PROTECTION WITHOUT FAIL

Chapter Five – “Protection Without Fail”

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

(Using the Lord’s Prayer, phrase by phrase, as a model for expanding your prayer life)

Father, I pray today that You will lead us not into temptation, but that You will deliver us from evil. Lord, You have promised us Your protection without fail, if we will be obedient to follow the path that You have prepared in advance that we should walk in it (Eph. 2:10).

Put On the Whole Armor of God – Eph. 6:10-18
(DEFENSE)

Lord God, Your Word exhorts us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of Your might by putting on the whole armor of You, Lord, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6:10-11). By faith today, I put on the whole armor of God.

I put on the BELT OF TRUTH (v. 14). I stand, therefore, having my loins girt about with truth. As my loins contain the digestive system, the reproductive system, and the bowels, I pray that the belt of truth will hold the spiritual equivalents of these physical features. I want to act upon the inward truth of You, Lord, that is within me. I want to be genuine and filled with Your determined purpose. I want to be filled with Your truth, God, so that I will be a person of total integrity and moral rectitude. I am determined to act upon that truth today.  I put on the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (v. 14) today. As the breastplate is so vital to protecting organs that are so very vital to life—the esophagus, windpipe, heart, and lungs—I ask that the spiritual equivalents of these organs will be protected by the breastplate of righteousness today.

As You are THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, I am thankful that He (Jesus) became sin for us Who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of You, God, through Jesus Christ our Lord (2 Cor. 5:21). I am thankful that I have received the righteousness of You, Father, through my faith and trust in Jesus, having been justified by the blood of Christ (Rom. 5:1-2,9; 1 Peter 2:24; Rom. 3:22). I will diligently guard my heart today for I know that out of it are the issues of life (Prov. 4:23).

I SHOD MY FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE today (v. 15). I know that in the hand to hand, face to face combat I encounter today in the issues of life, I need the ability to stand, to sidestep, to walk and run, and to be prepared and ready as I walk daily in Your revealed will, O God. I want my conduct and conversation to be as it is worthy and becoming of the gospel of Christ (Phil. 1:27), according to Your Word. I pray that I will experience a sense of Your Oneness, Jesus, and a consciousness of Your divine aid, Holy Spirit, equal to any problem or need that I have or face today, that my family has or faces today, or that the ministry You have called me to has or faces today.

I want to leave footprints of peace wherever I go today. I pray that You will send me where You will to encourage those who need encouragement, to witness to those who need to be saved, to solve conflicts, and to be a calming influence on the lives of others. I pray that as I wear shoes of peace today that I will not be hurried, and that I will not push and hurry others or make them tense.

Above all, I take the SHIELD OF FAITH (v. 16), whereby I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, for as I use it, it covers all parts of my body. I trust in You, Lord, to protect me, my family, and my ministry. Because I am hiding in You, I know that nothing can touch me, my family, my ministry, and others whom You prompt me to pray for that You do not allow (Ps. 32:7; 119:114). Thank You for being our hiding place and shield from the evils of this seen and unseen world. What a joy and comfort to live by faith in the Son of God Who loved us and gave Himself for us (Gal. 2:20).

I put on the HELMET OF SALVATION (v. 17) today to keep my heart and mind through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7). I receive the mind of Christ today (1 Cor. 2:16) and the peace of You, God, to garrison and mount guard over my thoughts. I resolve to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5). Your Word says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Prov. 23:7). Therefore, I pray that the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart will be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight (Ps. 19:14) today, Father. I also realize that the most noticeable part of a soldier’s uniform is the helmet. I pray that my helmet will shine (Matt. 5:16) for You today, Jesus, and as my light shines through the obedient and good works that I fulfill for You, the Father will be glorified.

I take today the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the WORD OF GOD (v. 17), as my defensive and as my offensive weapon. It is my power and authority (Luke 4:32,36) for everything that I say and do. I exalt Your Word, Lord God, and I hold it in the highest esteem, giving it first place as the rule and guide for my life, my family, and my ministry. I make the Word final authority to settle all questions that confront me. I choose to agree with Your Word, God, and I choose to disagree with any thoughts, conditions, or circumstances contrary to Your Word. I make my schedule, the schedule of my family, and the schedule of my ministry around the Word. As I daily get into the Word, please, Lord, fill my mind with guiding Scriptures. I ask You to give me a specific word of confirmation from the Word for each specific situation and concern in my life for which I am not completely clear of regarding Your will.

As I pray now and always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (v. 18), I want to pray according to Your perfect will (1 John 5:14). I know that it is Your will to protect me, my family, and my ministry this day without fail. I will watch not to neglect the prayer that is so essential for victory in spiritual conflicts, but with all perseverance and supplication I will pray in behalf of all saints.

I pray that forces beyond my control will not lead me/us into trials. I watch and pray so as not to enter into temptation through carelessness, disobedience, and prayerlessness. I ask that me, my family, and my ministry will be grasped today and everyday from the potent power of evil that seeks to influence us, overcome us, and master us, trying to lead us astray. As I put on the whole armor of God today, I put on the Lord Jesus to be my defense, and I clothe myself with Jesus (Rom. 13:14), making no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof, for Jesus is my TRUTH (John 14:6); Jesus is my RIGHTEOUSNESS (2 Cor. 5:21); Jesus is my READINESS AND PEACE (John 14:2; Rom. 1:15-16; John 14:27; Rom. 5:1); Jesus is my FAITH (Gal. 2:20; Rom. 3:22,25); Jesus is my SALVATION (Acts 4:12; 1 Thess. 5:9); Jesus is my SWORD and living WORD (Heb. 4:12; John 1:1,14). Thank You for being my/our DEFENSE throughout this day.

