My husband returned four months ago from a year-long deployment to Afghanistan. This was our first deployment, and we were stationed in the United Kingdom when he was given the orders. We quickly had to decide whether I would stay in the UK or return to the States to be closer to family while he was gone. My husband thought I would be happier being close to family, but I felt the Lord telling me to trust Him and stay in the UK, even if it meant I was going to be alone. This was a hard decision because I felt I was staring my biggest fear right in the face—I was going to be left alone in a foreign country while my husband went to war. Scary!
How to Pray for Your Military Man
Excellent or Praiseworthy is posted on Monday and Thursday nights.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. — Colossians 4:2
The Bible tells us that “The prayer of a righteous man [or woman] is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). So what are you praying for? Most, if not all of us, pray for our husbands. But do you know exactly how to pray for your military man’s unique needs? I asked Chaplain Scott Koeman, when in Afghanistan, for some specific things we can be praying for. Here is the insightful list he shared with me:
- Pray that he would have the Peace of Christ with him—especially if he travels outside of his Forward Operating Base (FOB).
- Pray that he will depend on the Love of God to keep him from bitterness at others (who needlessly make life difficult on their subordinates especially when they aren’t the most competent leader).
- Pray for Protection. Psalm 125:2 “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.”
- Pray that he will be vigilant if he is called upon to fire upon the enemy. Psalm 144:1-2 “Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.”
- Pray that the enemy will be turned back. Psalm 40:14 “May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.”
- Pray that our Soldiers will be fulfilled in their jobs. Without purpose, time out here is extremely long and difficult.
- Pray that Soldiers/their husbands will resist lowering themselves to low levels of conversations and instead seek to be examples of goodness and righteousness.
- Pray that Soldiers/husbands find “good and solid” Christian brothers to have fellowship with.
- Pray for the leadership in Platoons, Companies, Battalions, Brigades …depending on what level the Soldier/husband works. Leadership can make or break a man. They have the biggest impact.
Chaplain Koeman is married to Benita Koeman, founder of OperationWeAreHere.com, a clearinghouse of resources for the military community.
Jocelyn Green is an award-winning freelance writer and author of Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives and Faith Deployed . . . Again. Today’s posting is from her blog www.FaithDeployed.com. She is also the co-author of Battlefields & Blessings: Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq & Afghanistan, and The Five Love Languages: Military Edition. Jocelyn and her husband Rob live with their two children in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Questions to Share:
1. There are nine prayer points in the Chaplain’s list. Pick one a day to pray while he is deployed.
2. Share with your husband how you are praying for him. Thursday we will post prayers for wives from Benita Koeman.
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