Prayer Before Battle Series

Prayer Before Battle

By Keith J. Andrews

www.chaplainandrews.com

All Scriptures marked ESV: The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001.Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

http://www.chaplainandrews.com

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Most mornings out here, sometimes late at night, I meet with a convoy traveling outside the wire, to offer a prayer of safety and a blessing on their mission. It is a time of great importance for me—to be able to place my hand on these Soldiers going out and ask God to protect them. I pray for them anyway—but it is especially nice to be able to go out, look them in the eye, and prove that I truly am praying for them and that God will be with them.

We have recently begun our stay here in Iraq. During our deployment, it is critical that we stay attached to the vine, like we mentioned last week, and focused on our prayer life that is why over the last several weeks, we have been talking about prayer.

So as I wrap up this series and we begin to think about different aspects of our Christian walk, I want to take time to focus on prayer once more as it relates to our deployment here.

As we are beginning our time here, I want you to ask the question “How do you pray?”

How do you pray as you prepare yourself, your soldiers, and your families for the battles ahead?

As we face the struggles and the battles that lie ahead, we turn our attention to how Jesus faced his challenge.

He faced it in prayer—as should we. He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion. He knew full well what would be happening.

For centuries, prophets had foretold of the sacrifice he would pay. Throughout his life, he knew that this moment would come. He was hours from being betrayed by a friend. Hours from being brought before Pilot and falsely accused. Hours before being beaten. Hours before being hung from a cross to pay the penalty for the sin of the world.

Jesus was about to do battle with the devil; literally.

As we look at Jesus, see that he prayed before this battle. How do you pray as you prepare yourself, your soldiers, and your families for battle?

Luke 22 gives us a glimpse of how Christ prayed during this time of struggle and preparation. We are looking at Luke 22:39-46.

Look at this passage as a whole, Luke 22:39-46

39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.7 45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” (Lk 22:39-46, ESV)

We use his example not to compare the acts of what Christ was about to do with our situation, but to use his example to teach us how to face struggle and hardship.

Jesus prayed in a certain way and he sets the example for us to pray.

We first see in this passage that

1. Jesus prayed alone.

Luke 22: 41

41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, (Lk. 22:41, ESV)

This is something Jesus did frequently. He took time to be alone, to pray.

Luke 21 tells us that he went to the same place every night when we was in Jerusalem.

Jesus sets the example that we are to go by ourselves to pray.

In our busy world many times we complain that we can not get away, we can not be alone.

Recently, in the Tennessean newspaper, there was an article that showed how some men do get away. They convert their garages, bonus rooms, and game rooms of their houses to find time to get away.

Greg Van-Dette of Columbia, Tennessee has such a place. He says;

“(My wife) goes to bed pretty early. I can stay up a little later and get my personal time where I’m not a husband, father, or employee.”

He goes inside his room and plays his guitar.