Pre-Planned Responses

From Surface Warfare to Spiritual Warfare

The surface navy has a general term called “pre-planned* responses” (PPRs) that are used in different warfare areas e.g., air defense (anti-air), anti-submarine, anti-surface, to codify automatic actions by ship’s crews to increasing threat-levels in those areas including the appearance of threats within weapons release range (aka they can reach out and touch you). The idea behind them is that one doesn’t want to have to figure things out when in the midst of the crisis. “Hey…the look-out just reported a possible periscope, what do you think we should do?” “Wow, the radar indicates a group of four air contacts in formation coming in a bit faster than commercial airliners typically fly, what do you think we should do?”

It occurs to me in spiritual warfare, PPRs are called for as well.

For example, I’m in a disagreement with my wife that has the potential to become more heated because of my pride: do I want to wait until my emotions can get the best of me to then think about what I should do? Do I even know what the spiritual warfare “threat” is in that situation?

Preparing ahead of time, in a time of domestic tranquility, I can examine myself in the faith and understand that the “threat” is my lifelong propensity to be angry (self-righteously) that comes from a base of fear: fear of being wrong, fear of being seen as not the man she thought I was or more so would further become, etc.

What are my strongest indications and warnings of when my anger is about to launch?

What is the first thing I should do (that I have learned to do) when I detect that anger has “gotten underway” and its approaching the “range” it can do me and my relationships harm?

1. Pray. Pray. Repeat (PPR)

2. Read the Bible (RTB)

3. Call a Shipmate (CAS)

Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

Countless times immediate and ongoing prayer to God for the Holy Spirit to come to my aid in recognition of my agitation rising (because of pride) has resulted in defeat of the threat. Hey, when you spent 40+ years as a non-believer, there are some sins that run deep.

What’s are biggest spiritual warfare threats in your life e.g., anxiety, anger, porn, alcohol, drugs, shame, isolation, doom-scrolling?

Do you have planned responses to avoid or defeat the threat(s) or do you just try to figure it out on the fly?

*Yes, it always bothered me that pre-planned is redundant considering “planned” implies “pre” already. 🧐