Unfortunately, with our lives racing at breakneck speed, prayer is often flat or we don’t know what to pray. We often settle for vague prayers that ask little of God. God never settles for less than the best, and neither should we. We have a great God, who can handle great requests.
Simple strategic objective:
Prayers for our army need not be elaborate and contain long sentences with fancy words woven throughout. Who are we trying to impress? We are not talking to a nuclear energy professor, but a loving, relational Heavenly Father. When it comes to prayer, God wants our hearts, not poetic words. With specific prayer points, we pray confidently using God’s Word, being specific, with simple language. Praying is simply speaking to God directly from your heart, as if you were speaking to a close family member.
Use God’s Word:
One of the books of the Bible that I enjoy incorporating into my prayer journal is the book of Psalms. That way, when I’m on the road, I can take them with me, or in those very busy seasons or during stressful times, I have prayers ready. Take Psalm 34: 7 as an example. I write in my journal: “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear [ reverence and honor ] he, and delivers them “(NRSV). Then I would write my response to that verse: Thank you, Lord, for Your promise of protection in fearful or troublesome situations. Then I continue my prayer by bringing up other verses of Scripture and using the advice below .
Here are six examples of specific prayer points that you can pray for our military or your service member:
Focused Prayer Point Example # 1: Pray for a Healthy Mind
Ask God to keep your military member’s mind free from negative thoughts. Pray that anxiety does not rob them of peace or joy. Ask God to protect you from Satan’s deceptive plans so that you can discern the voice of God from the voice of the enemy.
Example of directed sentence point n. 2: Evil Plans Exposed
Pray that no manufactured weapon will prosper against our military. Ask God to reveal the evildoers and their evil plans. Pray that military leaders will be painstakingly attentive, industrious and persistent in uncovering any threats to our service members, military bases, and our country. Pray that our enemies will be as insignificant as “grass on the roofs of houses” (Psalm 129). Ask God to “cut the cords of the wicked” (Psalm 129: 4).
Sample Focused Prayer Point # 3: May God Be Our Service Member’s Advocate / Guardian
Instead of just asking God to keep your service member safe. Ask him to be powerful on behalf of those who have placed their trust in him. “Those who love me, I will deliver; [ defend ] I will protect those who know my name … “(Psalm 91: 14-16). As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people …” (Psalm 125: 1-2). Ask the Lord to surround your serviceman’s life with His powerful protection.
Focused Sentence Point Example # 4: Our Military Leaders
Ask God for a revival of faith to take place in the hearts of our military leaders. Pray that they will surrender to God’s influence, authority, and power. And pray that they lead with integrity and by godly example to keep our country’s reputation honorable. Psalm 33:12 says, “Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD …”
Example of objective sentence point n. 5: God’s Healing:
War creates wounds on bodies and souls. Ask God to heal the inner wounds of broken emotions, crushed spirits, and impaired minds. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147: 2). Pray that your service member will seek the right kind of medical help combined with God’s touch for a complete healing.
Sample Focused Sentence Point # 6: For Wisdom in Decision Making
Ask God to give you wisdom in the decisions you make. Bring understanding to the situation so that wisdom leads to a correct course of action. “If any of you lacks wisdom, ask God, who gives generously and unreservedly to all, and it will be given to you” (James 1: 5). Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal what has been unknown, so that correct judgments can be made. “Plans are made by taking advice; wage war by following wise guidance” (Proverbs 20:18).
I wish I had known about strategic prayer when we were a young military family just starting out. But I can tell you that when I started praying this way, it made a difference. I gained a sense of peace because I had adequately covered my husband and children in prayer. And God answered those prayers, not always in the way I wanted, but in the best way. God rewards those who diligently seek him (Heb. 11: 6).
If you long for your prayers to be more effective with peace for your heart, use specific prayer points.