Often, it’s easy to pray for ourselves, our family, and our friends. However, praying for the bigger things can feel overwhelming. How can we pray for matters that feel distant to us, such as a tragedy we hear on the news or the state of our nation?

The disciples had a similar question. When they asked Jesus how to pray, this was what He said first:

“When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.” (Luke 11:1-2)

The first instruction in what we’ve come to know as the Lord’s Prayer includes guidance about how to pray for the nations. Jesus encourages us to pray for God’s Kingdom and Divine Will to spread throughout the earth. 

One of the ways we can bring God’s Kingdom to earth is by making sure that we, as Christians, are praying for AND are active in all areas of our culture. I like to use the 7 Mountains of Influence framework to explain this.

What Are The 7 Mountains of Influence?

The Seven Mountains of Influence are the primary spheres of culture that make up a nation. They are: business, arts/entertainment, media, government, family, education, and religion. (It’s religion, not Church, because God intends for the Church to be involved in every “mountain.”)

The premise of 7 Mountains is that Christians are not meant to stay in the Church. Instead, we’re commanded to “go and make disciples of all nations” according to Matthew 28:19. How do we disciple the nations? By actively participating in culture and climbing the “mountain(s)” that correspond with the individual gifts God has given us. Then, we will begin to see the Kingdom of God come to earth as it is in heaven.

“Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” is a great general prayer to pray for your country. If you want to get more specific, you can pray for the 7 “spheres” that make up a flourishing nation. So, we created a 7 mountains of influence prayer guide to direct you along the way.

7 Mountains of Influence Prayer Guide

A Step-by-Step Guide to Praying for Your Nation

Some of these prayers were adopted from Tommi Femrite’s How Intercession Will Help Us Invade the 7 Mountains

The Religion Mountain

Reflect: “I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.” (John 17:22-23, NLT)

Pray: 

• Put aside your personal beliefs, opinions, and politics for a moment to echo Jesus’ prayer for unity in the Body of Christ.
• Pray for God’s love to drive out division in the Church.
• Pray that the love within the Church in your nation would inspire and empower every sphere of society to know God. 
• Pray that followers of Christ would pray out of an intimate, living relationship with Jesus.
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to stir up a passion for the Word within every person on the mountain.
• Pray believers on the Religion Mountain will have a strong presence on the other six mountains.

The Family Mountain

Reflect:

“Unless the Lord builds a house,

    the work of the builders is wasted.

[…]

Children are a gift from the Lord;

    they are a reward from him.

 Children born to a young man

    are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.” (Psalm 127:1 & 3-4, NLT)

Pray: 

• Take time to thank God for your family. Release any fears or feelings of control that you have toward your family and trust God with their wellbeing. 
• Pray for marriages to be restored. This involves praying for healing in marriages harmed by affairs, alcoholism, pornography, drug addictions.
• Pray that your nation will stand for the life of unborn babies.
• Pray for parents to model Godly behavior for their children; that fathers and mothers would step up to fulfill their calling as household leaders.
• Renounce family curses from previous generations and release blessings upon the next generation.

The Education Mountain

Reflect: “How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.” (Proverbs 16:6, KJV)

Pray:

• Pray for educators to have a Spirit of wisdom.
• Pray that educators would teach the truth about God.
• Pray that educators would speak destiny and purpose into the children they teach.
• Pray that parents would take authority over what their children are taught. 
• Pray for the schools in your nation to have resources and to be filled with bold followers of Christ, both in the student body and staff.

The Business Mountain

Reflect: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24, ESV)

Pray: 

• Pray for leaders, workers, and businesses who build for the glory of God.
• Pray for believers in the marketplace to be awakened to their mission. Pray for them to have a revelation of how they can experience and share the presence of God in their daily work.
• Pray for the businesses in your nation to be free of corruption. Pray for evil deeds to be exposed so that good can prosper.
• Pray for business leaders to have a biblical view of success. Pray that they would care about their employees, impact on society, and effect on the surrounding environment in addition to their bottom line.
• Pray for Christians to be empowered with the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom about how to build wealth so that an abundance of resources can be consecrated for The Kingdom of God.

The Government Mountain

Reflect: “For the kingdom is the LORD’s, And He rules over the nations.” (Psalm 22:28, NKJV)

Pray:

• Declare a holy alignment of the nation’s civil laws to God’s laws.
• Pray for believers in government to have a sincere, intimate relationship with God. Pray against the fear of man on their behalf.
• Pray for judges and political leaders to guide with wisdom, revelation and truth. 
• Pray for a spirit of justice and restraint of evil in your nation.

The Arts & Entertainment Mountain

Reflect: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8, ESV) 

Pray:

• Pray for artists to reflect the beauty and truth in the world; that the meditation of their hearts and minds would be on true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy things.
• Pray for artists and entertainers to recognize the divine connections and relationships He’s placed in their lives.
• Renounce the cultural celebration of ungodly values displayed in entertainment. Pray for believers’ eyes to be opened to the true spirit of the entertainment they consume.
• Pray for an increase in movies, television shows, social media, and artwork that is centered on God.

The Media Mountain

Reflect: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (Isaiah 52:7, NIV)

Pray:

• Pray for truth to be proclaimed in the Media without an exaggeration of the facts.
• Pray that the Media would hold politicians and people accountable with the truth.
• Ask God to send bold believers with a heart for proclaiming the truth into the Media mountain; pray for favor against any obstacles or red tape that would keep them from prospering.
• Pray that the good news of what God is doing in this generation would be amplified.