“but deliver us from evil.” – Matthew 6:13
Life can get hard. Sometimes we face trials and hardships that threaten our home, our family, and even our lives. These are very real struggles and, when they come, are of great concern to us. However, these struggles and hardships are temporary.
There are other dangers, though. There are dangers which we do not always see immediately or perceive as truly dangerous.
“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 6:12
Our enemy, the devil, is always out to get us and his primary goal is to get us away from God. So, he attacks us. Sometimes he attacks in our minds with doubts and accusations and sometimes it’s with trials, hardships, and persecution in our lives. Sometimes, he uses the good times and quietly tells us, we don’t need to pray, read our Bible, go to church, etc. Everything is fine. His weapons are many and he is always looking for a way to get at us.
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8
So, we pray for our protection. We pray that God would thwart the plans of the evil one. We pray that our father would defend us and hold us forever in His loving arms.
Struggle and hardship will come. The devil will attack. However, the good news is that God will defend us and our enemy cannot snatch us from God’s hand.
“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 8:35-39
Heavenly Father,The devil and his agents are always looking to attack us. Help us. Protect and defend us. Hold us steadfast in Your grace. We know that you have defeated our enemy. Deliver us from the evil one.Amen
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
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