Preparing for Battle is the title of a prayer written by Puritan Robert Hawker. It appears in the section “Help Me Ask for Help” of a book called Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans.
The world is a mess and getting worse. Each day is a spiritual battle. And, whether we realize it or not, it involves us. While the battle ultimately belongs to the Lord, He works through true Christians. Our armor and weapons of warfare may be found in Ephesians 6:10-19. A vital offensive component of the battle is prayer.
Preparing for Battle: A Prayer
Dearest Lord Jesus! Day by day in the evening and night, let your sweet visits renew us without ceasing.
Then I will take this precious portion of my song, both when undressing for the bed of sleep, and for the bed of death: “I will lay down in peace, and sleep, for you, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
May I never lose sight of Gethsemane? Let me return here by faith, and see you “overwhelmed with sorrow, to the point of death,” that your sacred head may be lifted up, first on the cross in suffering, and then with your crown in glory!
Lord, keep me from every enemy who does evil in your sanctuary, and preserve all those tender graces of your Spirit, that I may bring forth fruit to the praise of your holy name, and may flourish and spread abroad as the cedar in Lebanon.
Dearest Jesus, I know this in theory, from your gracious teachings, and I know that I am by nature a sinner. But I always fail, when I come to put it into practice.
Teach me, Lord, how to keep it always in mind, that I may never go forth in holy warfare to subdue a single foe except in your strength, and never mention anything but your righteousness, only your righteousness.
Blessed Sun of Righteousness, shine with such warmth, life-giving, fruit-imparting beams of your rich grace upon my soul, that I may flourish under your divine influence, and show that “the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” Amen.
Robert Hawker
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