Date of message: 08 February 2003
Subject: The Family Prayer - But Deliver Us From The Evil One
Shalom, Boker-tov (good morning),

Last week we established that it is not the Lord who is the trouble maker when we face problems or when we have sicknesses in our bodies. It is the devil who is the real culprit.
In Job's case, he was afflicted with all kinds of misery and he wished for a mediator to go in between and help him with his troubles (Job 9: 33). Job lived long before Jesus. In fact some historians believed that Job was the great grandson of Shem, one of three sons of Noah who survived the Flood. He had no Mediator to represent his case before the Lord.

But praise the Lord. Jesus came and He died and rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God making intercession and representation on our behalf to Almighty God, El Shaddai. We are in a better position than Job and as a result we can come boldly before the Father. Job could not call God as Father. In fact he could not even pronounce His name for the name of God was revered and never spoken. The Hebrews always call Him "Hashem" or the "Name" to get around this fear of profaning the name of YHVH.
Jesus rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of God far above all principalities and power forever (Eph 1: 20-21) and because of our position as sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father, we become joint-heirs with Christ and therefore we are also made to sit with Christ in the heavenly places.

The devil had been defeated on the cross. He thought that by killing Jesus, he was rid of the Son of God. But he was out-smarted by God the Father who had a bigger plan in store for humanity. And so, now that the devil had been defeated, he no longer has the power over believers in Christ.
The apostle Peter reminded his readers to be vigilant for the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1Peter 5: 8).

" He can only roar at Christians because he had lost his bite when Jesus defeated him on the cross. Paul reminded his readers in 1Corinthians 15: 55 that death had lost its sting and Hell its victory.
" He goes around seeking whom he may devour; that means that there will be some who may not be devour. The devil cannot touch those who know their rights and blessings in the Lord but for those who are ignorant, he can have a field day wrecking havoc in their lives. Which category do you fall into? I know for a certainty that I am among those whom the devil can only try but never succeed because of Jesus in my life.

" The devil goes around roaring like a lion. He loves to imitate God. The lion is the king of the animals and its roar is always a symbol of authority and judgment. Only the rightful King can roar and judge. The devil attempts to behave like God and accuses whomever he can of their sins and plants guilt in their lives. When a person is sin conscious in his life, he will be so burdened with guilt feelings that his defenses will be let down resulting in him being prone to sicknesses. Jesus died for us and as a result, sin has no bound over us. What the Lord had paid for in our lives, we do not need to pay again. The purchase price had been settled in full and now we can enjoy whatever the Lord has in store for us, daily blessings and eternal life with the Father.

Moreover, Jesus returned to the Father and had sent forth His Spirit to live in our lives. When we first believed and received Jesus into our hearts, the Holy Spirit has already been given to us and He is the down-payment for us from the Father, the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession (Ephesians 1: 13-14). All believers in Jesus have this gift of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Paul had to remind the Corinthian Christians in his letter to the church in 1Corinthians 6: 19 that the believer's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Since we have the Holy Spirit in us, let us be reminded that we have more power than the devil who can only attempt to accuse us but who knows that his is a losing battle. Greater is He Who is in us than he that is in the world.
And so when we pray, "But deliver us from the evil one" (New King James Version) let us be reminded that the devil had been defeated on the cross and that his time is indeed running short. His final curtain call is certainly round the corner; his end is near.

Have you believed in Jesus as the One Who had died for you and taken away your sin? The Bible teaches that it is only to those who have believed in Jesus as their Lord and Savior who will enjoy this victory we have in Jesus. Our blessings come to us because of our position as children of the Most High God and we are able to enter into His awesome Presence and enjoy His blessings to us.

Why not take this opportunity to receive Him and join us as children of the Lord. The Bible tells us that we become children of God the moment we believe in Jesus and welcome Him into our hearts. Read John 1:12 and be comforted. The Lord does not lie. For Him, whatever He speaks comes to pass and He had promised us in the Bible that those who have put their trust in Him will not be condemned but have passed from death into life (Romans 8: 1). Pray this simple prayer of faith and invite Him into your heart and immediately you will experience the peace coming your way.

Our Heavenly Father, thank you that You love us so much You sent us Jesus, Your only beloved Son, into this world to take our place and to die for all our sins.

Lord Jesus, thank you that You came, You obeyed the Father, You died for all on the cross, You conquered death and You rose again on the third day. And now, because of Your death and resurrection, we, who believe in You as our Lord and Savior, will no longer have to die but we receive Your eternal life. Come into my heart, I pray, and make my heart Your home.

Thank you that what You have accomplished for us on the cross has qualified me to become a child of God the Father. Thank you that I am eternally forgiven, greatly blessed, highly favored, deeply loved and completely protected in the Lord and in Your most precious Name, Yeshua Ha' Meshiah, I pray. Amen.

If you have prayed that prayer for the first time, welcome to the Family of the Father (and it is a very large universal family). It is important that you are not alone facing your personal trials but that you can obtain good help wherever you are. Why not take the time to find your own local Christian family (local church) and worship the Father together? You will be greatly encouraged when you meet together to worship the Father, for fellowship and for the study of the Word of Christ.
The Lord blesses you and keeps you,
The Lord makes His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and all your loved ones,
The Lord lifts up His countenance upon you and gives you His shalom peace.
Numbers 6: 24 - 26
Have a blessed week ahead, Shavrou-tov
Shalom,
Andrew L W Lee
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