Prayers for Members of Parliament

Stated simply, Parliament is a legislature whose function and power are similar to those dictated by the Westminste HoC

r system used in UK. The word parliament is derived from the French parlement, i.e. the action of parler ('to speak'). A 'parlement' is a discussion. It acquired its modern meaning as it came to be used for the body of people in an institutional sense when they would meet to discuss matters of state.

A parliament has three functions, i.e. representation, legislation and parliamentary control. This is when enquiries, hearings etc are organised.

A member of Parliament (generally called an MP) is someone whom people have elected to represent them in a parliament.

1 Timothy 2:1 - Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.

How should we express these four types of prayer?

Supplications are a humble and sincere appeal to someone who has the power to grant a request.
What should our supplication be for those who become MP's?

Prayers are described as the act or practice of making a spoken or unspoken address to God.

Intercessions are the act of pleading on somebody's behalf.

Thanksgiving is an expression or an act of giving thanks. It may also be a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness.

These are the four types of prayers we are exhorted to use when praying for those in authority. Although most of the information in these outlines are given under the heading of Members of Parliament, they also apply to anyone who is in a position of authority and are repeated here for ease of reference.

Supplications
1. Pray that they will have wisdom & understanding. A godly standard.

1 Timothy 2:1 - Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.
Proverbs 8: 12-16 - I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, all the judges of the earth.

1 Kings 3:28 - And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king (Solomon) had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.
Proverbs 4:7-8 - Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honour when you embrace her.

2. The fear of the Lord brings wisdom.
How do they find the ‘fear of the Lord’? We must remember that this fear is not the fear of dread but the fear that is awe expressed in honour and respect.

3. Obedience leads to a good understanding.
To obey the Lord, we need to know the word of the Lord. Pray that people will come to know the Lord not only as Saviour, but as the Lord of their lives.

Psalm 110:10 (b) - A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.

4. Discretion preserves from disaster.

Proverbs 2:10-11 - When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you..

5. Humility is the stepping stone to honour.
People in positions of authority need to know how to cope with honour.

Proverbs 15:33 - The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honour is humility.

6. In many counsellors there is safety.
Even those in authority need to have a teachable spirit. All of us are always developing and in doing so, we learn.

Proverbs 11:14 - Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Proverbs 12:20 - Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counsellors of peace have joy.
Proverbs 15:22 - Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

7. Diligent
To be diligent and trustworthy are great qualities in those who are leaders. Proverbs 12:24 - The hand of the diligent will rule.

8. Righteousness
When someone is righteous, people feel safe and that they can trust the person concerned.

Prayers
There is a sense of constancy and consistency about praying. It is not a sometime event. It should be regular and consistent, not just occasional.
Our leaders have needs as people. Their families have needs.

We can pray:

1. For Inspirational Leadership

Isaiah 55:4 - Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, a leader and commander for the people.

2. Good Health

3 John 1:2 - I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health just as your soul prospers.

3. Protection
(a) home and possessions

Psalm 91:9-10 - Because you have made the Lord who is my refuge even the most High your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.

(b) when travelling

Psalm 91:11-12 - For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

(c) against unnecessary intrusions on their time.

Psalm 121:8 - The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

Intercessions
We must never forget that we are considering a spiritual situation, when there will be spiritual dimensions relating to the person for whom we pray. As intercessors, we will stand before the Lord, the King of Kings, on their behalf.

Isaiah 59:16(a) - He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor.

If we are obedient to the Word, God will never have to ask if there is an intercessor!!

Remember that when we intercede, just as a lawyer stands before a judge to represent someone, we stand in the place of the person for whom we are praying as their representative.

GIVING OF THANKS FOR ALL MEN

This includes everyone who is in authority – and not just those we think of as good people. This includes everyone. As we give thanks for them, we are not only obeying the Lord, but we seal that situation so that there is no room for bitterness, anger, unforgiveness or any other condition that would cause us a hardness of heart. This does not imply acceptance of failure or agreement with wrong doing. Rather, we should pray for anyone in that situation that they will be challenged to do what is right and to thus honour the position they hold.

Have you ever thanked your Member of Parliament or someone else in authority for the time they give, for their service? If you have, you will know that this is something that encourages and blesses.

Many times people in positions of authority is only contacted by someone when they want something or if they have a criticism to offer. When we honour them, and give thanks, we are giving them a greater place to fill instead of 'knocking them down' with criticism and denunciations.

Let us be obedient to the scripture and give thanks to the Lord for our Members of Parliament and others in position of responsibility.