that you can pray or you can adapt as you own. However, the primary goal is that people in the nation for which you are praying would come to God through a relationship with Jesus Christ. That is the hope for this world and every nation, every tribe, and every tongue!
So, as you pray for more specific aspects of blessings that you might want to come upon a country, just remember the overarching goal is that individuals in that country would come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are always specific prayers that we can pray for the nations around us and all across this earth.
As the time of this writing, the country of Ukraine is being invaded by the country of Russia in what appears to be an evil and unprovoked attack on a sovereign country. The people of Ukraine want life, liberty, and to be able to pursue happiness just like we do. It is our hope that this conflict will be resolved by the time that this article is posted.
However, if it is not please pray for the victims in Ukraine, for their protection, and that the wicked government of Russia would not take over this small country of people who do not deserve this.
How To Pray For the Nations? Believe You Can Make a Difference!
First of all, we must realize that if we are born again, children of God who have direct access to God through prayer, then we should believe that our prayers could make a difference. We need to know that and develop the confidence that God does and can act upon our requests.
We hear news reports from all over the world on social media, other online sites, or on television or radio. It may seem like those places are so foreign to you, so far away, and so out of the scope of your life that you can’t make a difference. However, you certainly can. Know that, as a Christian, you can pray for the nations with much power.
What if you went to bed tonight or woke up tomorrow morning believing that the prayers you pray on that day will affect things that happen in India, Japan, China, Iraq, Afghanistan. No country is too far away from our prayers as we depend upon the Holy Spirit and the promises of God to hear our prayers.
So, first of all, believe and keep believing that you can make a world impact through your prayer life.
How and What To Pray For The Nations? 7 Ways
This part of the topic almost has no boundaries. Can you think of a world of possibilities of what to pray for when it is your friend or relative? Sure, you can come up with much to pray. Do you know things to pray about for your own country and cities? Sure, you do. So, you can pray for the nations of the world in many ways as you do your own country and adapt those prayers for the specific needs of that nation.
1. Pray for Those In The Nation Who Are Without Christ
Obviously, this would be the top priority when we pray for the nations of this planet. In the long term, we want them to become Christians and belong to the family of God. Although it’s a common phrase to say we are “all God’s children,” that is only true in the sense of we are all created by God and was given life by Him. However, because of sin, we need to ask God that He will convict people in all of our nations of their sin and we would all repent and believe in the saving power of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As you pray for the spiritual salvation of a nation you could say words to this effect:
Heavenly Father, I come to you with what I believe to be the most important prayer for the nation of (country name). I ask that individuals and large groups of individuals would come to know Jesus as their personal Savior.
I ask that the Spirit of God would work in that land and that people would be convicted of sin and turn to you in repentance. I ask that they would accept Jesus’ sacrifice for their sins and begin to live a life that honors You. Regardless of what teachings or religions they have been taught, let them see and receive the word of God and His salvation as given through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In His name, we pray,
Amen
2. Pray for the Nations – The Leaders
As you begin to pray for the nations of the world you can pray for the leaders of those nations. A nation’s leadership certainly has profound effects on the state and the future of that nation. Ask God to work in those leaders. Think of those who are in power. It may be a president or prime minister or other names that various countries have for their heads of state. If it is a country that has much freedom or if it is a country ruled by an iron-fisted dictator, you have a source of power that is beyond any one of those leaders.
In Paul’s second letter to the young Timothy, he says this:
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. 2 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. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.
2 Timothy 2:1-4
Even if they are not Christian, still pray that God would use them to bring about circumstances that would help that nation and open up more doors for them to hear and receive the Gospel.
Here is an example prayer of what you might pray for the leadership of another country.
Dear Father,
I want to pray for the leaders of (name of country). I ask that is Your wisdom and by Your power that you will work in his/her life to provide wisdom in making the correct decisions for his country. Lord, I know that in spite of his/her motives or whether their personal agenda is for good or evil, you can work in their lives for the good of your kingdom.
Lord, in your word you show examples of where you used leaders for your purposes even if they didn’t acknowledge you as their God. So, I know that regardless of the condition of the spiritual lives of the leaders of (country), I know that you can intervene and work toward blessing the people of the country. Please let these leaders recognize that true and wise leadership comes from you.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
3. Pray For the Nations – Protection and Physical Needs
As in the situations of many countries, we can find civil unrest, or in the poorest of countries, we are aware of the need for clean water and nutritious food. We need to call upon our God to protect them and provide for them. As we pray for the nations that God lays on our hearts, we want to pray for the physical aspects as well as the spiritual.
