Here is today’s prayer event:  15I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. (John 17:15)

This is part 2 of a 3 part prayer Jesus offers on behalf of his disciples.  Even though Jesus has every right to only pray about himself in these final hours, he finds the compassion to pray for others.  Here, Jesus prays that God might keep the disciples from the evil one.

Andrew Lincoln notes that in part 1 of this 3 part prayer, Jesus prays for the disciples to be kept in the Father’s name.  In part 2, Jesus prays for the disciples to be kept from the evil one.  Thus, Jesus demonstrates “the two antithetical spheres of power operative in the world.”  Positively, Jesus prays that the disciples would be guarded by the Father’s power.  Negatively, Jesus prays that the disciples would be protected from Satan’s power.

Satan is real.  He is active.  And prayer is one of the primary ways in which we combat his reality and his activity.  Not by our own power.  But by the Father’s power.

Consider the list of people for whom you regularly pray.  How might your prayers for them change if you believed that the evil one could be targeting them, attacking them, or endangering them?  Consider the things you generally pray for yourself.  How might those prayers change if you believed the evil one could be targeting you, attacking you, or endangering you?  Do you pray as if the evil one is real?  Why?  Why not?

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