12 PRAY BEFORE THE BATTLE.

When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the LORD toward the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

     —1 Kings 8:44–45

Before Israel went into battle, Solomon prayed entreating God for victory.

Before battling Jericho, the people of Israel marched, blew the trumpets and then shouted to the Lord. Before the battle of Jericho, God revealed to Joshua that the city was already his—the battle was already won! (Read Joshua 6:1–2)

Before battling the Midianites, Gideon spoke with the Lord, built an altar of worship, and obeyed what God told him.

Before battling Goliath, David declared that the battle belonged to the Lord.

Before facing the Assyrians in battle, King Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord and the battle was won by God before any stone was cast or weapon thrown.

Before facing the Ammonites and Moabites in battle, King Jehoshaphat and the people bowed before God, praised Him and stood still to see the salvation of the Lord (2 Chron. 20).

Before facing the battle of Golgotha and triumphing over the enemies of death and sin on the cross, Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, “Thy will not mine be done.”

Here’s the prayer key we need to understand: proactive prayer anticipates both the coming battle and the victory that God has already won.

Be proactive not reactive. Our tendency in prayer is to be reactive instead of proactive. In the midst of the battle when the tide turns against us, then we cry out, “Oh God, save me.” Our problem is that we have entered the battle in our own strength and fought with our own weapons instead of fighting the battle God’s way with His weapons. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4).

Pray before the battle. Get the mind of the Lord for the battle. Ask God to maintain His cause and purpose for the battle. Rest in the truth that the battle is never against flesh and blood (Eph. 6). Remember that the enemy is never the other person but always the father of lies who seek to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).

Spirit of God,

Capture my attention before any battle. Keep my focus on you not the enemy. Reveal to me the device and wiles of the enemy. Release your power and might to win the victory. I praise you in advance for the victory! Amen.