Prayer before battle: effective protective prayers, when and how to read correctly

• On the granting of courage to the Great Martyr George the Victorious
• Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow
• Martyr John the Warrior
• Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky
• Venerable Sergius of Radonezh

The power of a word

Prayer is an important aspect of Christianity. There are several different forms, they are quite varied: they can be completely spontaneous or consist of clear text.

The most common prayer among Christians is the "Lord's Prayer", which, according to the Gospels (eg Matthew 6:9-13), shows how Jesus taught his disciples to pray. The Lord's Prayer is the pattern of worship, confession, and conversion in Christianity.

There are two main categories of Christian prayer: public and private. The first type is said by worshipers as part of worship or in other public places. They can be formal, written or informal. Prayer before battle is a private prayer. It occurs when a person prays either silently or out loud in a private setting. Prayer exists in several different worship contexts and can be structured in different ways. These types of contexts may include:

• Liturgical - is an example of a liturgical form of worship, biblical texts and a sermon are read. Often considered in the Holy Orthodox Church.
• Non-liturgical - considered in the Evangelical Church. The prayer is not scripted and will be more informal in structure.
• Charismatic – used in Gospel churches. This is the primary form of worship in Pentecostal churches. This usually involves song and dance, as well as other artistic expressions. There may be no visible structure, but the worshipers will be "led by the Holy Spirit."

Song of praise to St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan

(sung at the hour of thanksgiving prayers to the Lord God)

We praise God to you, we confess the Lord to you, the whole earth magnifies the Eternal Father to you. To you all the Angels, to you the heavens and all the Powers, to you the Cherubim and Seraphim incessant voices cry: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts! The heavens and earth are full of the majesty of Your glory. To you is the glorious apostolic face, to you the prophetic number of praise, to you is praised by the bright martyr’s army, to you throughout the entire universe the Holy Church confesses, the Father of incomprehensible majesty, the worship of your true and only begotten Son and the Holy Comforter of the Spirit. You, the King of Glory, Christ, You are the ever-present Son of the Father: You, having received man for the deliverance, did not disdain the Virgin’s womb. You, having overcome the sting of death, have opened the Kingdom of Heaven to believers. You are seated at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father, the Judge has come and believed. We therefore ask you: help your servants, whom you have redeemed with your honest Blood. Make it worthy to reign with Your saints in Your eternal glory. Save Your people, O Lord, and bless Your inheritance, I will correct and exalt them forever, we will bless You all the days and praise Your name forever and ever. Grant, Lord, that on this day we may be preserved without sin. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us: may Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we trust in Thee. In Thee, Lord, let us put our trust, let us not be ashamed forever. Amen.

Types of prayers

Prayer in the New Testament is presented as a positive request (Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). God's people are asked to incorporate prayer into their daily lives (1 Corinthians 7:5) because believers are believed to draw closer to God.

Throughout the New Testament, prayer is God's chosen method by which believers receive what they ask for (Matthew 7:7-11, Matthew 9:24-29, Luke 11:13).

Prayer, according to the Book of Acts, has been heard in the church since its inception (Acts 3:1). The apostles considered such conversion an important part of their lives (Acts 6:4, Romans 1:9, Colossians 1:9). Therefore, the apostles included verses from the Psalms in their writings.

Long passages of the New Testament are prayers or chants, for example:

• prayer for forgiveness (Mark 11:25-26);
• the Lord's Prayer, Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55);
• Benedict (Luke 1:68-79);
• Jesus' prayer to the one true God (John 17);
• exclamations such as “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:3-14);
• the prayer of believers (Acts 4:23-31);
• "Can this cup be taken from me" (Matthew 26:36-44);
• “Pray that you will not fall into temptation” (Luke 22:39-46);
• the prayer of Saint Stephen (Acts 7:59-60);
• the prayer of Simon Magus (Acts 8:24);
• “Pray that we may be delivered from evil men” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2) and Maranatha (1 Corinthians 16:22).

