How Should a Warrior Pray?

COL Don Martin AUS (Ret.)

In time of war — How Should a Warrior Pray? After the death of Moses, Joshua led Israel to besiege Jericho. As he approached the city, an armed figure stood in his way. Joshua’s natural response was to demand "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?"

The response he received was, "No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come…. Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy." Joshua obeyed, worshiping God. (Joshua 5:13-15, NKJV)

In like manner, Christian warriors today should not focus on the question: "Is God on our side?" Instead, they should test their attitudes and actions with the question: "Am I serving the Lord and praying in obedience to Jesus Christ?"

What fundamentals and themes of prayer should a Christian warrior focus on when war comes? A response limited to one page in COMMAND can’t be exhaustive. It can, however, offer a starting point for warriors who long to pray effectively and for those who love them and support them in prayer.

A Warrior’s Perspective
Continually give thanks that, spiritually, you are "seated with Christ in the heavenlies" (Ephesians 2:4-7). Keep focused on the Lord Jesus and on His power to lead and assist you. Give Him praise and glory in every circumstance of your life.

Pray for a biblical understanding of your duty as an agent of human government. Chapters 12 and 13 of Romans provide clear direction. Do not seek to punish others for personal wrongs done to you. Instead, obey human rulers who are fulfilling the God-given obligation of suppressing evil deeds and punishing those who commit them. Ask God to grant you confidence and strength in your role as an obedient servant of the American people, as you execute the legal orders of those who have been elected to lead our nation in a conflict with evildoers.

Pray that God will conform your character into the character of Jesus Christ. This is His eternal purpose for you (Romans 8:29). The reason why "all things work together for good" is that God uses them to fulfill His intent to make you like His Son. Pray that He will do so in these days.

Pray that Jesus Christ will be exalted and that God’s purposes for the nations, peoples, and tribes of the world will be fulfilled. The God who created the universe and who sustains it by His word of power was not surprised by the attacks of these terrorists. Ask Him to display His holiness, majesty, power, love, mercy, and righteous judgment to all peoples throughout the world.

A Warrior’s Preparation
Ask God to teach you to become more effective in prayer. Study the Scripture, and learn to pray using biblical content or passages from the Bible.

Ask God to teach you how to "pray without ceasing" (I Thess. 5:17). Take advantage of brief moments throughout the day when you can praise and thank God or ask for His divine help for yourself and others. When the OPTEMPO is intense, brief prayers interspersed throughout your duty day may offer the best opportunity for effective communion with the Lord. Decide that you will pray even though "there is no time to pray."

A Warrior’s Practice
Some major prayer themes:

• Ask God to guard your body, soul, and spirit and to help you put on "the whole armor of God" (Ephesians 6:10-18).
• Ask God to guard your loved ones and to give them His strength, courage, peace, and joy.
• Ask God to help you execute your duties with skill, courage, and diligence, and to make you an example to your comrades-in-arms of how a Christlike warrior should live and serve.
• Ask God to give supernatural discernment, willpower, courage, and ability to those who lead the nation, the armed forces, and your unit.
• Ask God to protect the warriors who serve with you and their loved ones.
• Ask God to grant you love for your fellow warriors and opportunities to show them the love and truth of the Lord Jesus. Pray for them to receive Him as Savior and Lord.
• Pray for those against whom you must fight in order to fulfill the demands of righteousness.