Have you ever asked yourself why we should pray for liberals? Here at IFA, we have often received comments regarding our decision to pray for people on both sides of the congressional aisle. But since every decision ought to be based on the Word of God, let’s look at what the Bible says about this today.

First, let’s define exactly who we are discussing when we talk about “praying for progressives.”

When I say “progressives,” I am referring to people whose values, mores, actions, and policies do not align with God’s truth as it is clearly laid out by God’s Word. Under this definition, we are not talking about a specific political party. There people in the ranks of both parties, and even in the ranks of those who call themselves “independents” who refuse to align themselves with biblical truth.

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First we must examine ourselves, for if we think that progressives ought to change and align themselves with God’s Word, surely we ourselves ought make sure we are aligned with God’s Word first.

After all, it is Jesus who taught us:

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye (Matthew 7:3-5 NKJV).

So what does the Bible say about praying for progressives? Three things:

Key 1: We must pray for those who hate us.

(Read how to pray for those who hate you here.)

Jesus taught us to pray for those who hate us in Matthew 5:43-48, which says:

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:43-48 NKJV).

It’s obvious to anyone who reads the news that many progressives hate conservatives. Therefore, they fit right into Jesus’ prescription for receiving lots of blessings from those of us in the conservative camp! Based on Jesus’ instructions here in Matthew 5, we should be:

• Loving progressives;
• Blessing progressives;
• Doing good to progressives; and
• Praying for progressives!

Not only does Jesus command us to do these things in this passage, but He even says that, by doing these things, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” What a wild and challenging statement! Jesus is very specifically and clearly telling us that loving, blessing, doing good to, and praying for those who hate, curse, persecute, and spitefully use us is necessary in order to be perfect—in order to become like our Heavenly Father!

But, that’s not all; the Bible has more to say.

Key 2: We pray for progressives because God wants to change their hearts and save them.

It is not God’s will that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. We read this in 2 Peter 3:9:

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV).

They can only receive eternal life if they are willing to make Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior, as we read in John 14:6:

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6 NKJV).

And yet, as Jesus taught us in John 6:44, no one can come to Him in repentance unless the Father draws them:

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:44 NKJV).

So how does God draw every sinner—even politically progressive sinners—to Himself? Through our prayers; He always moves on the earth in response to our prayers. (Read this article by IFA President Dave Kubal for more about that.) Therefore, if we want progressives to change, repent, and find salvation in Jesus Christ—and we should, if we seek to do the will of God—then we must pray for them, that the Lord would bring them to salvation by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

And finally, the third reason we must pray for progressives …

Key 3: We pray for progressives because God’s Word specifically commands us to pray for ALL people, and for ALL who are in authority in government.

If we claim to love Jesus, we must keep His commandments. That is what Jesus said in John 14:15:

If you love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:15 NKJV).

And, one of His direct commandments in His word is that we must pray for everyone in government, no matter whether we agree with them or not. First Timothy 2:1-4 states this:

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, 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. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4 NKJV).

Even if this Scripture were the only passage in God’s Word about how to treat lost people—which it isn’t, of course—these verses are very clear:

• We are to pray and even give thanks for ALL people, and for all governmental leaders.
• It is good and acceptable in the sight of God for us to do so; and
• This command directly pertains to God’s own desire for all people “to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Therefore, we must pray for every person on both sides of the political aisle specifically because God’s Word commands us to do so.

Beloved, I know it can irritate a person’s sense of justice to pray for those who behave badly.

However, let’s recap why we must pray for them anyway:

1. We must pray for those who hate us, and many progressives and liberals fit that bill.
2. We pray for progressives because God wants to change their hearts and save them.
3. We pray for all progressives because God’s Word specifically commands us to do so.

But friend, praying for progressive politicians is not a lost cause.

Seeing deep, Jesus-centered revival in any political camp is not a pipe dream. God can radically change every single adherent to the progressive cause in a single moment in response to your prayers. There will be some who refuse Him, of course. But if you will pray, He will still draw as many people to Himself as will answer Him—and it is not up to us to judge a person’s potential for repentance. God alone can do that, so we must pray and trust Him to move.

Does this word help inspire you to pray for progressives with a clearer heart? If so, please leave a comment below!

Jamie Rohrbaugh equips people to walk in the manifest presence of God. She is the author of Healing from Church Wounds: You Can Be Whole Again and How to Become an Intercessor: You Can Shake Heaven and Earth. She blogs for a global readership at FromHisPresence.com, where she writes about prayer, the prophetic word, living supernaturally, inner healing, and Kingdom wealth. Her writing is featured on YouVersion, Charisma Magazine, The Elijah List, Spirit Fuel, and various other ministry outlets. Download her free prayer tool, Praying the Names of God: 555 Biblical Names of God and How to Use Them in Prayer and Worship, here. Photo credit: Douglas Rissing/Getty Images Signature.