A prayer for American leadership

I recently found this prayer I wrote four or five years ago. It’s even more timely now than it was when I first prayed it.

Father,

In Jesus’ name I lift up my government’s leadership. Lord, it is Your will that we, the people of the United States of America, have shepherds—president, senators, representatives, governors, and all other elected and appointed officials—who serve according to Your will. I believe that even as those who are teachers will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than others] (see James 3:1, Amplified Bible), those who lead cities, states, and nations will receive a stricter judgment and condemnation from You as well.

Therefore, Father, in Jesus’ name, I request that You pour out and surround the president, his staff, cabinet, and advisors with a profound and ever-increasing sense of accountability for decisions already made, for decisions being formed now, and for decisions yet to be conceived. I ask that the conviction of the Holy Ghost would overshadow the entire White House staff from the top down and the bottom up, gripping each one with an overwhelming sense of right and wrong, good and evil, so that every individual involved in decisions—past, present, or future—will be sobered and held accountable for each act, motive, choice, decision, direction, and initiative that does not please You or align with Your will. I pray that rest, satisfaction, pleasure, and enjoyment will escape them until they repent and make the changes necessary to conform to Your will.

Father, likewise, I ask that You move in the same way in the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Supreme Court, all governors, and in each state and city government. Pour out the strong conviction of Your Spirit upon every man and woman in leadership as they seek to implement their agendas. I ask that You shake those who are in violation of Your will and confront them by Your Spirit, gripping them with the reality of the sinister outcome of their decisions. May such profound conviction of sin be upon and within them that they cannot turn in any direction without being confronted by the evil implications of their decisions. Father, may they find no pleasure, satisfaction, or enjoyment in their favorite escape mechanisms until they yield to the holy pressure upon them to make adjustments, changes, revisions—and if necessary—to repeal past decisions and laws to which You are opposed.

Visit all these men and women in leadership, Father, in an abiding way—despite their present relationship with You or lack thereof—so that the consistent pressure and light of Your presence would be tangible upon them and around them at all times. Visit them with dreams and visions—custom-made for each one—to correct, direct, shake, shape, or tear down, to mend, repair, build up, or rebuild according to Your wisdom and purpose for each one in his or her position.

May no dark place be left unvisited or unaffected by Your convicting presence, Father—in the White House, the Capitol, in state capitols, and in city governments, both large and small.

May all men and women at the helm of leadership at all levels in this nation be held more accountable than they’ve ever been for their actions, decisions, and words—and may Your divine intentions and purposes take hold once again in this nation’s governance at all levels. May massive shaking, rearranging, and reshaping be accomplished throughout this nation according to Your purposes at all levels of government to bring about Your will and the original intent of this nation’s founders. May those who persist in defiance to that purpose be removed and replaced by men and women who love this nation and long to serve wisely with a humble heart.

Father, may the gripping conviction of truth so shake and increase than no one, whether leader or citizen, will be left unconvicted, unmoved, or undealt with. Bring all men, women, boys, and girls to the clear, face-to-face, wide-awake knowledge of Jesus Christ and His powerful and complete sacrificial redemption for each one, and may they come to know and embrace Him as their personal Savior, Deliverer, and Lover of their soul.

Bring forth the shaking and awakening, God, at all levels of this nation, and penetrate into every dark region and corner with Your unfailing presence and grace.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Tomorrow: Beginning a walk through the Book of James