About success in military affairs

To the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky

Audio:

02:15

Quick helper to all those who diligently come running to you and our warm representative before the Lord, holy and faithful Grand Duke Alexandra! Look mercifully upon me, unworthy, for the many iniquities I have created for myself are not needed by your servant (name), to the race of your relics (to your holy icon) now flowing and from the depths of the earth the girl is calling to you. In your life you were a zealot and defender of the Orthodox faith: and you established us in it with your unshakable, warm prayers to God. You carefully carried out the great service entrusted to you: and with your help, instruct us to remain in the world where we are called. Having defeated the enemy’s regiments, you drove him away from the Russian borders: and bring down all visible and invisible enemies against us who have taken up arms. You, having abandoned the corruptible crown of the earthly kingdom, chose a silent life, and now you are righteously crowned with an imperishable crown in heaven: intercede with us too, we humbly pray You, a quiet and serene life, and through your intercession arrange for us a steady march towards the eternal Kingdom. Standing with all the saints before the throne of God, praying for all Orthodox Christians, may the Lord God preserve them with His grace in peace, health, long life and all prosperity in due May we ever glorify and bless God in the Trinity of Saints, Father and Son and Holy One Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Protective prayer

The Monolith's prayer before battle was important. This stalker organization equates itself to a religious one. But members of society turn to Monolith for help.

“The Monolith gives us the sacred opportunity to unite with it!

The unity of our faith strengthens our strength.

In our unity there is invincibility!

We curse the infidels who reject the path of the Monolith. They are blind people who do not listen to their desires.

We bless the power that the Monolith has given us!”

Parents' prayer for soldiers

This warrior amulet must be kept with you at all times and re-read a strong prayer once a week in the evening after sunset.

The truthful passion-bearer, and the true listener of the Gospel of Christ, the chaste Romance with the kindly David, did not resist the enemy of the present brother, who kills your bodies, but cannot touch your souls. Let the evil power-lover weep, but you, rejoicing with the faces of the angels, approaching the Holy Trinity, pray for the power of your relatives, to be pleasing to God, and to be saved as sons of Russia. Rise today to your glorious memory, noble passion-bearers of Christ, Roman and David, calling us to the praise of Christ our God. Thus, flowing to the race of your relics, the gift of healing is acceptable through your prayers, holy ones: for you are in the right of the Divine. We magnify you, holy passion-bearers, and honor your honest sufferings, which you naturally endured for Christ. About the sacred duo, the beautiful brethren, the virtuous passion-bearers Boris and Gleb, who from their youth served Christ with faith, purity and love, and adorned themselves with their blood like scarlet, and now reigns with Christ! Do not forget us who exist on earth, but as warm intercessors, by your strong intercession before Christ God, preserve the young in holy faith and purity, unharmed from every excuse of unbelief and impurity, protect us all from all sorrow, bitterness and vain death, tame all enmity and malice, raised up by the action of the devil from neighbors and strangers. We pray to you, Christ-loving passion-bearers, ask the Great-Gift Master for forgiveness of our sins, unanimity and health, deliverance from the invasion of foreigners, internecine warfare, plagues and famine. Provide with your intercession the servant of God (name) and all who honor your holy memory, forever and ever. Amen.

How to ask for help correctly

A prayer before a fight will be much more powerful if you know the rules of its pronunciation. It is believed that protective prayers are most powerful when they are said in front of lit candles in the temple. Then the power of words takes on special meaning.

If conditions do not allow you to visit the temple, you must pray in front of an icon or cross. If his relatives and close people ask for a fighter, this increases the level of protection. The mother’s prayer carries especially powerful energy.

"Father! Thank You for the example of David, the warrior king, who poured his heart out of battle. When he ran for his life, fought for his countrymen, or celebrated a victory, his thoughts often turned to You.

Sometimes he cried out of fear and disappointment. At other times, he struggled with doubt, despondency, or loneliness. When sin broke your heart, it spoke to you too. His example reminds me that I can come to You no matter what I am facing, and You will hear my prayer.

I praise You, Father, as the Lord of the universe and the supreme commander. You direct the affairs of the world for your purpose and your glory. Nothing happens without your will. I am at peace knowing that everything that comes into my life has been filtered through Your fingers with love for me.”

The warrior’s prayer before battle is said individually.

“Help me trust and believe in you. When my faith is weak, help my unbelief.

