This year it is especially crucial for us to be in prayer for the raising up of good and God-honoring leadership as many countries around the world hold national elections for their chief executives. Lately, I have been rereading the book of Judges and been re-impressed by the tremendous importance of good and godly leadership for the welfare of a nation.
 

 

It was such a dark and discouraging time for the nation of Israel as it slipped deeply into idolatry, immorality and other evils and moved away from the close covenantal relationship with the Lord they had enjoyed under Moses, Joshua, Caleb and other strong leaders of the past. In spite of these depressing circumstances, when things got really desperate through invasion and oppression by other nations, God's people cried to the Lord, to the One who continued to love and respond to them even in their lost and reprobate state. Because of their heart cries in prayer, He raised up deliverers upon whom the Spirit of the Lord came and through whom came strategies for uniting His people and gaining victory against their enemies.

 

Over the last 20 years, my colleagues and I have observed the same principle during prayer initiatives in many nations, even those engulfed in hopeless conflict, human suffering, and other tragic circumstances. Church and sometimes political leaders have come together in utter desperation to seek God for His deliverance. Through a process of humbling ourselves, repenting for national and personal sin, and practicing reconciliation, they have gotten on the same page with the Lord and each other. When that point was reached during these initiatives, we were then able to pray with heart agreement in faith.

 
To the glory of the Lord, we have often witnessed amazing changes, sometimes within hours or days, sometimes over a process of some months, that changed the spiritual atmosphere of those nations and resulted in peace agreements, governments of national unity, wicked tyrants removed and replaced by good leaders. In several cases in Africa, born-again, praying believers are now presidents in these same lands. Spiritual revival has also happened in the churches as participating leaders have been restored and reignited in their commitment to Christ. We have all been astonished by God's faithfulness to intervene and work His wonders in such impossible and discouraging situations. Honor and praise to Him!
 

 

One promise of Jesus that we have repeatedly applied during these national prayer initiatives is Matthew 18:18-19: "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them."

 
Jesus gave this promise to spiritual leaders, His disciples that He had trained for mission. It is also applicable to those of our day who are willing to do this binding and loosing in agreement with one another, humbly using the authority He has delegated to us as His followers. Indeed, this is an important criterion for spiritual leadership in our time. It is also, I believe, a key thing for achieving breakthrough in nations with depressing political, economic or other circumstances.
 

 

As has been said, "As goes the Church, so goes the world." The real power to bring effective change lies with spiritual leaders, believers who get in touch with the living God and, joining with others, pray out history-changing prayers to take back their societies from the devil's influence and occupation.

 

 

Two provocative and inspiring quotes that have inspired us in our struggle to bring deliverance are:

"History belongs to the intercessors who believe the future into being." (Walter Wink)

"All over the world, the Church is called to cast out demons, not only out of individuals but nations. God wants the Church to rule, to bind principalities and powers with authority and to determine the politics of nations." (I. Schmidt)
 

 

These two theologians have made utterly stupendous yet true statements about the awesome potential God has made available to those who will rise to the challenge of changing the history and politics of their nations through authoritative prayer.

 

 

The book of Judges tells us that as long as Gideon, Jepthah, Deborah and other anointed leaders lived, the nation had peace and rest, sometimes as long as 40 years. The Spirit of God living in and operating out of their obedient, responsive hearts brought real deliverance, changing the lives of millions of people for good. Let's both be ourselves and pray for a new generation of spiritual leaders that the Lord will use to determine the politics and change the course of history in the nations of our world.

    

 

John Robb is the chairman of the International Prayer Council and Director of Prayer Mobilization for World Vision. This originally appeared in the Aug 15th edition of International Prayer Connections, the email newsletter oif the IPC. It is used by permission.