John 17:15 Keep Them From the Evil

John 17:15 (KJV) I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Our Lord Jesus prayed that His people would be kept from the attack of the evil one.

Matthew 6:13a And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil …

“Evil” in Greek has a definite article attached to it. It refers to the evil one, Satan himself. Only God can deliver us from Satan. Satan is the tempter. Remember how he tempted Jesus after He had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights? Jesus overcame Satan by God’s Word. Hence, this prayer is for God to equip us with the knowledge of His Word that we may use it at the right instant to ward off every temptation. This is an entreaty to the Father to help us to have power over Satan and sin.

While He tarries, while we live in Satan’s territory, we are indeed vulnerable. Satan hates God and Christians created in the image of God. He knows how to provide a custom made temptation for each one of us.

We are up against the organized demonized forces of hell. We are not wrestling with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers. And yet we realize that Satan is a defeated enemy. Only with God’s permission has he the power to tempt us.

We realize that we are unequal to the task to living victoriously in Satan’s world if God is not with us. This is a pray for God to take action. An active petition for help! Amen.