The Protection of Prayer

Galatians 1:1 – 5

For many people around the world, these are scary times. Every day, the news is telling us, everywhere you look, “The virus is coming. The virus is coming.” Indeed, it is all around the world, unseen, waiting to pounce and infect yet another unsuspecting victim. You can’t turn the news on; you can’t open your email; you can’t go on social media; indeed, you can’t go on the Internet, without hearing or seeing something about COVID-19. Every day, they tell us about the numbers going up. Thursday, we are told, the number of infected in the world hit one million people. The curve has not flattened. It is still exponential. It is now climbing close to vertical! Even Singapore, which was an example to the world of how well such a pandemic could be handled, has now had to take the same drastic step as many other countries, closing many businesses and ordering people to stay home. It’s scary! This present evil stalking the world is evil! There is no other way to describe something that sickens and kills so many people. And yet, you do not have to face this alone. There is still hope, real hope. This present world is not all there is.

Galatians 1:1 – 5

1. THE PROTECTION OF PRAYER

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

We are tempted in evil times to be paralyzed by fear. We are tempted to do things we know we shouldn’t to make ourselves feel better, or happy, or at peace. But we have a Saviour who gave Himself for us, so that he could deliver us from the present evil world. He is God the Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, according to the scriptures or as prophesied, was buried and rose from the dead on the third day, according to the scriptures. He has the will and the power to deliver you!

I Paul (Barnes)

  1. The book of Galatians was written by Paul. But what was his authority? What business did he have to write such an epistle? Why should we even listen to him?

    1. Paul was an apostle, sent directly, not by Jesus Christ before the crucifixion, as were the other apostles, nor by the apostles, as was Matthias, the replacement for Judas the traitor, but by the risen Jesus Christ, Himself, who personally commissioned Paul as an apostle while on the road to Damascus to arrest Christians!

      1. Notice that Paul clearly distinguishes Jesus from being just a man. He makes it clear that Jesus Christ is God, who became man to deliver us from evil, while remaining fully God.

    2. Paul was not trained as the other apostles were while Jesus walked the Earth, but was trained by the Holy Spirit. His preaching and teaching was by the express revelation of Jesus Christ. “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:11,12

II Grace

  1. In his greeting to the churches of Galatia, Paul extended grace, not just from himself and his companions, but from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

    1. It was not some casual greeting. According to Strong’s, grace means “good-will, loving-kindness, favour.” It is speaking of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.

    2. We are saved by grace. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9

      1. Grace cannot be earned, only given. When you repent toward God and put your faith in Jesus Christ, God pours out His grace to you and saves you.

III Peace

      1. Peace is an elusive thing in this troubled world. The peace that God gives is described, again in Strong’s, as “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is; the blessed state of [the] devout and upright … after death”

      2. The peace that God offers is not based on what’s going on around you. It is not broken by the coronavirus pandemic. It is a supernatural peace that isn’t affected by this world’s troubles. The Word of God instructs us not to worry about anything, “… but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6,7

IV Deliverance

      1. Jesus Christ gave Himself for your sins, that He might deliver you from this present evil world. Jesus, Himself, prayed for those who trust in Him: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” John 17:15

        1. Jesus prayed that God would protect you from evil, even while you are living in this fallen world!

V The Will of the Father

  1. It is the will of God the Father to deliver us from this present evil world we live in.

    1. Think about that! How many times have you heard it said that Christianity is all about following a whole list of hard rules to avoid being thrown into hell by God?

    2. But the Bible tells you that it’s God’s will to deliver you from evil! God doesn’t want to throw any body into hell. In fact, we’re told in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

    3. God’s will is to deliver you from evil. It is not to let you be overcome by temptation, but instead to deliver you from evil. The protection of prayer is in the will of God!Pray according to God’s will which is to deliver you from evil. That is why Jesus told us to ask God to “deliver us from evil.” It is a request our heavenly Father will honour, “to whom be honour and glory forever.”

Conclusion

God protects you better than any face mask, hand sanitizer, social distancing, police, military or anything else in this world. We close, today, with Psalm 121

My Help Comes from the Lord

  1. A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
  2. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
  3. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
  4. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
  5. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
  6. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
  7. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
  8. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Amen.