Praying in a Godless Age

Praying in a Godless Age

When the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, a young pastor in the city of Ephesus, Christians were a minority. The city was financially prosperous, but it was filled with idols. In the Temple of Diana, especially, gross immoral practices were the order of the day.

In many ways, our culture today mirrors what Timothy saw in Ephesus. We live now in a mostly non-Christian country. There’s much less about Jesus in our nation than there was 200 years ago, 100 years ago, even 50 years ago.

When society is essentially godless, how should we as Christians respond?

Paul wrote about this in his letter to Timothy. His words might sound a bit unusual to our ears: “First of all,” he wrote, “I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority”
(1 Timothy 2:1-2, HCSB). “First of all,” Paul said, “pray.”

Think of the Ephesian culture. Its people were dedicated idolaters. There was no moral majority. In fact, there was no morality at all. In parts of the Roman Empire, men kept mistresses in the house, living with them and their wives and children.

Yet Paul said, “First of all, let the church be praying,” not just for its own spiritual needs, but by reaching out to pray for kings and those in authority. Probably all of us have failed on this point. Or when we do pray, we often pray only for leaders who come out of the party that we voted for. But we are to pray for our leaders, whether they’re Republican or Democrat. 

Jesus gave prayer the same priority Paul did. “My house,” He said, quoting Isaiah 56:7, “will be called a house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13, HCSB). Yes, we need preaching and outreach in the church, but nothing must replace Paul’s “first of all.” Before anything else, Christians should be praying. Why? Because prayer brings God onto the scene.

There’s a specific reason we should pray for government leaders. According to Paul, it’s “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:2–4, NIV). In other words, we should pray that God creates an atmosphere in which we have open doors to spread the Gospel.

The great need for us, whatever culture or country we live in, is to be salt and light so that people can come to know Christ (see Matthew 5:13–16). But the only One who can make us effective as salt and light is the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit pours out His grace as we pray and wait on God.

That is an unchangeable spiritual law set in Scripture. When the church was born and the Holy Spirit was poured out on the early believers, it was not in a teaching session or an outreach. It was in a prayer meeting. The Holy Spirit doesn’t move in great power automatically just because we are Christians. Jesus had already promised the disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you” (Acts 1:8, HCSB), but now they prayed the promise. The power to be salt and light came by being in God’s presence, praying and waiting.

So we need to pray for our leaders but also for ourselves, that we would be salt and light as the answer to society’s ills.

The Prophet Elijah lived in the days of wicked King Ahab. Yet James wrote, “Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly,” and God answered the prophet (see James 5:17). It doesn’t matter how small or weak we are, if we are connected by prayer to God, then He will move on our behalf. That doesn’t mean God rescues every believer who prays while in trouble. But the Lord will deliver us out of it, give us endurance to go through it, or change the circumstances so that the trial ceases to be so overwhelming. Whether we are facing personal, national or world trouble, Christians are commanded to ask God for divine intervention.

When the pressures mount against us, we are helpless to change the circumstances through mere human means. But when people pray, God reveals His power. “Is anyone among you in trouble?” James wrote. “Let them pray” (James 5:13, NIV). In our trouble, prayer moves God to do what only He can do.

How will God answer? He will decide that. We just need to turn our hearts toward Heaven and say, “Holy Spirit, come. Lord, we lift up presidents and government officials; we lift up our churches; we lift up believers. Send grace. Send power. Send peace. Do what only You can do.”

At the end of the day, this law is set in stone: When people pray, God does things He wouldn’t otherwise do. That doesn’t take away from God’s sovereignty. But if it isn’t true that God sends answers to prayer, then nothing is true in Scripture.

As Christians living in a godless culture, let’s not have it said about us, “You have not because you ask not” (see James 4:2). Let’s pray today for our leaders and also for ourselves, that God will give us wide open doors for the Gospel and work powerfully through His people in our day. ©2024 Jim Cymbala

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version. Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, ©1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible, Holman CSB, and HCSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Jim Cymbala has served as senior pastor of The Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City since 1971. 

Photo: PA Images / Alamy

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