It’s hard to give someone the message of the gospel if we can’t help meet their physical needs. Certainly, God can allow troublesome times and suffering to come in any country. Sometimes He may allow (not cause) trouble to happen in a country so that the people may turn back to God (as in the Children of Israel in Scripture).
Whatever the situation might be we want to fervently ask God to intervene and provide the nation with physical protection, for food, water, shelter, and basic necessities of life. Pray for the health and safety of the family units and singles – the mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and grandparents. Pray that those family units are safe and cared for.
Here is an example prayer:
My Dear Lord,
I want to come to you on behalf of the people of (country name). I ask that you put your supernatural protection around them. I ask that they would be safe from those who might want to do them harm or those who might have evil intentions toward their country.
I ask that you provide them with the type of shelter, food, and water that they need to remain healthy or become healthy. Please let them be able to lie down in peace and safety and be able to rest well at night. Please provide strength and healing for the people of (country) who might be physically sick in some way and we ask you to give them emotional and mental strength as well. Please let them see the blessings and realize that You are the Giver of all good things and worship You.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
4. Pray For The Nations – The Church
The Gospel of Jesus Christ has gone far and wide in this world and in the country for which you are praying you are likely to find groups of believers, large or small. If it is an oppressive country to Christians, it may be small groups of people who meet off of the radar, but nonetheless a part of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. When you pray for the nations on you heart, please remember Christians that may be in that country.
Also, remember that there is a good chance that there are Christian missionaries who have come and helped those groups of Christians and they are working to build more bodies of believers and encourage those who have placed their faith in Christ.
We pray this special prayer for the Christian church and their leaders because they can be so effective in regions of the world where they live. They may be oppressed, live with discrimination, or in some regions suffer brutality at the hands of ungodly people who do not know the God of love that we experience.
As we pray for Christians in another nation, we could pray like this:
Our Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the Christian people, your church, that you have in the country of (name of country). No matter what they might be experiencing as Your children right now, we ask that Your Holy Spirit would empower them, encourage them, and lead them to make the best decisions in whatever circumstance they find themselves.
As Christians, we ask you to remind them that they have the Holy Spirit inside of them and that He is more powerful than any terrible circumstances, disease, famine, or war that may ever happen to them.
Lord, even as we ask you for the wellbeing of these Christians, we ask that you give them the desire and boldness to share their faith powerfully among their fellow countrymen as they have an opportunity and that you would allow many others to come to Christ through the believers of (country name). We thank you for this.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
5. Pray For The Nations – The Economy
Maybe you think that prayers for the economy of a nation should be well down the line. Is the long-term spiritual condition the most important for their eternity? Yes. However, Jesus showed us clearly that we should provide physical help as we can. We may not think to pray for economic development when we pray for the nations. However, if a country develops economically (and we’re not talking about everyone getting rich) then more options become available to them in life and ministry.
We can pray that the economic systems of this country will be handled in such a way that will help stabilize or keep the current stability that might be in the country in order that there will be more opportunities for education and more opportunities for people to hear the Gospel, We are well aware that Christians and the church as a whole can weather the most severe of economic situations, but that is not our desire for them.
There are many poor countries that could be helped if wise leaders would work and use the funds that you do gather to develop economic systems that are helpful to the people in the nation. If God provides them a stable economy then the churches may have more funds for outreach and, therefore, bring other people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
We understand that bad economic conditions might have come from greed or the horrible decisions of corrupt leadership. God may allow them to go through troublesome times. However, many times we might see innocent people suffer from harsh economic conditions. Let’s pray that the leaders of this country would make wise choices in helping develop economic systems that are good for the wellbeing of the people for the country for which you are praying.
Here would be a simple prayer as an example of praying for a nation’s economy:
Our Heavenly Father,
I come to You now and ask that if it is Your will, that you bring economic help and strength to the country and people of (name of country). We don’t ask for great wealth or prosperity beyond what should be. We only ask that there would be a supply of funding as is needed for the health and wellbeing of the nation.
