August 5, 2026

General Patton and His Christmas Prayer

On July 22, I released a post pointing out how important it is for civil government and the church to work together. Biblical and historical precedents for this abound. Today, we’ll look at how these two realms worked together to save the world during WWII. Though there were many examples of this, from Roosevelt’s calls to prayer in America, Churchill’s in Britain, and Rees Howells’ students and community intercessors in Wales, I want us to look at the famous Battle of the Bulge. (And I must confess that due to my lack of interest in history during my high school years, AI helped with some of these details.)

A Kairos Moment

At a critical point in WWII, early December of 1944, General George S. Patton’s Third Army was bogged down along the French-German border. Weeks of torrential rain, persistent fog, and ankle-deep mud had brought offensive operations to a grinding halt. Tanks had churned supply roads into impassable quagmires, infantrymen suffered severely from trench foot, and Allied air superiority - the crucial protection for ground forces - was rendered entirely useless by an impenetrable cloud cover.

For a general whose battlefield philosophy relied on speed, mobility, and relentless forward momentum, the weather was not merely an inconvenience; it was saving the German Army from destruction.

The Weather Prayer

On December 8, 1944, coarse, sometimes foul-mouthed General Patton, nicknamed “Old Blood and Guts,” called his Chief Chaplain, Colonel James H. O’Neill. Patton asked if the Chaplain had a prayer for good weather, stating that if the Army kept praying for the rain to stop, God might listen. When Chaplain O’Neill replied that he knew of no standard prayer specifically written for weather in the military prayer books, Patton, not to be deterred, ordered him to compose one immediately.

O’Neill returned to his quarters and drafted a brief, direct petition for clear skies. Patton reviewed the text, expressed his full approval, and ordered 250,000 copies printed on small wallet-sized cards. He commanded that a card be distributed to every soldier in the Third Army, with a Christmas greeting from him on the reverse side. 

The Battle of the Bulge

Before the prayer cards could be fully distributed, however - that wouldn’t occur until December 22 - the situation on the Western Front transformed overnight. Hitler launched a massive surprise winter counteroffensive against the Allies through the densely forested Ardennes region of Belgium. The Germans had deliberately chosen a period of severe, overcast winter weather to execute the attack, knowing that cloud cover and fog would ground the vast Allied air capabilities.

Three German armies smashed into overwhelmed U.S. divisions, creating a massive “bulge” in the Allied line. (Thus, the name, Battle of the Bulge.) At the critical road junction of Bastogne, Belgium, elements of the 101st Airborne Division and the 10th Armored Division were quickly surrounded by overwhelming German forces. Help was urgently needed.

Supreme Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower asked Patton how long it would take him to disengage his Third Army from its current position, turn his entire force 90 degrees north, and attack the southern flank of the German bulge. Patton famously replied: “A day after tomorrow, in the morning.”

In one of the most brilliant logistical and tactical maneuvers in military history, Patton disengaged thousands of armored vehicles and infantry units, reoriented his lines under blackout conditions, and launched a relentless northward drive toward Bastogne.

However, as his army advanced, freezing terrain, dense fog, snowstorms, and poor visibility continued to hamper him. It also kept Allied aircraft grounded, leaving the defenders of Bastogne without aerial resupply or close air support. The situation was critical. It would not be an exaggeration to say the fate of the world hung in the balance.

But in the providence of God, the as yet undistributed 250,000 prayer cards had been printed and were delivered to the troops on December 22. They read:

“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. Amen.”

Did God answer the prayer? Did the weather change? Yes! Immediately and dramatically.

That night of December 22, 1944, what military meteorologists called a classic high-pressure cold front moved in, temperatures plummeted, and the heavy cloud cover began to break. On the morning of the 23rd, soldiers across the Ardennes awoke to crisp, crystal-clear blue skies and freezing temperatures that hardened the muddy roads into solid ground. (Chaplain O’Neill was later awarded the Bronze Star medal by Patton for such a successful prayer!)

The sudden clearing of the skies shifted the strategic balance of the Battle of the Bulge overnight:

• Hundreds of C-47 transport planes filled the sky over Bastogne, dropping desperately needed medical supplies, ammunition, food, and anti-tank artillery directly into the defense perimeter of the beleaguered 101st Airborne Division.

• The U.S. IX Tactical Air Command and the British RAF launched thousands of sorties, delivering the additional troops needed. P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs swarmed the battlefield, hunting down and destroying German armor, fuel trucks, and supply columns exposed on the snow-covered roads.

• The hard freeze turned miles of deep liquid mud into firm roads, allowing Patton’s heavy Sherman tanks and supply trucks to accelerate their northward drive.

Moving north along hardened roads with full air support overhead, Patton’s 4th Armored Division smashed through German lines on December 26, opening a corridor into Bastogne and relieving the town.

The combination of Patton’s rapid counterattack, fierce Allied ground defense, and the clearing of the skies shattered Hitler’s last major offensive on the Western Front. Within weeks, German forces were pushed back to their starting lines, having exhausted their remaining armored reserves, aviation fuel, and combat power - setting the stage for the final Allied invasion of Germany in early 1945. History was written, and the world was saved by concerted prayer, determined soldiers, and a general who had the sense to ask for God’s help.

We will do this on August 14 [2026] and the days leading up to it, asking God to break the stronghold of evil in Iran and the Middle East, and launch a billion-soul harvest. He will hear and answer. Join us. 

Pray with me:

Father, we acknowledge the role You have given the church in influencing earth’s affairs. We also acknowledge the partnership You intended between civil and spiritual authorities. It is biblical and imperative that we work together, producing synergy and releasing divine order on the earth, allowing for peace and security.

When You taught us to pray in Matthew 6, You told us to ask for deliverance from the evil one. Just as leaders and citizens appealed to You many times in WWII, we do so now, asking for deliverance from the evil one and his actions throughout Iran. Deliver the people of the Middle East from the principalities and powers that operate there; break their diabolical hold. Overthrow evil leaders. Cause them to make mistakes in their planning, expose their hiding places, dry up their finances, and create great confusion and division among them. End their reign of terror.

Give our military supernatural help and brilliant strategies. Protect our troops, our military bases, the innocent people of Iran, and the nations surrounding them. 

And as we gather in one accord to appeal to You and release Your Kingdom authority on August 14, lead us strategically and release great power through our prayers. You have orchestrated this gathering, and we are confident You will work through us. We ask these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Our decree:

We declare that a release of Christ’s Kingdom authority into Iran and the Middle East is occurring as the church prays in His name.

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