Prayer for a Pillar of Cloud by Day

Do you need the Lord’s guidance, safety, shelter, and protection today? If so, then pray for Him to cover you with His pillar of cloud by day and His pillar of fire by night. To help you pray, I wrote a sample prayer for the pillar of cloud by day below. (Check out the Prayer for a Pillar of Fire by Night as well, here!)

The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night were how God manifested Himself to the Israelites in the wilderness.

Jesus was actually inside the pillar. We see the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night mentioned in Exodus 13:21-22:

“And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people” (Exodus 13:21-22 NKJV).

If you read the whole book of Exodus, you will see the Lord’s pillar mentioned over and over.

It is also mentioned in Ezekiel and in the Psalms multiple times. The pillar of cloud by day and fire by night was literally the Lord’s chariot; Jesus Himself (the pre-incarnate Christ) was inside the pillar, and He stayed with the Israelites the whole time.

The Lord sheltered, protected, and led the Israelites from inside that pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.

I have a whole video class that teaches extensively on this, called Understanding the Prophetic Whirlwind. (Get it here if you haven’t already; it’s one of the most powerful teachings the Lord has ever taught me.) But in a nutshell, the Lord fought for His people, led them, and guided them in person. He didn’t delegate that work to an angel, or even to a contingent of angels!

Of course, there would have been angels there according to Psalm 91, but Jesus personally handled that duty. He cares enough to manifest Himself to us personally. 🙂

We read in Numbers 9 about how the people followed the Lord in His pillar of cloud and fire, and how He stayed with them:

“Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 

Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, after that the children of Israel would journey; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel would pitch their tents. At the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey, and at the command of the Lord they would camp; as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped” (Numbers 9:15-18 NKJV).

What was the difference between the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night?

The cloud by day kept the Israelites cool in the hot desert. It sheltered them and shaded them. It also led them, for they did not know where to go–even when it was bright outside, and a person could see with their physical eyes.

Symbolically, I like to think of Jesus doing similar things for us today.

For example, in His pillar of cloud by day, He:

• Shelters us from the stress and worries that so easily overtake us;
• Keeps us safe from the burning, scorching heat and pressure of daily life;
• Leads us at all times, for life is often too overwhelming to figure out on our own–and without Him we can do nothing, anyway!

I don’t know about you; but for me, taking shelter under the shadow of God’s wings means everything to me. Even though I’m blessed, life is really hard sometimes–most of the time, it feels like–and sometimes I struggle with severe discouragement and also with worry.

I try every day to cast those things on Jesus, but it helps me to hide in Jesus from All The Things and not even try to bear those things. Can you identify? We all need the sheltering cloud of Jesus Christ.

Do you want Jesus to manifest Himself to you in His pillar of cloud by day? Then pray this sample prayer today:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I come to You in Jesus’ name.

Abba Father, thank You for hearing me pray right now. Thank You that Jesus ever lives to make intercession for me. Thank You that I can come boldly before the throne of grace, where I may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Father, I praise You for Your faithfulness to me. I praise You for Your mercy and lovingkindness. I praise You because You are worthy to be praised, and You are the Rock that is higher than I.

But today, Lord, I implore You to help me.

Today and always, Father, life feels really hard. I need You, Jesus, and Your Holy Spirit to be a shelter and a shade to me.

People think I should know my way, for it’s light outside and You are blessing me. But Father, to me, I feel lost and incapable and undone.

I cannot handle even the merest responsibility without You. I have no power of my own. I am completely dependent upon You, and I feel my weakness utterly.

But Your Word says that Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your strength is made perfect in weakness. Your Word says that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Your Word tells me that without Jesus I can do nothing, but that there will never be a time when I am without Jesus–for no man can snatch me out of His hand.

So Father God, I ask in Jesus’ name that You and Jesus and Holy Spirit would manifest Yourselves to me right now as the pillar of cloud by day.

• Lead me and guide me, I pray, according to Psalm 32:8–that You will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go, and You will guide me with Your eye upon me.
• Shelter me and shade me from the overwhelming stress of life.
• Stand and speak with me in the cloud face to face, as a man speaks to a friend, I ask in Jesus’ name.
• Lead me and surround me and hide me in the secret place of the Most High.
• Help me to abide under the shadow of Your wings.
• Do not let any evil assail me.
• Keep my mind today, I pray, in Jesus’ name.
• I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind, will, emotions, body, soul, and spirit.
• Please keep me stable and fixed on You.

Your Word says I will not be shaken, and that those who wait on You will not be put to shame.

I have been waiting on You, Father. You, Lord, are my only Portion. It is in Christ that I live and move and have my being. It is in You that I take refuge. You are all I have, and truly I cannot live without You. I don’t even have the power to try.

So Jesus, please, manifest Yourself to me today.

Be to me the Rock that saves me; the pillar of cloud by day that protects me and shelters me from the storm. Lead me through this life You have assigned to me, and give me the power and strength to get through.

Thank You, Abba Father. Thank You, Lord Jesus and precious Holy Spirit. I give You all the praise. Thank You that Your mercies to me are new every day. I love You, and I have nothing but You.

In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”

Do you need Jesus to manifest Himself to you today as the pillar of cloud by day?

Do things seem bright to everyone else, but you are desperate for His help? If so, leave a comment below and confess your FAITH in the One who encamps all around you to deliver you.