Lord, if there is some reason that you have not allowed economic prosperity to a nation, we would never ask anything against Your will. But, Lord if you see fit, please allow their leaders to make wise decisions that will lead the country of (name country) to more freedom and ample supply of funds for the wellbeing of their economic situation. Only you can know what’s best in this and we ask only for that.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
6. Pray For The Nations – That Their Government will Communicate Truth
One of the most frustrating and damaging parts of a country that might be seeing hard times or even semi-hard times is the lack of truth and transparency from their leaders and those in the news media. How can the average person really understand what is going on and make wise decisions about them and their families without the truth being communicated to them?
Nations who have their governments to keep secrets from the public and don’t allow them to understand the full scope of a nation’s situation in the world will not flourish as they should because everyday citizens will attempt to live under false hope and quite probably, lies about the future.
Pray for the government of a nation and the media in the nation to be forthright and honest with the people about the state of the nation. It is so important. Some people live and really don’t understand what is going on in their countries.
Dear Lord,
In a world where leaders sometimes only tell us what they think is best for them, I ask that you press upon the leaders of (country) to be truthful and honest with the nation as much as possible in light of security issues.
Lord, I ask that these people will not have to guess or worry about the intentions of their leaders. Whether their hearts are good or full of evil, you can pierce the darkness with the light. May the people of (country) have discernment and be able to understand the local and national societal and political aspects that affect them.
In situations where these precious people may not have the education or don’t have the understanding of their national situation, let your Holy Spirit work to give wisdom and intuitive nature to these citizens. May the communities of (country) join with Christians in encouraging others and praying for the national wellbeing of this country.
7. Pray For the Nations – Justice To Prevail Over Injustice
There are so many aspects of praying for others. There are so many ways for which we can pray for the nations of the world we couldn’t do anything but skim the surface in this post. However, in an overall sense, we want to pray for Justice and righteousness to prevail over injustice and evil. There are evil people who lead many nations of the world.
There are many powerful people in the world who care about very little other than their own lives and are filled with greed and selfishness. Realizing this is not an act of pride or judgmentalism. It is simply recognizing a truth so that we may be fervent as we pray for the nations that are home to the wicked.
Let’s unite together as Christians and lift up the nations of the world in prayer and ask God to bring justice to those in power and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ will continue to be shared throughout the world.
We know that there will never be complete justice on this Earth until Christ’s return, Satan is punished, and this Earth is governed in the perfection of Christ. Until then we can ask God to bring whatever degree of justice that we can have in the fallen state of this world.
Prayer For The Nations – Developing a Habit
It’s fairly easy to see trouble or conflict in a nation and then pray for that specific situation or need. What is more difficult is to develop a habit of lifting those nations up in prayer specifically on a regular basis.
Journaling Can Be Helpful With Prayer For The Nations
For those who might want to keep a prayer journal, it can serve as a reminder of what nation or nations for which you have prayed in the previous days, weeks, and months. As you develop a continual desire to pray for the nations this can help you develop a regular habit.
Writing for a blog gives me the opportunity to put my thoughts down in words onto a platform that would have been unheard of when I was a young man. However, in the earlier days of my life, I used pen and paper to write my thoughts in daily journal entries that allowed me to have more structure to my prayer life.
If you have never done that I would encourage you to do so. Today we have many online tools that can serve as reminders for all kinds of topics including prayer. So, if you need reminders there is usually an app that can help you. Not long ago I felt encouraged to be more grateful and to practice gratitude. I found a very simple gratitude app that gave me daily reminders for that.
Giving Will Help in Your Prayer For The Nations
Scripture supports the fact that where we give our funds and/or our time and talent suggests the things that we value.
34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Luke 12:34
Whatever your economic status might be, whether large or small, you normally have opportunities to give to mission projects in other countries. As you invest in those projects or to specific missionaries in foreign countries you are more apt to keep those people and nations on your mind when you come to prayer.
Prayer Matters.
Our prayers do matter. Let us not think that our prayers for foreign nations go unheard by God, They do not. Don’t ever think that you are too far away from the situation at hand in a country. Don’t ever think that you are spiritually too far away from God that your prayers do not matter.
When we call on God out of obedience with faith in Him and depending on Him and His promises, we can be certain that He hears us. We don’t know what troubles God will or will not allow a country to endure. He is not the source of hardship. However, He allows good people to suffer at the hands of evil people or because of harsh conditions on the earth.
He also brings blessings to countries as well. All we can do is to pray for those countries, give financially as we can, and trust God to work in the nations of the world as He sees fit until He brings this world to a close and brings Heaven to earth.
God bless you as you pray!
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