"Hoo-ah, King David!"

Troops Worship God in Preparation for Battle As they prepared to go into battle, Marines prepared by worshiping God and praying for His protection. In what could be the biggest battle since American troops invaded Iraq last year, troops prepared for the assault on Fallujah, a longtime insurgent stronghold, by gathering to sing and pray.

Their weapons at rest beside them, the Marines sang out in praise of Jesus Christ last Friday, meeting in a yellow-brick chapel. "You are the sovereign. You're name is holy. You are the pure spotless lamb," a female voice cried out on the loudspeakers as the Marines clapped their hands and closed their eyes, reflecting on what lay ahead for them.

"It's always comforting. Church attendance is always up before the big push," said First Sergeant Miles Thatford. "Sometimes, all you've got is God."

The troops relied heavily on the Scriptures to fortify them. One spoke of their Old Testament hero battling the Philistines some 3,000 years ago. "Thus David prevailed over the Philistines," the marine said, reading from Scripture, and the Marines shouted back "Hoo-ah, King David," using their signature grunt of approval.

"Victory belongs to the Lord," another young marine read. Their chaplain, named Horne, told the worshippers they were stationed outside Fallujah to bring the Iraqis "freedom from oppression, rape, torture and murder ... We ask you God to bless us in that effort." The Marines then lined up and their chaplain blessed them with holy oil to protect them. The crowd then followed him outside their small auditorium for a baptism of about a half-dozen Marines who had just found Christ. Dripping wet, Corporal Keith Arguelles beamed after his baptism. "I just wanted to make sure I did this before I headed into the fight," he said.

Source: Presidential Prayer Team

How awesome is that, when a group of Marines exclaim, "Hoo-ah, King David!" ???

It takes a special kind of serviceman/woman to be able to fight on two fronts at the same time...in both the U.S. Armed Forces and the Lord's Army.

God bless you all.

Posted by Kyer at November 12, 2004 10:52 AM