The Essential Gospel: A Prayer based on Ephesians 6:14-20

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O sovereign Father,

Thank You that I am Your child, heavenly Father. Since I am Your child, then I am Your heir – an heir of God and a fellow heir with Christ. When the enemy causes me to doubt my identity in Christ – telling me I’m a worthless sinner, a lost cause, an embarrassment to You – remind me of whose I am and who You say I am – a saint, a new creation, Your beloved child, living new in Christ. Because I am in Christ, I can now resist the devil as He did. In Christ, I claim the promise that no weapon formed against me or my family shall prosper (Romans 8:15-17; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Isaiah 54:17; Ephesians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 3:16).

I know that the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion wanting to devour me. He and his demons are seeking to steal, kill, and destroy everything good and godly that I hold dear. I recognize that the devil is attempting to incite me to sin – to prompt me to do evil. I’m desperately dependent on You to fight off the enemy’s deceitful attacks. Help me today to trust in You, to win today’s spiritual battles, and to bring glory and honor to Your name (1 Peter 5:8; John 10:10b; Ephesians 6:12; Luke 10:18; 1 Chronicles 21:1; John 13:2; Acts 5:3).

Sovereign God, keep me from the enemy: the evil one, the tempter, the accuser. Protect me from his followers, the fallen angels who are now the evil spirits who are seeking to minimize and neutralize my life in Christ. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from the evil one (Revelation 12:7-9; Matthew 6:13; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; Revelation 12:10, Leviticus 17:7; Luke 8:30; Luke 7:21).

Help me remain strong in Your mighty power and stand against the enemy’s wicked schemes. Almighty Lord, thank You for spiritual armor for the spiritual battle – the belt of truth; the breastplate of righteousness; the helmet of salvation; and shoes that speed me on as I proclaim the Gospel of peace. Keep teaching me that truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Help me learn more and more how to apply them. Help me to hold the shield of faith that will quench every burning missile the enemy hurls at me. Help me to wield the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God which is an indispensable weapon. By faith, I now put on each piece of Your armor. Keep reminding me that prayer is the means by which I clothe myself in Your armor and by which I wage war in this ongoing battle (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Help me to submit again today to Your authority, Your control, and Your will. May Your kingdom come and Your will be done in and through me. Lead me to say “no” to the devil and his temptations and “yes” to You and Your abundant life. By Your power, help me resist the devil and see him flee (Matthew 6:10; Luke 9:23; John 10:10; James 4:7).

Thank You for spiritual weapons such as faith, truth, and righteousness that demolish strongholds.  Help me to keep my mind fixed on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Philippians 4:8).

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who shed His blood on the cross and rose from the grave, I ask You, Father to command any evil spirits to leave me, my family, and my ministry. Because I am in Christ and stand in His victory, all demons must flee. Through You, Father, evil spirits, rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, spiritual forces of darkness, are no longer free to steal, kill, and destroy my mind, my body, my soul, my family, my home, and my ministry. In the name of Jesus, I resist the devil and all demons.  

And now, Father, may Your Holy Spirit lead me and guide me today. Fill me. Bear Your fruit through me. Grant to me the ability to discern between righteousness and wickedness and the wisdom to choose the path of righteousness (Romans 8:13-14; Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:10; Joshua 24:14-15).

Lord God, help me to live in the light of Your presence. Lead me in Your paths of righteousness and away from anything evil. Thank You that because Christ is victorious, I need not wage war for victory but from victory. (John 17:15; Ephesians 1:18-23; John 12:26; Psalm 23:3).

Amen.

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This prayer has been inspired by Ephesians 6:14-20. Some of the words and phrases in this prayer have been taken directly from the English Standard Version, the J.B. Phillips New Testament, The Message, and the Living Bible. This prayer has also been composed with help from Dean Ridings, author of the Pray!Prayer Journal (NavPress) and Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology