Friday - Pray Like This (Lead Us and Deliver Us)

Day 5

Welcome to daily prayer. This week we are focusing on the final petition of the Lord’s Prayer: “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” Today we look at the instructions from Paul to pray for the spread of the gospel in the midst of evil and for deliverance from those who oppose the message.

As we begin our prayer now, let’s quiet our hearts and minds before the Lord.

O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise:  

A Psalm of Praise from Psalm 31:1, 3-5 and 21-24

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;

    let me never be put to shame;

    deliver me in your righteousness.

Since you are my rock and my fortress,

    for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

4 

Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,

    for you are my refuge.

5 

Into your hands I commit my spirit;

    deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

Praise be to the Lord,

    for he showed me the wonders of his love

    when I was in a city under siege.

22 

In my alarm I said,

    “I am cut off from your sight!”

Yet you heard my cry for mercy

    when I called to you for help.

23 

Love the Lord, all his faithful people!

    The Lord preserves those who are true to him,

    but the proud he pays back in full.

24 

Be strong and take heart,

    all you who hope in the Lord.

Lord, on this day we praise you and trust you and take our refuge in you. We praise you because time and time again, you have shown yourself to be a Great Deliverer who is worthy of our worship and trust.

Lord, open our eyes to see wonderful things from your Word:

A Scripture reading from 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5:

“Pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”

Rejoice:

Lord, we rejoice in your faithfulness and love. We rejoice in the message of the Gospel. We rejoice in how you are revealing yourself all over the world through dreams, visions and through the love and proclamation of your people. 

Jesus, my Savior, my Friend, my Lord and my King. I worship and adore you. There is no one like you. You never abandon your people. Your strengthen and protect us. 

I rejoice in your never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever love. 

Acknowledge:

Lord, we recognize that in our community and around the world that believers are experiencing opposition because of the Gospel. 

The Evil One, evil men, evil desires wage war against your people and your kingdom. Deliver us God. 

Cause your Name and the gospel message to be honored. Lord, you deserve our trust and our hearts.

Lord, may your light shine into the darkness. Give us grace to stand.

We especially pray for our brothers and sisters throughout the world that are undergoing suffering and persecution. Lord, provide them with what they need. Show us how you want us to play a part. 

We ask that you would protect them and deliver them. For the pastors and evangelists, give them boldness to proclaim the gospel. 

Shield them from hopelessness and despair. 

Lord, in every place where darkness rules, let your light shine. Open hearts and open doors for Christ to be shared and treasured.

We also pray for our students as they begin their retreat today. Open their hearts to receive the message. Give them undivided hearts that honor your name. 

Give them great joy in you and a spirit of faith to proclaim your message among their friends and family. 

As we listen to the passage again, lets listen for a word or phrase that the Holy Spirit may want to say to us from todays verses:

“Pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”

Yield:

Yes Father. Direct us into your love and and into the perseverance of Christ. We want to finish the race loving you even more.

Let’s finish by praying the Lord’s prayer together:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come,

your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.