Have you ever been told to pray for a ‘hedge of protection’ around someone or something ? It’s a common saying in the Charismatic church. This mythical ‘hedge’ is supposedly meant to ward of Satan and his demons from harming us. While there’s nothing wrong with praying to God for His protection to keep us safe, the problem arises when we’re expected to repeat these prayers like a mantra and then made to feel guilty if something does go wrong.

During my time in the charismatic church I was told that I needed to pray for a hedge of protection everyday. Even though I was saved, these charismatics gave the impression that God would cause me to suffer if I didn’t pray this way. In some ways it reminded me of the superstitions I was raised with as a Buddhist. So, out of fear I prayed for protection anywhere I went.

Then…I had a car accident.

Fortunately no one was injured.  But, of course, I was asked whether I had prayed for protection! Anger bubbled to the surface at the insinuation that the accident happened because I didn’t pray. Experiences like this have caused many of us to not only doubt our prayers, but perhaps our faith and even God Himself. It wasn’t until I began to properly read and study God’s Word, that I saw the many errors I was being led to believe.

Job 1:10

The concept of a protective hedge seems to be loosely based on Job 1:10. Satan claims that Job is blessed because of a hedge God has placed around him. The hedge, however, is simply a metaphor illustrating God’s blessing and provision over Job.  Satan now wants to test Job’s faithfulness, claiming that Job is only faithful because of God’s blessing and provision over his life

We then read of all the terrible events Satan is allowed to unleash on Job before God eventually restores him.  Yet, we see no evidence of the ‘hedge’ being removed or rebuilt in this process.  

The daily news bombards us with the horrors people endure in life.  Would we really be so callous to tell someone in a terrible predicament that it’s their fault because they didn’t pray for protection!? That would make us no better than Job’s wife who told him to give up, curse God and die! (Job 2:9) or his three friends that believed Job brought this misery on himself due to sin in his life. No one, not even Job, were aware of the events that were transpiring in heaven. They did not see the spiritual battle between God and Satan.

Re-align with God’s Word

As a Christian, by all means pray for the health and safety of yourself and others. But also know that God is sovereign and He is in full control of life’s events. We don’t always have the big picture, which is why we must trust our Lord in faith. Don’t ever be guilted into believing that if anything unfortunate happens it’s because you neglected to pray for protection.  Look at Job – sometimes God allows bad things to happen.  But what should our response be? Here’s what Job said: