Colossians 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving…
Greetings!
As I sit and write to you today, I am delightfully distracted by the sights and sounds of our incredible military training: sharpening and maintaining their readiness right outside my window. Jets, ships and helicopters roar past my window with such volume that it sometimes shakes the building but is a strangely comforting sound to me as I spent most of my life on or very near military bases. My father served twenty-six years in the military and my husband served for twenty-two; the sweet sounds of 25- and 40-mm gatling guns and the boom of a howitzer not only gave me a sense of security but sometimes the feeling that my dad was near, even if he was really deployed on the other side of the world.
While you may think it is weird that what many people think of sounds of war are of comfort to me, these sounds are evidence that we are alert; vigilant and prepared to fight the enemy at a moment’s notice. You do not start preparing for the battle after the war begins; you defend Kingdom and Country by being ready at all times. As we step into November, we increase our prayer attention and appreciation towards our MILITARY. November 11th is Veterans Day; a special day set aside to honor those who have served our country in the Armed Forces, always alert, able, and willing to lay down their lives defending freedom in America and around the world.
All of us at the National Day of Prayer Task Force not only salute all our Veterans; we also thank God for you! I rejoice as I hear people say, “Thank you for your service!” to service members everywhere I go. These sincerely spoken words to our heroes in uniform are said every day, not just on Veterans Day because we are grateful to them, and for them every day. We realize the service and sacrifices that they and their families make every day so that we can safely go about our day and lay our heads down and sleep at night knowing they are active and alert; keeping watch at home and at any moment willing to go to war. Thank you!
Throughout Scripture our everyday lives are likened to a war. There is a continual battle going on for the souls of every person and a very real enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy us. If Satan has lost the battle for your soul, he will continue to pursue you to try to steal your praise, thanksgiving, and destiny. If he can’t have you, he works to dismay you and steal God’s glory in the midst of tough and terrible times. Satan’s battle plan is to get you to focus on the problems; panic instead of trust God, complain instead of praying, and act fearfully and selfishly instead of walking faithfully and fruitfully. When we are no longer prayerfully alert, we become weak targets for the enemy’s schemes; easily overtaken instead of overcomers. Prayer draws us nearer to our Heavenly Father giving us an even stronger sense of security than the sounds of my childhood. We are commanded in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
Like our incredible military, we have an important role to play every day in the defense and advancement of God’s Kingdom. We are warriors who are charged to put on the full armor of God and to be strong, courageous, alert and obedient in the mission fields and battlefields where Jesus sends us every day. Your assignment is at home, your neighborhood, church, workplace, campus, clubs, community and beyond. The roar of the enemy quickly retreats as God’s army marches to the throne room of heaven in passionate praise and prayer. Stay alert!
Let’s join together in some warfare right now!
Lord, we first thank you for all who serve in our military. We ask that You protect and provide for them as they remain alert and active against our enemies, foreign and domestic. Thank you for the courage and wisdom You give them and their hearts to serve sacrificially. Jesus, we incline our ear to You as our King and Lord. We follow Your commands and do not bend our knee to any other. We worship You, the one true God and therefore we know fear has no place in the heart of Your warriors and we will not let down our guard nor compromise to the circumstances of our day. You never change! You are all-powerful, all-knowing, our Rock and Refuge. We remain alert and ready on the frontlines of life, ever watching for the day, the moment of Your return. May You find us faithful. In Your wonderful and precious name we always pray, Amen!
Matthew 24:42 - 44 "Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. "But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will."
Serving Him with gladness,
Kathy Branzell
President
