1 Samuel 14:20-22 (NKJV)
“Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed every man’s sword was against his neighbor, and there was very great confusion. Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the surrounding country, they also joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden in the mountains of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle.”

As we engage in this global spiritual battle, we need to also know how to strategically pray to move things in our favor. Prayer is important but strategic praying can be a game-changer. Here are three strategic prayer points to pray, as God’s people labor to grow His kingdom.

Firstly, we need unity in God’s team. It is sad to see so much division among those who go to confront the enemy at the gates. Our churches are divided. Our ministry leaders and teams are divided. There is so much division and competition in our camps, and this makes us weak as a spiritual community. So much unnecessary competition. The Bible says that Saul and all the people who were assembled went to battle, as one team. That’s unity. Oneness. Focus.

Secondly, it’s usually the forces of darkness that tend to be united in purpose and vision. It’s interesting to see how people from different backgrounds and orientations easily unite in their anti-Christian posture. We need to pray for God to create confusion and division in their camp. Pray for inner-conflict among them. We cannot overcome a united people. The Bible says that suddenly, in the camp of the Philistines, “there was confusion everywhere.” (NLT). Pray for confusion in the camp of those who hate our God; those who seek to destroy the Church.

Thirdly, we need to pray for the restoration of our backsliders. Unfortunately, there are those who have joined the camp of the enemy and actively serve with them, and there are those who have not joined the enemy but, for different reasons, are not part of what God is doing. They are redundant. We need to pray for a fresh awakening among many. There is power in numbers.

In the context of today’s verse, there was great salvation on that day because these three strategic elements were in place. God’s people were united. God’s enemies fought each other. Those who were aloof or decamped joined God’s people. We need all these factors to align together if we will see the kinds of global breakthroughs that we anticipate. It’s good to pray, but it’s more important to pray strategically.