You tell us in your Word that if we increase sin in our hearts, You will not hear us. Therefore, I will begin this prayer with confession. Forgive me, Lord, for the way I behaved. In those times when I have sinned against You in word, thought or deed. Forgive me for the times when I could have done good, but didn’t. Create for me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Lord, my list of needs is long. But You are a Father who loves to give good gifts to your children. You call us to come boldly to the throne to find peace and help in times of need.

Father, I place my life in Your hands. Whether on land, sea or air, guard and hold me. Protect me from enemy attacks, accidents and mistakes. Protect my comrades too."

The Great Patriotic War

The fact that Soviet soldiers trusted in God is evidenced by the findings of search engines, who discover pectoral crosses, amulet and icons on the remains of soldiers. Ilya Prokofiev, head of the Public Fund for Search Engines in the Leningrad Region, talks about this. The search engines, together with the priests of the Russian Orthodox Church, even made an exhibition from the collected items.

In godless times, they did not advertise their faith; before the battle they prayed in a whisper and after the battle they did not admit this even to their friends. In Artem Vladimirovich Drabkin’s book “I Fought on a T-34,” veteran Ion Lazarevich Degen tells how he once pestered his colleagues with the question of how exactly they prayed? Everyone had approximately the same answer: “Lord! Have mercy and save!”

Tankman Nikolai Vasilyevich Popov, a participant in the Battle of Stalingrad, recalled that before the battle everyone was baptized, and everyone repeated the prayer: “Lord! Save me!"

Signal operator Kira Ivanovna Luferova recalled that in moments of danger she turned to God with a prayer: “Lord, help me! Help, Lord!”, and one of the war veterans, who went through the war without being wounded, said that his tunic was sewn with the 90th Psalm (“Alive in the help of the Most High...”). And in the tunic of Private Alexander Zaitsev, pierced by a bullet, a poem addressed to God was found, in which the soldier admitted that only in the war the terrible lie of atheism was revealed to him.

They prayed to God and obviously, the persecution of the church during the war years stopped. Researcher Sergei Isakov, in the article “About the Great Patriotic War: Known and Little-Known,” writes that the battle of Stalingrad began with a completely official prayer service in front of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan, and only after the end of the prayer was the signal given to advance. He writes that the miraculous icon of the Mother of God was taken to the most difficult sectors of the front. The priests held prayer services and blessed the soldiers for victory, sprinkling them with holy water. And even Marshal Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov himself said briefly before the battle: “With God!”

For protection from enemies

The Russian prayer before the battle could be impromptu or have a clear text.

“Every day, God, I see enemies from without and enemies from within. You tell us in your Word that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of the wicked on high. Connect Satan and his influence in the world. Avoid the powerless ones who work for him and with him. Confuse and disrupt their plans. Surround me with your angels and do not let any weapon formed against me be used. Hide me in the shelter of your wings."

Prayer for a soldier in the army

This prayer amulet must be sewn into the amulet so that the soldier (or officer) always wears it along with the pectoral cross.
O sacred head, reverend and God-bearing Father Sergius, by your prayer, and by faith and love, even for God, and by purity of heart, you were granted thy soul to the monastery of the Most Holy Trinity, and the angelic communion and visitation of the Most Holy Theotokos, and a miraculous gift received grace, but after your departure from the earthly, you drew closer to God, and partook of the heavenly powers; but also from us with the spirit of your love, and your honest relics, like a vessel of grace, full and overflowing, leaving us! Having great boldness towards the All-Merciful Master, pray to save His Servants, who believe in His grace in you and who come running to you with love. Ask us from our great God for every gift that is beneficial to everyone, the observance of the immaculate faith, the strengthening of our cities, the pacification of peace, deliverance from famine and destruction, preservation from the invasion of foreigners, consolation to the afflicted, healing to those who are sick, restoration to the fallen, restoration to those who have gone astray. there is truth and return of salvation, to those who strive and strengthen, to those who do good in good deeds, prosperity and blessing, education for infants, instruction for the young, admonition for the ignorant, protection for orphans and widows, departing from this temporary life for the eternal, good preparation and parting words for those who have departed, blessed repose, and all of us promoting your through your prayers, on the day of the terrible judgment, this part will be delivered, the right parts of the country will be common, and the blessed voice of the Lord Christ will be heard: “Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Amen.

For endurance

A prayer before a fight in the ring is said to be more resilient and invulnerable.

