Deliver Us from the Evil One (Ephesians 6:10-17)

The implication of the words “deliver us from the evil one” is that Christ’s followers were facing a severe and pressing danger. To combat such evil, it might be tempting to pick up a sword, or a gun, but here’s the problem: swords only work against human beings. Paul says that our fight is not against flesh and blood, not against human beings, but against the powers and principalities. And swords don’t work against them. Even today, some Christians believe that the best way to build God’s kingdom is by grabbing a sword. The sword is one way to build a kingdom. It’s not Christ’s way. When his disciples tried to use them, he said, put those away. It’s hard for people to experience the love of God at the end of a sword.  God didn’t defeat evil at its own game, God defeated evil with grace, and evil never saw it coming. Jesus didn’t pick up a sword, he surrendered to one…and freed us from its power. When we pray “deliver us from the evil one,” we’re not only asking for God’s help, we’re also committing ourselves to God’s cause. We’re saying yes to entering the places of pain, of bondage, of enslavement, and to hold that pain prayerfully in the presence of God, trusting that God will empower us to do what we don’t think we can do.