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Praying for Leaders: A Call to Peace in 1 Timothy
November 17, 2025 · 18 min
Uncover Paul's wisdom to Timothy on church leadership and the importance of sound doctrine.
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Prayer, Leadership, and Spiritual Warfare 0:09 Well, happy Monday, and welcome to Stand on the Word. New week and a new book. We're starting first Timothy today looking at chapters 1 and 2, verse 1 of chapter 2. Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications,0:21 prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.0:34 Why pray for government leaders? Does it make any difference? Well, if it didn't, why are we being told to do it? I can tell you from personal experience, it does matter. It does0:45 make a difference. When god's people pray in alignment with god's will according to his word, things happen. Alright? This is, this letter that Paul is writing to Timothy is called a0:57 pastoral epistle because it's Paul instructing and and and encouraging Timothy in his role as an overseer of the local church churches there in Ephesus. Now in these letters,1:09 and Titus is also 1 of the pastoral letters, we gain insight, into church governance and the qualities of, God's desire in his leaders in the local church.1:21 Now it's generally agreed that first Timothy was written, shortly after Paul was released from prison in Rome. Timothy, as I mentioned, was in Ephesus. He was the overseer of the church. And as we've discussed before,1:33 Ephesus was, not only a place that was near and dear to Paul's heart because he spent more time there than any place else. It was strategically significant. It became the center of the1:45 New Testament church into the first century. Now Timothy was the son of a Greek father, a Jewish mother named Lois. He was very close to Paul. He was, as Paul described, his spiritual1:56 son. We first read of Timothy during Paul's second missionary journey, and he's connected from that point forward all the way to the end of Paul's life. In fact, Paul's very last letter. Second Timothy2:09 was a letter to Timothy right before Paul was martyred. Verse 2, chapter 1. To Timothy, a true son in the faith, grace, mercy, and peace from god our father and Jesus Christ2:20 our lord. Now notice how Paul opens this letter. Paul is releasing a blessing over Timothy. Just a reminder that our words are more powerful than we realize.2:33 As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine nor give heed to fables in endless genealogies which cause2:44 disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. This is something I think we need to be listening to today. Preachers must preach the2:56 truth of god's word. It's essential to the health and well-being of a local body of believers. Now remember back in, Acts chapter 20, Paul stopped and met with the leaders in3:08 Ephesus, and he warned them to be on guard against false teachers. In fact, he called these false teachers savage wolves among the sheep. Now remember, there were no large churches in the3:20 state, and that didn't happen until about the third century. The churches met in homes, and not just 1 home. I mean, as the church grew, there were many, many homes. Ephesus probably had, you3:32 know, being the largest number probably, it could have had hundreds of house churches. Meaning there were hundreds of of of pastors and church leaders, and and these pastors were not graduates of the seminary.3:44 It was pretty much on the job training. And so this was, really a tall task for Timothy, but you could also see how these wolves could sneak into the3:55 fold and start teaching, you know, some wild idea that they got off the Internet. Alright? As followers of Christ, we need to focus on the revealed truth of God, not4:07 some hidden truth that requires a decoder ring to understand. And we have the canon of scripture. God has revealed his word to us. You know, I think many Christians waste precious4:19 time pursuing, you know, words that are not in scripture. And and and that includes I've mentioned this before, and I know I'm gonna step on some toes, but, you know, these all these4:31 conspiracy theories. Alright? Focus on that which edifies. That's what Paul says here. Not that which leads to endless disputes. What benefit is it?4:43 Really nothing. It just distracts. It takes away from the building up of the body. Paul then addresses those wanting to bring them under the bondage of the law. You know, he's dealt with that before.4:55 The law is for those outside the faith. It restrains evil. It does not build up and edify as the gospel does. Verse 8. But we know that the law is good if 15:07 uses it lawfully, Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and the sinners, for the unholy and profane, for the murderers of5:18 fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.5:31 Alright? According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. Alright? So the the he there were those trying to bring the law, and the law has its purpose. It is a tutor. Remember, it5:43 brings us to Christ, showing us that we need a savior. Now look at the close of the first chapter, verse 18. This charge I commit to you, son Timothy. There we see that, that that very5:55 affectionate term. According to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare. Now notice that last phrase, wage the good