Are you looking for some powerful prayers for our military?
As a military wife and a military sister, I personally know and understand the effectiveness of prayer for our loved ones serving in the military. I know it was prayers that kept my brother safe while serving in the infantry in Iraq. He survived two suicide attacks.
It was also continual fervent and powerful prayers that brought my Marine husband back after his tour in Afghanistan.
Our military, now, more than ever needs our continual prayers. As we pray for our servicemen and women, we must consider there is more to those prayers than safety. The stresses of military duty, even shore duty, can be overwhelming.
And let’s not forget the effect their service has on their families to include spouses, children, moms, and dads. We must keep all of them all in mind as we enter into our prayer closets.
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How Can We Pray for Our Military
There is never really a wrong way to pray for our military. Just uttering whatever words stumble out of our lips to our Lord, is powerful and effective. But at times, I know we all draw blanks and need a few prayer prompts to help keep us going.
- Pray for the Safety of our Military Members
- Pray for Military Deployments
- Pray for our Military Leaders
- Pray for our Military Families
- Pray for Military Retirements
Military Prayer Bible Verses
Did you know that God often mentions the warrior in the Bible? There are entire chapters dedicated to giving honor and credit to the military warriors who helped keep King David on the throne. It should be of no surprise then, that there are military prayer Bible verses we can use in our own prayers for our warriors.
Below are some of my favorites. Declare these scriptures boldly in your prayers and insert name of your love ones where it is relevant. Also, feel free to find some Bible verses of your own that you can use.
- He said, “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. (II Samuel 22:2-4 ESV)
- For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?– the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. (Psalm 18:31-36 ESV)
- He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:29-31 ESV)
- Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
Prayers for Military
Praying for our military is a beautiful privilege and a wonderful way to connect with them and help them, even when we cannot be there with them. When things are so out of our control, prayer moves and shakes in the spiritual world affecting change within the military member and even their units and those around them.
Since they are the primary protectors of our nation (after God of course), by praying for our military, we are also praying and lifting up our nation.
Father, we lift up our military to you today. We recognize, Lord, that we cannot control the world around us. We cannot control the regions where war breaks out or where our men and women in uniform will serve. However, since you are sovereign, you can.
We appeal to you Lord that you will direct the path of each service member and inspire every decision made that affects our military. We pray that our military gets the proper intelligence to get the job done with no casualties.
We ask, that you guard the hearts and minds of our service members from the evil they may witness during the course of their duty, especially during combat operations. But most of all, we pray that they will keep YOU Lord at the center of their thoughts. May they seek to depend on you and trust in your power. Amen.
Prayer for Military Safety
Clearly, serving in the military comes with a lot of risks. At any given moment, our men and women can be put in harm’s way. We must pray for their safety during battle. But also for:
- safety during training exercises
- safety during military travel
- general safety not associated with battle
We must continually pray for their safety and supernatural protection.
Heavenly Father, please surround your arms around our military and our military service member. Only you can see what they cannot see so I ask that you provide fresh revelation, spiritual intelligence, to those who can take direct action against the enemy.
May your angels surround and protect each of our military members, not only from enemy attacks but also from training mishaps and friendly fire. Guide their every step and keep them from harm. Amen.
Prayer for Military Deployment
Not all military deployments are dangerous, but all military deployments can be difficult, especially for the families back home. My husband deployed to Afghanistan in a combat situation but also spent eight months in Okinawa. Clearly, I preferred the latter scenario, but even his deployment to Okinawa was brought with difficulty and worry. So it is important to pray for both situations.
Father, we know that many times our service members will feel a lot of excitement as well as jitters right before deployment. However, once they arrive at their destination, reality sets in. So today we pray that you fill them with peace that passes all understanding.
We pray that you give them guidance to accomplish their duties to the best of their ability. During combat deployments, give them a sharp mind to identify potential threats. Also, remind them that during times of danger, to seek you continually.
Lord, we also pray that you help both the military service member and the families they left behind to endure the distance apart, even during “easy” deployments.
The stress the deployments can put on the family can be overwhelming. Therefore, allow communication to flow freely between the family and service member and provide ready solutions for any problems that may arise. Amen.
Prayer for Military Leaders
Military leaders are under immense pressure and usually, any mistakes made by those underneath them, fall squarely on their shoulders. They need constant prayer for guidance and wisdom.
