Rev. Franklin Graham: 'Prince of Darkness is Grimly and Powerfully at Work in World Affairs'
October 13, 2014 - 5:49 PM
By Michael W. Chapman
(CNSNews.com) - Reverend Franklin Graham, son of world renowned evangelist Rev. Billy Graham, said that Americans need to pray for President Barack Obama, the Congress, and other people in positions of authority, "even if they are not the candidates we voted for," because Satan is "at work in world affairs," and prayer is "a great battlefield" through which God's will can be done.
"The prince of darkness is grimly and powerfully at work in world affairs, and prayer is a great battlefield especially as we pray for those in leadership," said Rev. Graham in his Sept. 30 commentary for Decision magazine.
A "sovereign God can turn the heart of a king at any time and in any way," said the reverend. "If there are policies and platforms that don't conform to biblical ethics, the intercession of Christians can be used in a powerful, transforming way."
"[W]e should be praying for God's will to be done for our leaders to seek God and listen to Him," said Rev. Graham, who also heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. "We should pray that they would be surrounded by godly counsel and, most important, that our leadership would personally know God and the salvation found through faith in Jesus Christ alone."
"I can't help but ask myself if all Christians had fulfilled this admonition and been faithful to pray for our leaders, would our nation - even our world - be different today?" he said. "Prayer is the Christian's greatest weapon in a world that seems to be coming apart around us."
Rev. Graham, who also runs the international humanitarian aid group Samaritan's Purse, further said that prayer can "delay or even stop legislation or initiatives that hinder the advance of the Gospel," noting that while there is "serious moral degradation in America," there are still opportunities to preach the Gospel.
However, "the day may soon come when that freedom no longer exists, thus all the more reason to pray for God's mercy to turn the hearts of our leaders now," said Rev. Graham, adding that "the reason the Bible instructs us to intercede on behalf of our leaders is so that they might come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ."
Franklin Graham is married, has five children, and lives in Boone, N.C. His father, Rev. Billy Graham, 96, is in poor health and not expected to live much longer. Over the years, Billy Graham preached to more than 215 million people in 185 different countries, and he wrote 31 books. For more than 50 years he has regularly been ranked among one of the most admired people in the world.
This post was edited on 10/14 9:03 AM by bigbadjohn45
October 13, 2014 - 5:49 PM
By Michael W. Chapman
(CNSNews.com) - Reverend Franklin Graham, son of world renowned evangelist Rev. Billy Graham, said that Americans need to pray for President Barack Obama, the Congress, and other people in positions of authority, "even if they are not the candidates we voted for," because Satan is "at work in world affairs," and prayer is "a great battlefield" through which God's will can be done.
"The prince of darkness is grimly and powerfully at work in world affairs, and prayer is a great battlefield especially as we pray for those in leadership," said Rev. Graham in his Sept. 30 commentary for Decision magazine.
A "sovereign God can turn the heart of a king at any time and in any way," said the reverend. "If there are policies and platforms that don't conform to biblical ethics, the intercession of Christians can be used in a powerful, transforming way."
"[W]e should be praying for God's will to be done for our leaders to seek God and listen to Him," said Rev. Graham, who also heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. "We should pray that they would be surrounded by godly counsel and, most important, that our leadership would personally know God and the salvation found through faith in Jesus Christ alone."
"I can't help but ask myself if all Christians had fulfilled this admonition and been faithful to pray for our leaders, would our nation - even our world - be different today?" he said. "Prayer is the Christian's greatest weapon in a world that seems to be coming apart around us."
Rev. Graham, who also runs the international humanitarian aid group Samaritan's Purse, further said that prayer can "delay or even stop legislation or initiatives that hinder the advance of the Gospel," noting that while there is "serious moral degradation in America," there are still opportunities to preach the Gospel.
However, "the day may soon come when that freedom no longer exists, thus all the more reason to pray for God's mercy to turn the hearts of our leaders now," said Rev. Graham, adding that "the reason the Bible instructs us to intercede on behalf of our leaders is so that they might come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ."
Franklin Graham is married, has five children, and lives in Boone, N.C. His father, Rev. Billy Graham, 96, is in poor health and not expected to live much longer. Over the years, Billy Graham preached to more than 215 million people in 185 different countries, and he wrote 31 books. For more than 50 years he has regularly been ranked among one of the most admired people in the world.
This post was edited on 10/14 9:03 AM by bigbadjohn45