“Lord, the nights turn into days and the days turn into nights, I get tired. I never finish work. Help me spend my time, energy and resources wisely. Remind me that those who wait on the Lord will have their strength revived. They must rise with their wings spread wide, like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not faint. I need the strength of the eagle today, Lord. Help me win the race with perseverance, knowing that there is a reward at the end. More than anything, I want to hear the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

To Civil

Even during the fratricidal meat grinder of the Civil War, Russian soldiers on both sides of the fronts continued to pray to God. In the White Army this was done openly, and a priest served a prayer service in front of the regiment. As Major General Anton Vasilyevich Turtul wrote in his memoirs “Drozdovtsy on Fire”: “perhaps all crucified Russia was praying with us then in mortal darkness.”

Red Divisional Commander Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev also prayed before the battle, priest Vasily Sekachev, an employee of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, talks about this in an interview. True, we will never know what prayers he said, perhaps the same one that was written in a memo to a Russian soldier, and which he probably knew by heart, like many other prayers: two of his uncles were priests, and Chapaev himself was employed in his youth to the seminary from which he escaped. Before the offensive, the division commander locked himself in a room where there were many icons and prayed for victory.

For cleanliness

“Temptations are many, Father, and sometimes my resolve becomes weak. Help me remove the veil from my eyes. Give me the strength to turn away or walk away from anything that undermines my purity or my commitment to those I love. Guard me from all who would jeopardize my vows. Don't let me be tempted beyond what I can bear. Help me see and choose a way out so that I can overcome any temptation. Help me tame my flesh. Give me the wisdom to see dangerous situations and avoid them.”

St. Archangel Michael, Archangel of God

Holy and great Archangel of God Michael, cast down the devil and his army from heaven! We resort to you with faith and we pray to you with love, be an indestructible shield and protect the Holy Church and our Orthodox Fatherland, protecting them with your lightning sword from all enemies visible and invisible. Be a guardian angel, a wise mentor and an assistant as our leader. Be the leader and invincible companion of our Christ-loving army, crowning it with glory and victories over our adversaries, so that all who oppose us will know that God and His holy Angels are with us. Amen.

For freedom from fear

“In the midst of a firestorm, the uncertainty of a mission or the pause between one mission and the next often wraps fear around my heart. I fear death, mutilation and dishonor. Listing my fears will take all day, but You, Lord, know them all, and yet You tell me: “Do not be afraid.” Calm my anxious heart and fill me with peace. Grow my faith and remind me to pray instead of worrying. Guard and hold my parents, wife and children while I serve as a warrior. Be their protector. Give me the opportunity to communicate with my family often. Help me not to be lazy or apathetic in my relationships with them, but motivate me to do my best to stay involved and connected.

Where relationships have suffered due to time, distance and circumstances, put things back on track. Bless the people who are near me. Thank You, Father, that You heard my prayer today. I am grateful that I can come to You through Your great mercy. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen".

Afghanistan and Chechnya

A veteran of the war in Afghanistan, priest Mikhail Sovetkin, rector of the church in the village of Krasnosamarskoye, recalled that Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan had crosses on their bodies, which they hid, and many had Psalm 90 sewn into their tunics. He recalled that in those years the Lord's Prayer was read, and there were several cases of rescue of privates. One day, his colleague ran into a tripwire, the fuse went off, but the grenade did not explode.

The Lord's Prayer more than once saved the lives of Russian soldiers during the fighting in Chechnya.

For example, regimental priest Nikolai Kravchenko said that this prayer saved them - the paratroopers began to read it before every combat mission after the conflict in Abkhazia. Miracles happened: soldiers stepped on mines, and they exploded only when the soldiers retreated to a safe distance; A bandit was aiming at one of the paratroopers, but the cartridge in the barrel of the “forest man’s” machine gun was distorted, the paratrooper shot first and remained alive.

In Grozny, during a terrible battle on Minutka Square, the group needed to hold an underground garage, and when the paratroopers stood up for collective prayer, brigade commander Colonel Nikolai Batalov approached them. He later said that he saw the paratroopers covered by a luminous bell and realized that nothing would happen to them. He told them: “Guys, I’m with you!” It was against the rules, but the brigade commander stayed with the paratroopers wherever they went, and survived with them. After the end of hostilities, he resigned and became a priest in Volgograd.