War Room: Movie Review and Commentary

Monday the internet told me that some film called “War Room” had been expected to gross 4 million this past weekend; in fact it grossed over 11 million. Having never heard of it, I asked my associate if he had. (Which, of course, he had. He’s not old and out-of-touch like I am.) We found a theater carrying it and went to see it on Tuesday. For whatever little they are worth, below are my comments.

The movie begins by showing us a U.S. Army husband and father during the Vietnam War. He is in a meeting, looking over maps, discussing strategies, making plans. (The military calls the location of these meetings the “War Room” whether the meetings actually take place in the White House, an office, a tent, or in a clearing.)

And here’s the title for our film: War Room. Except in this film the reference is to a little old lady’s closet. She quotes Matthew 6:6 for explanation: But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Verses like these can easily be misunderstood. Just as I shouldn’t expect the next fish I catch to be holding what I owe in taxes in his mouth (Matthew 17:27), I shouldn’t assume that God only hears prayers offered from closets. (And the film never says this, in fact, it does show many-a prayer outside of closeted confines. I only wish that fuller context had been provided because three verses later Jesus says “When you pray, pray like this…” and He gives us the Lord’s Prayer—more on that later…)

Prayer is a main theme of this movie. In my own personal and professional experience prayer is both grossly under-used and misunderstood.

Grossly misunderstood. We dare not make prayer into some sort of “Heavenly Vending Machine” where if we’ll just put in the: proper amount, proper-and-fancy words, proper location, proper sincerity, etc. we’ll hear a loud clunking sound while what we asked for comes falling from Heaven. This misunderstanding has terrible consequences. When you inevitably don’t get everything you asked for (and not even the Apostle Paul did), there are one of two conclusions: Either you didn’t pray quite right (try harder next time, use fancier words, wave your hands, find a closet, etc) or God doesn’t feel like listening to the likes of you (He doesn’t love you, at least not as much as the friend whose prayer was answered).

Again, here is where historic Christianity inserts the Lord’s Prayer. We know that those seven petitions—those seven requests—are God’s will and therefore we know that He listens; after all, He Himself taught us to pray in exactly that way.

So watch out! War Room runs the risk of making prayer into a work we do to get what we want—at least if what we want is already pleasing in God’s eyes. Be warned: not everyone who is planning to commit adultery will become violently ill with food poisoning. And for those people who have had a loved one be unfaithful: it wasn’t because you didn’t pray right! Not every prayer of every cancerous Christian is going to result in a miracle healing. Here, read Jesus words from His “hometown” sermon, Luke 4:16-27.

That warning being given, now let me tell you about what a good film this is. But don’t take my word for it, go see it for yourself.

For War Room to have any relevancy, it’s got to show us problems which are real and common to us; and it does. Without giving too much away, we see a family in conflict. The little old lady with the closet advises another person to pray and to fight.

BUT, she adds, fight the real enemy.

This statement is, of course, confusing.

Satan is the enemy, she explains. He’s the one who wants to separate this family. He is the one you must on guard against. Your spouse/child/siblings are not the enemy, he is.

An excellent reminder for any of us who experience stress and conflict in the home or in the workplace. Your parent, your spouse, your child, sibling, or neighbor are not your enemy. This is not to say that they are necessarily innocent; their words or behavior may be sinful and may hurt you. Jesus acknowledged that too but—to bring this back to War Room’s main theme—Jesus told us to pray for these people.

I assure you, War Room is more than a “pray-for-God-to-fix-others” film. Once it has won your sympathy for the lead characters, then it does a nice job of showing us that the lead characters are sinners as well. At some point during the film you are looking at yourself and seeing that the problem isn’t just “the other person” (spouse/child/sibling/co-worker). Most always we are a contributing factor to the tension and friction. How do you contributing to the conflict? Have you prayed for this person, prayed more than “Lord, make so-and-so see that I’m right”? Too often we use their offense to excuse our unchristian behavior.

Having already aired my reservations, I do want to say that I liked War Room and I recommend seeing it. While any film will show us some of the theological opinions of the screenwriter/director, I don’t believe these films are attempts to teach theology. It seems to me that War Room and similar films are the attempts of Christian screenwriters/directors to portray the life of Christian; in this case the inestimable value of prayer in the life of a Christian family.
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I remember a chapel address by a friend and professor from Bethany Lutheran College. He looked out at all of us young adults and said: “This world would be a far different place if Christians prayed as they ought.” True words. Your world would be a different place. Not because God sits on His hands unless we pray Him to be active. Not because God keeps count and only answers prayers after 50, 100, or 1,000 times.

No. Think of your own childhood. Did Mom prepare dinner only when you remembered to ask her too? No. Did Dad keep you safe at night only on the occasions you cried out in fear? No. They did these things for you because they loved you. And yet because they loved you, you were free to approach them with concerns, requests, hopes and needs. Remember Mom and Dad?

You have a Father in Heaven who is perfect and who loves you more than Mom and Dad possibly could have. He hears your prayers, considers everyone, and has promised to answer in the way that is best for you.

In prayer, we become more mindful of our needs and our need of God’s help; but that’s not why praye“works.”

In prayer we bring those needs and concerns (and joys) to God, placing them in His hands; but that’s not why prayer “works” either. He’s all-knowing, He knew your needs before you opened your mouth.

In being mindful of our need, in commending those things into His care, we learn to trust—to trust His time, His decision, His answer. But still: that’s not why prayer “works.”

I can’t give you that answer, I can’t pull back the curtain or open the hood on prayer and show you how it works because God hasn’t told us. My catechism’s got the closest thing to a complete answer: Why do we pray? Because 1) God commands us to, 2) God has promised to hear our prayer, 3) We are in perpetual need of His help, and 4) To thank Him for all His blessings. (Matthew 7:7-8, Psalm 50:15, Psalm 145:15-16, Psalm 107:1)

A hymn from my childhood puts it this way:

1. Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, Unuttered or exprest, The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast.

2. Prayer is the burden of a sigh,The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye, When none but God is near.

3. Prayer is the simplest form of speech That infant lips can try; Prayer the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high.

4. Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice Returning from his ways, While angels in their songs rejoice And cry, “Behold, he prays!”

8. O Thou by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way, The path of prayer Thyself hast trod–Lord, teach us how to pray.

Prayer—that great privilege and gift, to be able to talk directly to the Maker of Heaven and Earth! Prayer “works” precisely because it is His creation, His gift, and His promise.

Thank you Kendrick Brothers for your film War Room. Thank you for showing us real people with real struggles and thank you for not showing us trite, “magical” solutions. Thank you for reminding us about the importance and value of prayer and thank you for telling everyone in the theater that our guarantee of God’s love is found in the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. May our prayers always be in Jesus’ name!