Deliver Us From Evil ~ Episode 275

In the Lord’s prayer, we recite the words, “Deliver us from evil now and at the hour of death,” but what does that mean? As Christians, we avoid evil as much as possible, but that does not mean we aren’t tempted. In this podcast, we discover the scriptures do more than warn.

Sin can paralyze us. We can feel under attack. In some cases, it is difficult to break out of this hold, this attack. We live in a culture of self-indulgence, instant food, and easy access to things most countries can only dream about. Yet, we hear that many people feel empty and alone.

Many people are drawn to the prosperity scriptures, such as in Jerimiah. What is not to love? Jerimah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

You may enjoy these podcasts on combatting evil.

• Resisting Evil
  
• Evil Tactic
  
• Drenched with Joy
  

The Lord wants to shower us with an abundance of grace, but often, our hands are firmly in our pockets, or we sit with our arms crossed. We crave prosperity, but we realize it isn’t that easy to receive because of all the blocks we place in the way. God knows our hearts, and often we are found lacking. God wants to bless, heal, and restore us, yet it is up to us to open our arms to the Lord—your will, not ours. Deliver us from evil, Lord, as you will it to be. That should be our prayer.

The Gospel message is not for the faint of heart.

Psalm 9 – The Lord will judge the world with justice. Read all of Psalm 9, but the first (read on air)

Jesus is the Lord; he came and lived among sinful men when they yearned for a Messiah. These people did not recognize him even with all of the miraculous happening. Jesus cast out demons, yet the people of the day said he could only do this because he was evil. Whatever were they thinking? This is what we would call faulty thinking today.

In the Gospel of Luke 11:15-26, we read that the people were complaining about the Lord. They said Jesus casts out the ruler of the demons, but the only way he could do this was because he was evil. In verses 17-22, Jesus says, (Read on air)

And that, my friends, is the crux of the issue — whoever is not with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is against him. There is no time to be lukewarm. Lukewarm will not only get us into trouble but also allow evil to come back with a vengeance. It was difficult for the men then, as well as people now, to give Jesus credit, to believe, and to turn back from sin.

The really scary part is that while the demon was expelled from the man, not only did it come back.

The Return of the Unclean Spirit

Luke 11:24-26 (Read on air.)

Spiritual warfare doesn’t take a break; those who get free of addictions, if you get free of the evil, you need to change your lifestyle to maintain that freedom. Turn to a life of prayer and a sacramental life. We are made as a spiritual vessel for the Holy Spirit, and if it is not filled by the Holy Spirit, it gets filled by other spirits. We can not leave it empty.

How do you avoid evil? Recognize it.

Even as Christians, the lure for understanding or knowing the future is prevalent in our society. Two years ago, I was in New Orleans for a conference and visited St. Louis Cathedral. The church had erected a high metal fence in front of it, which I found strange until I saw, little by little, people in colorful garments coming and setting up shop in the open, public space in front of the church. Who were these people? They were the “sellers” of evil. There were fortune tellers and palm readers, to name a few. Some people took tours to talk about the ghosts that inhabited many of the buildings and had been “seen” in years past.

Where there is good, evil abounds. You may think I am exaggerating, but the truth is that the enemy will do anything for your soul. The enemy is allowed in through a gateway, but always with our permission.

One way that evil enters is through occult practices; many are unaware of items such as occult games, for example, the Ouija board and tarot cards. Or activities such as seances and mediums,  which is how evil gets in, because people welcome and allow it, believing it is just for fun or not real. Friends, it is real. Evil does have power, but only what we give it; God is greater, He is Almighty, He has dominion over evil. Who will we serve?

Deliver Us From Evil, Scripture Warns Us

The scriptures warn us. The Old Testament is filled with worship of idols, of false gods. The true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, gave warning after warning. The 10 Commandments, the prophets, and what happened? All of the twelve tribes of Israel fell because while two of the twelve (in the south) worshipped the true God, they would not remove the “idols from on high” that the people worshiped. We can not be divided in our worship.

A verse that should give us pause is in Isaiah 47 – in verses 10-11 (Read on air.) Leviticus 20:6  (Read on air.)

This is giving sin permission to come into your life.

Deliver Us From Evil – Five Easy Steps

1. Renounce your sin, ask the Lord to call the sins to mind, and rebuke them in the Name of Jesus.
   
2. Renounce permission you may have given the evil one to enter through the sin. Spiritual warfare prayer.
   
3. Claim in the Name of Jesus that you are a child of God.
   
4. Pray with a spiritual advisor or clergy.
   
5. If you are Catholic, go to confession and receive the sacraments often.
   

Praying, reading the scriptures, asking for more of the Holy Spirit, and confessing are ways to avoid evil.

Spiritual Warfare Prayer

1. Renounce sin – in the Name of Jesus, I give you dominion over my life and renounce the sin of *** ____________________ (pray and quietly wait on the Lord to reveal sin to your mind.)
   
2. Put on the armor of God Ephesians 6:10-18.
   
   • RIGHTEOUSNESS: Girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, flaming arrows against the evil one, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.
     
   • WHOLE ARMOR: In verses 13-18,” Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
     
   • TRUTH: Stand, therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.
     
   • PEACE: As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.
     
   • FAITH: With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
     
   • SALVATION: Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
     
   • PRAY: Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.Pray in the Spirit – come Holy Spirit, and keep alert.
     
   
   

***Once you have prayed against evil – for example, the spirit of lies, ask the Lord to fill you with the opposite, “the spirit of truth.” Always pray the opposite of the evil and ask God to fill you with His grace. If you do not know the opposite, pray, Come Holy Spirit.

Remember, the battle has been won! Alleluiah. Alleluiah. Jesus lived, died, has risen, and has broken the bonds of death. We must be open and vigilant and recognize that we can pray, “Come Holy Spirit, Come…fill my heart today and always.”

Your challenge this week is to pray the spiritual warfare prayer and take back any areas you have given over. Amen! May God be praised.

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