Deliver Us From Evil
Spiritual freedom -- Battling in Prayer
Hidden behind a myriad of sights and activities, an invisible war claims its victims. Satan, our arch-enemy, has dedicated his energy to discourage, deceive, distract and destroy the citizens of the Kingdom as well as the people of the world. His strategy demonstrates his cunning: separate the soldier from his Commander, then he will be an easy target and simple prey.
Weary and wounded, many of God's children stagger from fierce attacks. Where can they find rest and relief? Who will come and help carry the burden? Who will share the pain? The battle becomes unbearably lonely when fought alone.
The key to victory is oneness with God, appropriation of His truths, and the kind of faith that clings to the promises of the King. In addition we must be one with each other and lift each other up as we resist enemy advances through persevering prayer and praise.
Sometimes words fail us and we don't know how to pray. But we can always worship and wait in trust and surrender -- as did Jehoshaphat when his enemies came in like a flood. When he drew near to God, God drew near to Him and brought the victory. Listen to his heart and join in his earnest prayer:
“O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?
"...we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chronicles 20:6, 12)We cannot win the battles on our own! But in spite of our weakness, we go forth in the power and authority of our mighty God!. For
"the Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer... I call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies." (Psalm 1, 3)
1. Read Psalm 18. Which parts of David's song of victory reflect the prayer and confidence of your heart today?
(Psalm 18:1-3) "I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies."
(Psalm 18:4-6) "The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears."
(Psalm 18:32-46) "It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me....
39 You armed me with strength for battle.... You made my enemies turn their backs in flight...
46 The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!"
2. Read 1 Peter: 5:6-11
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. "a. What basic attitude(s) opens your heart to God's triumphant resources?
b. Describe your enemy.
c. God tells us take the devil seriously and not be presumptuous. To prevent fall and failure, how must you live? (see v. 8) Explain.
d. Whether he attack you or your loved ones, what choice wins the battle? (v. 9) Give a recent illustration.
e. What does God promise his embattled and wounded soldiers? (See v. 10)
3. Though Satan may attack like a roaring lion, he is actually a defeated enemy to those who are one with Christ, the mighty Conqueror. Remember what our King accomplished at the cross, so that you might stand firm in these truths as you pray for victory:
| He bound Satan: | He freed us: |
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"Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out." (John 12:31)
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"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)
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"Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it." (Colossians 2:15)
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“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” (Romans 4:7-8)
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"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil..." (Hebrews 2:14)
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"Him...you have...crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it." (Acts 2:23-24)
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"I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 'Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." (Revelation 12:10-11)
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"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2) |
4. Read Matthew 16:19 and 18:18.
(We have the choice of whether or not we will affirm that reality and apply it to our lives.)"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matt. 16:19 and 18:18.
a. Write God's promise to you. What does it mean to you?
b. Explain the significance of this command and promise.
c
. God has granted His loyal followers a measure of authority and power through His promises and assignments that He gives us. Neither Matt. 16:19 or 18:18 mention any limitation of that authority or power. Nor does it explain the spiritual power that would enable us to "bind" on earth and "loose" in heaven. Yet, God has a message here for us. What might He be teaching us through these verses?Note: "The devil used Scripture to try to convince Jesus to sin! ... Study the Bible carefully, especially the broader context of special verses, so that you understand God's principles for living and what He wants for your life.... [Be prepared to] recognize errors of interpretation when people take verses out of context and twist them to say what they want them to say." (from Life Application Study Bible, p.1432)
5. Satan, the defeated enemy, now fights a clever battle of deception.
We must be alert to recognize and call his bluff. Knowing our weaknesses, our sovereign Commander has given us some very specific instructions for the battle. What is He telling you, His prayer-warrior, here?
"You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier."(2 Timothy 2:3-4)
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.(Ephesians 6:10-18)
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints."(Luke 18:1-8)
"Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her....
Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? ...Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
6. Victorious warfare demands unity in the body: God's faithful army.
Remember what happens when God's people pray together in agreement with Him and with each other."Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.(Acts 12:1-4):
(Acts 12:5-8): "Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.
(Acts 12:9-11)
: "Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
"And when Peter had come to himself, he said, 'Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”
"Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.(Acts 16:22-33):
"But
at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and
the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great
earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and
immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And
the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors
open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to
kill himself. But Paul called with a loud
voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”
Then
he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and
Silas. And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?”
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized."
"Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
7. In summary, what practical understanding have you gained concerning battling in prayer?
How will you use it?"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:56-58