A friend of mine, who is a citizen of another nation far from here, contacted me with earnest concern about corrupt officials who apparently are trying to wrest family lands away from his family. Which being interpreted means, his family is running into unwanted intrusion by officials higher up. My friend wanted prayer right away—so I looked up a Bible promise to claim on his and his family’s behalf.

It is a dynamite promise—I’m surprised I haven’t claimed it more often! It's the kind of promise God’s friends can claim when powers that be push for actions that should not be—local or state or national actions that seem to run contrary to the will of God, to the detriment of those loyal to Him.

So I share the promise with you. Because you never know when in your daily living as a faithful citizen of both earth and heaven, you might encounter official efforts to harm you or your people or the cause you fervently defend.

Here’s the promise—from the wise king Solomon: “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that He channels toward all who please Him” (Proverbs 21:1). 

In other words, in our Lord Jesus’ nail-scarred hand lies the heart of any ruler (just or unjust, benevolent or malevolent). And holding tightly to that leader’s heart, God can turn that mind any direction He wishes. But the promise is even better than that. Christ can rechannel any human leader’s intentions or decisions for the sake of “all who please Him”—i.e., His friends. Amazing promise! In fact, why not jot it down and tuck it away—for that rainy day yet ahead.

Because it doesn’t matter who doesn’t matter when. It could be the nefarious mercurial king Nebuchadnezzar. In God’s hand that pagan heart was like a stream of water rechanneled, redirected until the ruler’s decision matched the saving will of the Almighty. Over and over, Nebuchadnezzar kept running into the God who holds the king’s heart in His hand like water—totally pliable, directionable, adaptable to divine providence, and yet ever free to choose.

Esther discovered the veracity of this promise when she pleaded for her people, the Jews. Lo and behold, the king’s heart was turned toward God’s will. Ditto for the Apostle Paul standing before the corrupt emperor Nero—who surprisingly dropped the charges and let this Christ-following disciple go free. But to remind us that the ruler is free to override what we are sure must be God’s will, Paul was later called back before the same Nero to defend himself. This time the evil ruler summarily ordered his beheading. 

Promises are not magic—they are “the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven's storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence” (Steps to Christ 94). We appeal, God decides. But every decision He makes is for the very best “of those who please Him,” and for the ultimate triumph of His Kingdom on earth.

So relax—be at peace—claim the promise—appeal to God (“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”)—and leave the results of the election to One who will not make a mistake. Promise.