Among the leadership, there are many who have a deep sense of duty and care for the men and women they lead. However, in this corrupt world, there will always be those leaders who seek only their own glory, promotions, and accolades. So we pray for our military leaders to be given the wisdom needed to implement an effective battle plan.
Dear Lord, please fill our military leaders, from the lowest non-commissioned officer to the highest-ranking officers, with wisdom, integrity, and a love for the men and women they lead. Give them a heart of service not only for their nation but also the men and women who are in their command. Give them strength to endure the weight of their responsibility and in many times, the loss they experience.
We also pray father that the best leaders, especially those who worship you, to be given the most responsibility. And we pray for those with a hardened heart to be removed from any position where they will act against your will. Amen.
Prayer for Military Families
Military life is not easy. Our service members take extraordinary risks and continually are in harm’s way. But the life of a military family can also be very challenging. The distance from long deployments can take a toll even on the closest-knit marriage.
The constant moving every few years can be taxing on military kids. Even being the sister or brother, or mother or father of a service member comes with a lot of worry and heartache. Therefore we must continually pray that God covers our military families.
Father, cover our military families with your wings. Comfort their hearts during those long deployments and ease their worry, fears, and anxiety. Give them supernatural patience to endure the long waits. Show them, Lord, the best way to support their service member and fill them with wisdom as they manage things at home. Amen.
Whether it is the military mom, or wife, or husband, or the service members themselves, each has unique needs and prayers. Use these prayers to guide and prompt you into your own prayers for your military family or for our military in general.
Prayer for Military Husband
With the number of women who now serve in the military, we also find more military husbands who stay home while their wife deploys. It must be especially gut-wrenching, for these men to not be there to protect their wives. So we pray that God may calm their fears.
Dear Lord, we pray for all our military husbands. We ask, Father, that you calm their fears and give them peace in knowing that you are the ultimate protector of their wives. We pray, also, that you will give them extraordinary wisdom as they manage the challenges of home on their own and help them guide and nurture their children while their mom is away. It is not easy being both mom and dad in the home while mom is way, so we ask Lord that you will fill in the gaps. Amen.
Prayer for Military Wife
The life of a military wife is unique. You quickly learn to become the “handyman” around the house, manage all the finances, and take over the husband’s role, while he is away. This, of course, is in addition to the regular “mom” duties.
Military wives need extraordinary strength to keep moving forward, manage their emotions while being the rock for their children while they miss their daddy.
Lord, we pray today for the military wife. Fill her with extraordinary strength and wisdom to hold down the fort while her husband serves his country. Lord, comfort her at night when the kids are asleep and the tears flow. Put people in her life that can help her with the extra chores like mowing the grass and shoveling snow or whatever might be just too much to handle.
Father, give her humility to ask for help when she needs it. And lastly, Lord, give her the words that she needs to bring comfort to her children as they long for their dad. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Prayer for Military Mom
The pain of a military mom is often forgotten, especially if the service member is married. But even though their son or daughter may be a national hero, to the mom, it is still their baby being sent off to war. We must consider the heart and pain of the military mom and pray for God to give her freedom from anxiety and fear.
Dear Lord, we lift up to you the military mom. I know she is precious in your sight and only you can truly understand her worries and fears. Comfort her Lord. Give her peace and help her seek you in those moments when the emotions overwhelm her. Remind her that you are in control and that you can give her the strength that she needs as she longs for the son or daughter of her womb. Amen.
Prayer for Military Retirement
Many servicemembers actually find the process of retiring harder than actually being in battle. Some feel like they have walked away from a brotherhood. Others feel they have lost a sense of purpose. We must pray that God will show our retired military that real purpose is found in Him alone.
Dear Lord, we pray for those servicemen and women who are retiring or have already retired. They may be struggling to find a sense of purpose, a brotherhood to belong to again. Lord, I ask that you reveal your new purpose in their lives. Help them find careers and professional endeavors that will help redirect their efforts. But mostly, Lord, we ask that they fill the holes in their hearts with you. May their sense of purpose be rooted in you. Amen.
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The best way for us to support and honor our military community is to pray for them! When we pray for our military, we are asking God to literally wrap His loving arms of protection around them – to protect and comfort them through the many dangers and challenges they will face.
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Luisa Rodriguez is an author and illustrator who writes about women’s issues at Fruitfully Living and military studies at Biblical Warfare.
