Whether you are spouse, a parent, a teacher, engineer, pilot, or store clerk, you have influence in the lives of others.  And as a person of influence, your posture matters.

In Paul’s very personal letter to his son in the faith Timothy, he encouraged him to be strong and fearless in the face of false teachers.  I appreciate Paul’s no-nonsense approach.  So how would Timothy stand strong?  What counsel did Paul give?  What was Paul’s first priority?  If I were writing the letter, that’s where I would probably have taken a different approach.

If I were writing the letter, I would have quickly given Timothy a list of irrefutable leadership lessons.  Then I would have outlined clear goals and priorities, and created an action list for this young, inexperienced leader to implement.  Then, I would have set a date to review progress.

None of that would have been wrong, but Paul didn’t do that.  Instead, he wrote,

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men…1 Timothy 2:1.

Paul had preached to big crowds and small ones.  He experienced success as well as betrayal and beatings.  None of that stole his joy, but it did inform the counsel he gave to young men following in his footsteps.  Paul knew that a posture of prayer was essential for any Jesus-follower.

Quite frankly, good posture is a tough sell for even the most devoted follower of Jesus.  Paul knew that, so he reminded Timothy and the rest of us what’s a stake.

Prayer influences public policy.

Although we may not have the ear of the most influential leaders, we do have the ear of God.  “The kings heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes”—Proverbs 21:1.

Prayer influences personal salvation.

Paul quickly reminded Timothy a peaceful society is for the purpose of reconciling lost men to God through Jesus Christ.  God’s ultimate desire is for “all men to be saved.”  Prayer cooperates with that desire.  And in the mystery of God’s economy, He chooses to use prayer to quicken the hearts of men and move them to the Savior.

Prayer influences Gospel ministry.

Paul clearly articulated the Gospel.  “There is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all…”—1 Timothy 2:5-6.  And then he personally tied himself to that Gospel: “And for this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle…”—1 Timothy 2:7.  As “a teacher of the Gentiles” he needed “men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension”—1 Timothy 2:8. His life mission rested upon the prayers of God’s people.

Godly leaders may have a desire to change the world for Jesus’ sake.  But life-change begins with good posture…a posture and priority of prayer.  God moves kings, He saves souls, and He extends the Gospel only through prayer.

Question: How does prayer influence your leadership strategy?