The good news of Christ
Lord, fight my battle for me!
Your power and wisdom win the struggle.
I stand in place to see
the walls collapse, for Christ is able.
Lord, save your child in flight!
Your wind can open the way to safety.
The watery walls in height
Let feet be quick to travel bravely.
Proverbs 18.10, 12
Your name, O Lord, to us is a strong tower,
In you we find protection, peace, and power.
The righteous run to you to be secure.
When danger falls, of you we can be sure.
The present world is full of hateful harm,
Rise up, O God, to save us by your arm;
Our honor is to know our humble need,
The Christ as Lord and Savior is our creed.
The vicious hordes of sin would hunt us down,
The flood of willful evil would make us drown.
By our own strength we cannot win this war.
We cry, O Lord — open the Kingdom’s door!
Read the book, Choose! 13 Choices to Transform Your Heart and Soul.
Beloved Lord and God who saves,
Jesus’ blood’s our only claim —
We cannot purify ourselves,
We run to bless his holy Name.
Draw near to you, our greater goal,
To hear the words, “Well done, my child!”
We seek you with our life and soul,
In Christ redeemed and reconciled.
Your powerful presence, nothing more,
Is all our aim and pure desire;
To enter in at heaven’s door,
To feel the Holy Spirit’s fire.
Your strength to put away all sin,
We need the gospel’s sure defense —
Let suffering in the Lord begin!
The battle for the prize commence!
O God of every power, we are in the trenches, in the heat of battle, with shouts of war in our ears. No mountaintop retreats for us! No luxury cruise with calm waters and placid scenes! Around us fall weakened soldiers. And the blood of martyrs runs thick in the dark dungeons of persecution. The enemy goes for the heart. A thousand arrows would topple our faith. The lord of evil does not relent.
Save us, Lord Jesus, hear our cries for rescue! Traitors abound, cowards flee, lukewarm souls act as if no conflict rages. Shall we be hemmed in, our little band surrounded, our hope strangled, our gospel quashed by the noise of Satan’s hordes? Is the word of truth bound and gagged?
Release your Spirit, repulse the false friends working with devious means, call down the legions of angels to battle the love of this world. May the Lord of armies win by the breath of his mouth, by the fire of his eyes, by the sword of his word.
Save us, mighty God, for your eternal glory.
In you, O Lord, we live and move
And breathe, to exist forever more.
From nothing you created me,
For the purest glory that Jesus wore.
The stars, my God, seem far away,
And farther still perfection’s goal.
The flesh is too much present here,
In distant light the eternal soul.
Our Father, open heaven’s view,
That we might know the end of war,
And see, with Christ, the faithful few.
From him let us not wander far.
The mountains’ rocks are trembling,
Shaken to the roots;
The armies are assembling,
On the ground are boots.
Across the skies are flying
Angels with their swords,
To judge the unchaste defying
Christ, the Lord of lords.
Lord, come to save your children —
Prayers to you ascend;
Come carry up this pilgrim —
Rest without end.
In his devotional for Nov. 24, Ed Mathews writes on spiritual warfare. He mentions prayer:
Our strategy. In the end, prayer is the best weapon, Ephesians 6:18a. A saint on his knees makes the devil nervous. And, when prayer is uttered “in the spirit,” satan meets his match, Romans 8:26,27. Therefore, we “should always pray and not give up,” Luke 18:1. It is possible for believers, with one prayerful request, to marshal the mighty battalions of eternity, Matthew 26:53. We have a defeat-proof plan for a sure-fire-victory.
Blind and weak, O Lord, are we,
So give us strength, and make us see;
As each man fights his war
Against the lion’s roar,
Assured of final victory.
In us the fleshly battles rage,
But we the powers of God engage,
Confessing every need
For will and word and deed,
To gain by faith the eternal age.
Subscribe to Believing Prayer and join us in asking God’s favor with original prayers like this one.
God of all power and possibilities, we stand in awe of your moving hand among us. Continue to show your sovereign will on earth. Move things and people toward the kingdom. Open doors, and hearts, and minds.
Prepare us for battle, prepare us for victory, prepare us for the heavy fire thrown against us by the evil one. Stiffen our resolve, give us courage, open our mouths to speak the Good News of Christ.
Show yourself in Christ, send the Spirit among us, dwell in our hearts as we demonstrate faith and obedience to your will.
Forgive our sins, strengthen us in our weakness, open our eyes to our blindnesses.
Be glorified in us, and Christ in you. We desire the day of ending, the day of peace, the day of eternity.
The war of Forces waxes strong,
The world is not the only field,
But in my heart the waste of wrong
Would spread destruction if I yield.
Be strength and valor, God, for me,
Let courage meet the rushing foe;
Keep battle-hardened weapons free
To lay the devil’s minions low. Continue reading “A Morning Prayer of War”