A Prayer for Spiritual Protection

“Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.” —Exodus 14:19-20

Think of the drama! The Israelites, two million strong, had just begun the trek toward the wilderness. Now they found themselves trapped: the Red Sea was ahead of them, the angry Egyptians on chariots were behind them, and there was no exit to the right or to the left. Understandably, they were helpless and terrified. They fully expected to be massacred, their bodies strewn across the landscape as a witness to Egyptian cruelty and superiority.

But thankfully, the Angel of the Lord did not withdraw in Israel’s desperate time of need; rather, the Angel moved to provide protection. The cloud sent to guide them now moved from the front to the back of the large assembly. And the cloud hovered between the Israelites and the Egyptians all night so that the Egyptians could not touch the Israelites.

Today, we are under attack. The devil seeks to destroy us, modern culture seeks to seduce us, and our own sin natures deceive us. Only the presence of God can keep us from succumbing to fear and, more ominously, falling into the sin that seeks to entangle us.

Only God can protect us and our children from the wiles of the devil. That is why Jesus prayed that we might be “kept from the evil one” (John 17:15).  Let us pray that His presence might put a barrier between us and the enemies of our soul.

Let Us Pray

Father, I pray that You will protect me from the evil one. I pray that you will be a shield about me, behind, beneath and above. Help me to detect Satan’s wiles, his deceitful ways and his suggestions. I confess my sins and receive Your forgiveness that I might be clean before You…may there be no evil crevice within my soul that gives Satan permission to tempt or harass me. Figuratively speaking, put a cloud of glory between me and Satan.

I pray for _____  that they might be protected from Satan’s designs. Put distance between them and sin; place Your Spirit between them and the deceptions of the flesh. Protect them from pornography, from sexual temptations and lies that permeate our culture. Protect them from evil people, from those who would deceive, manipulate or even destroy. Deliver us from all evil, I pray. I trust Your Word to do as You have promised.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.