The Real Power in Our Nation

A Forbes magazine had an article titled “100 Most Powerful Women.” When my husband showed it to me, I told him what I had just read that morning. Mary Queen of Scots said she feared the prayers of John Knox more than all the armies of England.

John Knox would pray, “Give me Scotland or I die.” Queen Mary knew about his prayers and feared him. She had Scotland searched, but no one could find Knox although he was only a few feet from her every day as she rode down what was called the Royal Mile. He was hidden away on the third floor of a home where he interceded for Scotland.

One day as he was praying, he cried out, “Deliverance has come,” and word came at that moment that the queen had died.

Psalm 2 gives great hope for us as we pray for our nation. God tells of rulers who conspire to throw away His rules. They say “let us throw off” as if it were an easy matter to fling off the fetters of God’s rules. They imagine that they can easily snap to pieces and destroy the mandates of God.

God smiles at their vain attempts and goes calmly on accomplishing His purposes. He has His plans and they are this: Zion (His holy people) will ask for the nations. “Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” By merely asking, He promises, “You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

The Lord has given us authority to do more than we can imagine! The history of nations depends not upon the rulers of nations, but upon those desperate children of God who ask Him. True power for transforming this land rests with those who know how to pray as John Knox prayed.

Lord, we plead with You to pour out on Your people a spirit of desperate intercession for our nation.

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).