On December 8th 1944, US Army General George S. Patton asked his Chief Chaplain, James H. O'Neill for a “good prayer” for weather. It had been raining continuously since September 1944 and a real breakthrough for him, seemed to hinge on good weather.
Since the Chaplain didn’t have a pre-written standard prayer for weather he had to compose an original which went as follows:
“Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations”.
http://www.pattonhq.com/prayer.html
Reading through the scriptures one can see that this prayer had the hallmarks of King David’s Psalms, and the prayers by most of the people in the bible who received answers from God.
Today why not write down a petition to God based on Psalm 106 and make your request known to Him. Praise Him for “He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!”
Return to Him His words that “Who can put into words and tell the mighty deeds of the Lord?”. Ask Him to remember you “[Earnestly] remember me, O Lord, when You favor Your people! O visit me also when You deliver them, and grant me Your salvation!”
Of course, after the General and his troops prayed that bible-based prayer, and quoting the words of Chief Chaplain, James H. O'Neill, “On December 20, to the consternation of the Germans and the delight of the American forecasters who were equally surprised at the turn-about, the rains and the fogs ceased. For the better part of a week came bright clear skies and perfect flying weather. Our planes came over by tens, hundreds, and thousands. They knocked out hundreds of tanks, killed thousands of enemy troops in the Bastogne salient, and harried the enemy as he valiantly tried to bring up reinforcements”.
Today, be encouraged, prayer works! Did He not promise in 1 John 5:14–15 that if we pray according to his will i.e. what we know is acceptable, promised and written in the bible, He will surely respond? So do not be discouraged if He hasn’t answered for a long time, He will. Remember Job and the troubles he went through until God spoke with him? Who knows, maybe He has been waiting all along for the right moment to speak with you.
Did He not say in Philippians 4 v 6 that:
“by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God”?[AMP]
Farai Mutsambiwa
Read the Bible in a year: Psalm 106:16–31, Isaiah 17:1-19:25, 2 Corinthians 10:1–18
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