warfare. Following Jesus is a call6:07 to warfare. It's not, you know, it's it's not to go on a picnic. Alright? It's it's not a playground. Christian life is not a playground. It is a battleground. Spiritual warfare and where to6:18 fight it. We're to fight in this war. That's why in Ephesians 6, we have the whole armor of God that we're to put on. And we're not to be, a deserter6:31 running from the battle, absent without leave, or deconstructionist like, Hymenaeus or Alexander. Verse 19, having faith and a good conscience, which some6:42 have rejected concerning the faith have suffered shipwrecked. They've spiritually they're spiritually shipwrecked, of whom Hymenaeus and Alexander whom I delivered to6:54 Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. He basically said, look, I've turned them over to Satan. You know, can't help them anymore. They've chosen their path. Now I, I I wanna go over to chapter 2 where we7:06 see the other priorities. And and and, essentially, I can summarize it this way. Prayer leads to peace, which leads to the propagation of the gospel. Verse 1. Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications,7:18 prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that they may lead that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness7:30 and reverence. Prayer. Prayer. Okay? Hear hear me on this. Prayer is the first order of business for the church. After ensuring that the doctrine7:42 is correct, that the doctrine being taught is correct, prayer is to be the focus. And many churches today have forgotten what prayer is other than, you know, at the beginning and the end of a service. It is7:54 clear from the beginning that Paul believes the church should concern itself with government and government leaders as well as prayer, and its focus is praying for government.8:05 So what's government to do? I mean, what's the church to do regarding government? First, first of all, make supplications, a request, recognizing a supplication is a request recognizing the8:17 pressing and present need and the inability to meet that need in ourselves. We can't do it. So we're we're making this supplication to god. It it's a8:29 recognition that we need god's help. It's a declaration of our dependence upon him that we need him. We can't do it without him. Him. And then there's prayers. That's the devotion and the commitment. You know,8:41 it's, it's hard not to have a heart for someone that you're praying for. And and I and I would challenge you especially when it comes to government. You know, praying for those that we, we have difficulty with.8:53 Pray for them because they have a soul, and Christ died for them. Intercessions, coming to God, drawing close to him on behalf of others, going to God on the behalf of our leaders.9:04 Alright? This is what we're supposed to do for our government leaders. Now would you say just the good ones? The ones we agree with? No. All of them. In fact, I think we should pray harder for the bad ones. We are and9:15 and we're not to curse them. Okay? That's clearly wrong. In Jude chapter 1 verse 8, and this is something I I know we get caught up in the moment, and we talk about our leaders,9:27 and and and and so hear me out here. Jude 1 8, likewise, also, these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Now that's both the spiritual and9:39 natural leaders, dignitaries, people in in positions, exalted positions. Now okay. I I know that some of you are are struggling with that. We can confront9:51 our leaders. Okay? We can confront them. We can debate them. And in our form of government, we can replace them. Of course, you have to be, registered, and you have to be voting and informed, and we need to do that.10:03 But we are to respect the offices that they hold, and we are to pray for them. Now I pray for our leaders, all of them, even the ones that I vehemently oppose their policies. Now I10:15 do not pray that they would succeed. I I do not pray that they would succeed at all. In fact, I often pray that they would fail in what they're trying to do, but I do pray that they would succeed in what would benefit10:27 our nation or our cities or our states. I pray that God would direct them to make the right decisions that it would benefit all of us that we might live in10:39 peace, which is what he says we're to pray for. We're we're to pray so that we might lead a quiet and a peaceable life. That's praying according to the word and the will of God. So10:51 we can pray that. So why should we pray for them? Verse 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of god, our savior, who desires all11:03 men to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. It's a good it's good and acceptable in the sight of God. If it's good and acceptable in the sight of God, guess what? We ought to do it. And and we have this hope and11:14 this expectation as we pray to God that he's going to lead these individuals that we're praying for into an understanding of truth or at least direct their steps so that they might make the right decision11:26 decisions even though it's contrary to their nature. And then finally, we need to be praying for them as we as well as praying for others that they would come to know Jesus Christ as their lord and savior because it's11:37 god's desire for all men to come to know him that includes our rulers. And I would say especially our rulers because of the