Prayer: Cover My Head in the Day of Battle
Psalms 140:7
O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have covered my head in the day of battle.
Dear Lord God,
In the time of battle, a head injury can be the worst — causing disorientation and confusion to the point where we may not even be able to differentiate between the enemy and those who are genuinely on our side; or to the point that we might make misinformed decisions bringing worse problems upon our lives and even upon those around us.
Oh Lord, seeing the seriousness of this, I cry out to You: Please, according to Your promise, cover my head in the day of battle.
It’s described as the “helmet of salvation” (Eph 6:17) — the assurance of Your love that has already granted me salvation and eternal life. It’s also called the “helmet of the hope of salvation” (1 Thes 5:8) — it’s the anchoring hope of that final salvation when the Holy Spirit finishes His work in us, and Christ returns for His own. Thank You, God, for covering my head in the day of battle, anchoring my soul steadfastly to the Rock of Your eternal purpose.
You, Lord, are a “shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (Psalm 3:3). I will trust in You in the battle, not only for the battle’s outcome but even for a good night’s sleep during the battle — a divine, refreshing rest with dreams wrapped up by the precious promises in Your Word:
Psalms 3:3,5-6 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head... I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me round about.
In James, You tell us that we can count trials as “all joy” (Jam 1:2-4). I choose to take You at Your Word and believe that You, Lord, are working through everything in my life to turn it all around for good (Rom 8:28). In James, You also tell us that, during the trials, I can come before You and boldly ask for wisdom, and You will give it to me in an abundant supply:
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Oh, how I need the wisdom that is “from above” – a wisdom that is “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits” (Jam 3:17). Without doubting, I confidently ask You, Father, for this amazing wisdom!
Lord God, I long for a mind that is fixed, stayed, and stuck on You so that my head and heart would be covered with “shalom-peace” as I trust and lean upon Your Everlasting Arms:
Isaiah 26:3-4 You keep him in perfect peace [Hebrew: "shalom"] whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
Thank You for the “staying” power of Your mercy and covenant love that comfort and delight my soul, especially when floods of thoughts invade my mind:
Psalms 94:19
In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.
Thank You, Father, for Your Word that orders my thoughts and washes, renews, and preserves my mind. Wash me now with the “washing of water by Your Word” (Eph 5:26), and renew my mind as I surrender my will to Yours (Rom 12:1-2).
Holy Spirit, thank You for coming with the purpose to prepare us to be the Bride of Christ. Please work within me to develop my thought life to the place where it can be described as the Bride’s “temples” [“temples” = space on right and left sides of the forehead] which her Bridegroom describes as a “slice of pomegranate” (SOS 4:3; SOS 6:7; SOS 8:2) with seeds uniquely organized and covered with red liquid. The Bride’s temples speak about a person’s thought life. So, Holy Spirit, let my thought life be ordered by God’s Word just like the seeds are organized in a slice of pomegranate; and just like those seeds are covered in red, so let each of my thoughts be covered by the precious Blood of Jesus.
Lord Jesus, You are “my Rock who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle” (Psalm 144:1). In this life’s battle, Your Word promises us that You have given us weapons:
2 Corinthians 10:4-5
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Thank You, Jesus for these mighty weapons and for also training me in how to use them effectively to take captive all my thoughts into obedience and love for You!
Thank You, God, for covering my head in the day of battle!
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen!
