Praying “Deliver Us from Evil…”

When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, he didn’t rely on cleverness or charisma. He relied on God’s Word. Each time Satan attacked, Jesus responded by quoting scripture—and not just any scripture. He quoted from Deuteronomy, drawing directly from Israel’s wilderness journey. Israel failed their test; Jesus passed his.

When you immerse your life in the wisdom of Scripture, you become it. And this is exactly what Jesus did. He read the text. He studied the text. He memorized the text. He prayed the text. He taught the text. He lived the text. He died the text. He was so immersed in God’s Word that he became it, and the same can be true for us.

It’s our turn to take up the fight. We have an Enemy. We don’t have to look far to see the darkness at work in the world—the deception, division, and destruction at every turn. But the battle isn’t simply out there. It’s in us—the thoughts that whisper shame, the habits that keep us bound, the compromises that erode our faith. Evil works through lies, and its goal is our destruction.

But Jesus has given us his authority and shown us how to fight—not with rage, not with vengeance, not with the weapons of this world, but with truth. The same truth that silenced storms, muzzled demons, and broke the power of death. The Word of God is our weapon, and we must take it up and wield it. We must let it reshape us from the inside out.

So what do we do now? Expose the lies. Name, with precision, the destructive thought patterns, fears, and false beliefs that keep replaying in your mind. What accusations does the enemy hurl at you? Where has deception taken root? Call it out.

Arm yourself with Scripture. Search God’s Word like your life depends on it—because it does. Find the exact truths that dismantle those lies. Write them down. Speak them aloud. Let them become the words that guide your mind and shape your soul. Let truth transform you. Don’t just read Scripture—breathe it.

Meditate on it. Memorize it. Pray it. Let it sink deep into your bones, so when the Enemy comes, you don’t just repeat words—you stand in them. Like Jesus, you wield truth not as a distant idea, but as the very foundation of your being.

Heavenly Father, fill me with your Word so I can stand strong against lies and be transformed by your truth.

Reflection Question: What lies or destructive thought patterns do you need to confront right now, and which specific truths from Scripture can you begin to memorize and declare to counter them?

Continue your journey through the Lord’s Prayer with more rich insights and practical ways to live out every line with Bringing Heaven Here: How the Lord’s Prayer Can Change Your Life and Our World by Brad Gray and Brad Nelson. Check it out for more.