influence they have on the lives of others. And I just11:49 underscore this, so I think what Paul is saying here is that we want, we we want leaders to make the right decision decisions. Even though their hearts may be contrary, they may not be saved, they might not be believers,12:01 they may be like Nebuchadnezzar, We want them to make the right decision so that we can live in peace and the gospel can be propagated, that the promulgated so that we can we can12:13 promote the gospel of the lord Jesus Christ. Now, just in case we miss the importance of prayer, he repeats the call to prayer. Look at verse 8. I desire therefore that men pray everywhere lifting up holy hands12:25 without wrath and doubting. Now this is what Christian men should be doing, praying to god in every place, public spaces, okay, public spaces. We should be people of prayer lifting up empty hands to God,12:37 declaring our dependence upon him and our need for him. In these they're holy hands because we've departed from sin. We're not engaging in sin and seeking God's blessing at the same time. Doesn't happen. Without wrath,12:48 putting it away, forgiving others, doubting. And the better it is disputing. We we can't be disputing and have division in our ranks and expect god to answer our13:00 prayers. Now Paul closes out the discussion with the role of the women in the church, and I'll skip the call to modesty. I think we get that. That's pretty clear. Go to verse 11. Let a woman learn in silence with all13:12 submission. I know some are waiting for me to get to this. What is this? What what what am I gonna say about this? Look at verse 12. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in13:22 silence. For Adam was formed first in Eve, and Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived fell into transgression. Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in13:34 faith, love, and holiness with self control. These words in Paul have been widely debated over the millennia and, but the meaning of this is very clear when you read it13:46 in context. In in fact, when we read the next chapter, it gives even more context He does not say he does not say that women are incapable or teach of teaching or leading. In fact, the13:57 scripture gives us many examples of faithful women who did both. Priscilla, teaching alongside her husband, Aquila, Deborah in the Old Testament, judging Israel, and her husband, Aquila, Deborah in the Old Testament14:07 judging Israel, and Mary Magdalene, who was the first to proclaim the risen Christ. Paul writes what Paul writes is specific. Alright? Listen. To teach14:19 or exercise authority over a man. His concern is with order and headship within the church, not the suppression of women's gifts. God14:31 has established complementarian roles for men and women, reflecting his design from creation. Adam was formed first, and Eve's deception in14:43 the garden serves as a cautionary reminder of the need for divine order, not a mark of inferiority. Paul immediately then after says a woman should not lead turns to14:54 the display of grace. She will be saved through childbearing. What does that mean? Well, a couple of things. Through the woman came the savior himself.15:07 The more visible leadership of men in the church does not in any way diminish the indispensable influence and spiritual authority15:20 that women wield through faith, love, holiness, and the shaping of generations. You know, the the women have the heart for children. And the old,15:32 the old the old saying, the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. There is so much truth in that. If we would just embrace what god has designed, his15:44 design, and what he has called us to. Father, we thank you for your word. What a powerful, powerful word from the apostle15:56 Paul. And and I pray father that, lord, we would walk in alignment with your word. Lord, we thank you for16:08 your word. We don't have to guess. We don't have to walk around wondering what to do. It's revealed for us here, and I pray that you'd give us a heart of prayer for our government, for our government leaders to to to to16:19 for for supplication, prayer, and intercession to be made for them. And, lord, that you would turn their hearts. You would turn their hearts toward righteousness. I pray for their salvation, those that do not know you. I16:29 pray that we would have a burden for our leaders, that they would come to know you. But, lord, also that you would direct their steps so that we might live in peace and the gospel might go forth because the laws16:41 reflect our rights to share our faith. And, lord, we thank you that we live in a country that for the most part allows that. But, lord, may we fine tune it as we live out our faith in a way that honors16:53 you. So, father, continue to guide us on this journey and use us, lord, for your kingdom and glory. For we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning. Again, reminding you of the new17:04 Stand on the Word store. Just text the word store to 6 7 7 4 2, and you'll get a link, and you can check it out. Until next time, keep standing on the word.17:16 Today's study comes from the stand on the word bible reading plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you17:28 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 Prayer, Leadership, and Spiritual Warfare
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