Finally, recognizing our own unworthiness, our sinfulness, and our redemption as sons in our Lord, Father, and Savior, Jesus Christ, we ask Him for deliverance from temptation and from the evil one. This portion of the prayer should be kept in close connection with the last portion. Indeed, this portion, just as much as the rest, should be kept in constant remembrance that we need the Lord’s strength and wisdom in this world, for here we deal with the Devil and his minions.

To begin, we must remember that this world is the dominion of the Devil. It is here that he does evil, hoping to snatch people from the Lord, luring them away from the truth with lies. On earth, we are compelled by our sinful nature to do evil and to live in rebellion against God. We pray that these temptations are kept from us, but they are present nonetheless. We are tempted to do many sins: steal, cheat, lie, hate, think evil thoughts, lust, and so on. These things are what the Devil wants and entices us to do. Because we are of the Lord and wish to do as He commands, the Devil will lie to us and wish to dissuade us from our calling and desire for obedience (John 8:44).  This is why we pray.

Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

~ Ephesians 6:18 ~

We should and must pray always, not only for ourselves, but for others. After all, the Lord’s Prayer says deliver us from evil. Together we must build each other up, growing together in the Word. Prayer to our Lord and keeping in the spirit is commanded to us not out of meaningless obedience, but because it is to our benefit.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

~ Ephesians 6:10-12 ~

Christians, we must remember this verse. We argue with friends and foe. We debate, we struggle, we live. We think our only problems and battles are fought in this physical world. What we do not regularly acknowledge is that our fight is with the spiritual realm, what we cannot see but is always raging. We fight with the devil and demons and in a spiritual war fought all around us. Thus, we must be “self-controlled and alert” because the devil wishes to “devour” us (1 Pet. 5:8). We must resist the devil and hold fast to the Lord. But we are not left without a promise.

We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true – even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

~ 1 John 5:16 ~

We are left with hope in this world. We know the Lord is our Father and Savior and that He will and has delivered us. He has rescued us from the evil of this world to bring us to dwell with Him.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

~ Colossians 1:13-14 ~

With these things in mind, we pray continually to our Father who will give us the words to speak and the strength to fight. We pray that He might deliver us from the evil that assaults us every day, for He is our shield. We pray with the assurance that though we are in the world, we are of Christ. Remembering these things, we walk boldly, carrying the world and wielding prayer. For not even the wiles of the Devil can keep us from Christ.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. … In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

~ Romans 8:9, 26, 31, 35-39 ~

Therefore, we are commanded to pray always, for this “is God’s will for” us (1 Thes. 5:15-19). Prayer is mentioned a couple hundred times in the Scriptures. It is an important part of our walk with Christ, and it is good in keeping us in the Word and away from sin. Prayer is powerful and effective (Jas. 5:16).

Blessings to you and yours,

~ Rose

In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; by my rock and refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

~ Psalm 31:1-2 ~