Deliver us from evil

Text: Matthew 6:13b.
Introduction
In the prayer the Lord Jesus taught His followers, which is commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer,” one of the important prayer points we must pray constantly is today’s topic: “Deliver Us From Evil.” In the Lord’s Prayer, after we have prayed “Lead Us Not Into Temptation,” we must pray “Deliver Us From Evil.” We live in a world of evil. If something is not good, it must be bad. If it is bad, then it is evil. It is either you are under a good authority or you are under a bad one. Unfortunately today, in spite of laws and regulations, we are witnessing the epidemics of evil. There is evil at home, there is evil on the road. Jesus, therefore, says we must pray for deliverance. May God deliver us from evil. 
(A) The Origin of Evil

According to Genesis 1: 31, all that God created originally was good. God did not create Satan. He was a good cherub, who later became evil, when he rebelled against God. His main sin was pride, which goes before destruction. (Prov. 16: 18, Ezek. 28: 11-17, Isa. 14: 12-14) He wanted to be God, if not more. One third of the angelic beings followed him and they are causing the evil we see in the world today. (Rev. 12: 3-4) The evil one/Satan is the origin of evil. The major works of the evil one and his agents are to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10: 10) The evil spirits in our world today can be divided into (1) Unclean Spirits (2) Lying Spirits (3) Seducing Spirits (4) Spirit of Divination (5) Spirits that cause maladies in health, brain, business and marriages, among others. In biblical terms, the evils in the world can be categorised into two major groups namely: Moral Evil and Natural Evil. Moral evil covers the wilful acts of human beings, such as murder, rape and kidnapping, among others, while Natural evil refers to natural disasters such as famines, floods and hurricane, among others. With what I have seen in the world today, I believe there can be a third type which I prefer to call “Mornatural Evil,” which simply means the combination of moral and natural evil. These evils either have physical or spiritual effect on us and sometimes both. May God deliver us from them all.

(B) Our Prayer Against Evil – Deliver us From Evil-The original language of this passage has the article “the”-i.e. “deliver us from the evil”-the Evil One or Satan. The meaning here is, “deliver us from his power, his snares, his arts, his temptations.” Satan is supposed to be the great parent of evil, and to be delivered from him is to be safe. Or it may mean, “deliver us from the various evils and trials which beset us, the heavy and oppressive calamities into which we are continually liable to fall.” May God deliver us from evil at home, in the office, on the road, in business, at school and in the environment.
Conclusion

In this petition, the evil is not specified, for the catalogue will be endless. Our world is full of evil. So, we can pray deliver us from evil whether moral or natural, spiritual or physical, penal or afflictive. According to some theologians, the prayer “Deliver us from Evil” is the 7th petition in the Lord’s Prayer. What a perfect petition we all need to make. No doubt, Coronavirus that is ravaging our world is evil. But we cannot run away from the world, so we can pray for power to triumph over evil. (John 17: 15-16) For every evil, the evil one and his agents will bring our way, may the finger of God deliver us by fire in Jesus name. May God deliver us from evil present and future. May God break our chains and loosen our bonds from known and unknown, seen and unseen, familiar and strange, big and small, direct and indirect evil. May God deliver our world from evil. Amen. Shalom.
Rev. Dr. Israel Kristilere, Shepherdhill Baptist Church, (Sanctuary of Grace & Glory), Baptist Academy Compound, Obanikoro, Lagos.
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