Deliver Us From Evil

There was an intercessors meeting where I was asked to speak. I was talking about all the demonic activity and agendas being promoted in our culture and that it might be a good idea for us to look to Scripture and heed our Lord’s instruction in the Lord’s Prayer to ask our Heavenly Father to deliver us from evil. There was a known minister from the region in attendance and he spoke up and said that in that particular context (Matt.6:13), the original language isn’t referring to evil in general but to “the evil one” and we were delivered from him at the cross. (In that particular context it seemed as though he was implying that we are not supposed to pray to be delivered from evil.) And, believe it or not, I am actually aware of the truths stated by that gentleman. But, first of all, I still desire to continue to be delivered from the evil one (it appears these days that he is still quite active), his activities and his agenda in my generation and I desire the nearly-destroyed-by-evil people I minister to, to be delivered also. Then, when I further consider him and all that is quite apparently evil and devilish in the culture of this nation, I think the present condition of the world around us begs the question, “How many know that you don’t get the dog without his fleas?” There is not only an “evil one” but it is my belief that in Mk.5:9 where the man said, “My name is Legion, for we are many” we are shown that, though he was just one man, the “dog’s fleas” (more than one) had so infested him that he was tormented and terrorizing the region of the Gerasenes. That level of demonization and demonstrative display are not the only ways evil is manifested. Evil can function quite often in disguised, subtle and hidden ways, yet leave its disturbing, harassing residue over a wide area. I regularly pray for said deliverance from evil in society and regularly declare it over hurting people. I shall continue to pray for insight, wisdom and discernment for myself and others as we move forward in facing the challenges of evil and move forward in the purposes of the King of Kings as the powers of darkness continue to oppose the Kingdom of Light (Jn.3:19-20;Col.1:13;1Pe.2:9;1Thess.5:22).