As I have put on the whole armor of You, God, I am thankful that I can stand against temptation and stand for the Truth of God (Eph. 6:11,14) that even when evil is around me, it cannot affect me, my family, or my ministry or have any kind of negative, harmful influence upon us because with the whole armor of You on us, God, we shall stand.

As I am strong in You, Lord, and standing for Your Truth, God, I pray that I will be protected and that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel that therefore I will speak boldly, as I ought to speak (vs. 19-20). Lord, thank You for Your protection that we may have the strength and the boldness to carry Your Truth on.

Pray a Hedge of Protection – Ps. 91; Ps. 139:5; Hosea 2:6
(DELIVERANCE)

I pray and ask today, Lord, that You will be a hedge of protection around me and my family (and others whom God prompts me to pray for) so that we shall be protected from temptation and delivered from any kind of evil upon our lives. Lord, as Satan said about Job: “Have You not made (protected him) a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land” (Job 1:10); I pray the same could be said of my family, except I pray that You will not allow the devil and his demons to lay one hand on my family and our possessions or have any kind of control upon us and our possessions.

Lord, as You hedged up the way of Gomer with thorns (Hos. 2:6), I pray that, in such a manner, You will hedge us and make a wall to protect us and keep us from temptation so that we will not find our path to those places, persons, and things that we do not need to be around. I pray, Lord, that You will hedge us behind and before (Ps. 139:5), above and beneath, and around on every side to protect us and keep us safe from temptation, evil, bondage, harm, hurt, injury, danger, or illness.

Lord, I lay hold to the promises of Psalm 91 and the three “becauses” of Psalm 91. Because our family have made You, the Lord, Who is our refuge, even the Most High, our habitation and our “dwelling place” (v. 9), I know that You will be our defense. How thankful I am that “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (v. 1). I know that as we express our praises to You, Lord, that You sit down among us for You inhabit the praises of Your people (Ps. 22:3).

How wonderful to know that because I have made you my dwelling place that “though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion [royal tent]; in the secret place of His tabernacle [the secret place of Your presence in the very center of Your army] He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD” (Ps. 27:3-6).

Lord, because me and my family seek You first above all else and all others, and we cling to You in absolute trust, I lay hold to Your promise that no evil shall befall us, nor shall any plague come near our dwelling; for You shall give Your angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways (Ps. 91:10-11). As we focus our affections upon You, we can identify with David when he said, “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Ps. 34:4). Thank You, for being our defense, and as our defense, You are our deliverance.

I pray a hedge of protection today, Father, around me and my family because You have set Your love upon us (Jer. 31:3; 1 John 4:19) and we have set our love upon You. I lay hold of Your promise that You will deliver us. You said through the Psalmist, “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him” (Ps. 91:14). Father, how wonderful to know that You love those who love You, and to love You, Lord, is to be obedient to Your Word, to follow Your teachings, and to fear You in a positive way. The fear of You, Lord, is where we find wisdom because it causes us to be respectful, teachable, and knowledgeable (Prov. 1:7). Fear of You prolongs our days (Prov. 10:27) and adds satisfying life to our years, void of evil (Prov. 19:23). It is because “the angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them (Ps. 34:7).

Lord, I want to serve You this day out of our love for You. As I do, I am thankful for the promise: “My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me” (Ps. 101:6). Lord, I know that where Your eyes are, Your presence is there also, and where Your presence is, there is defense and deliverance from temptation, evil, and bondage for Your protection is without fail.

Lord God, I pray a hedge of protection today around me and my family because we know Your name. I lay hold of Your promise: “I will set him on high, because he has known My name” (Ps. 91:14). Your name is a strong tower (Prov. 18:10) to us where the righteous can run to it and are safe. I acknowledge our dependence upon You as our strength and shield (Prov. 28:7), our fortress, our high tower, our deliverer, our lovingkindness, our shield, and the One in whom we take refuge (Ps. 144:2). We commit our devotion to You. How encouraging to know that from the end of the earth we can cry unto You and that You will lead us to a rock that is higher than we can imagine. For You have been a shelter for us, a strong tower from the enemy. We will abide in Your tabernacle forever; we will trust in the shelter of Your wings. For You, O God, have heard our vows; You have given us the heritage of those who fear Your name (Ps. 62:2-5).

Therefore, we know that as we shall call upon You, You will answer us. You will be with us in trouble and will deliver us and honor us. With long life You will satisfy us and show us Your salvation (Ps. 91:15-16).

Today, Lord, I thank You for Your hedge of protection around me and my family (and others whom You prompt me to pray for) because we have made You our dwelling place and habitation, and we seek You first above all else; because we have set our love upon You, and we want to serve You; and because we know Your name, and as Your name signifies Who You are and what You want to be in our lives, we submit to You. You are ELOHIM, You are EL-SHADDAI, You are ADONAI, You are our RIGHTEOUSNESS, our SANCTIFIER, our PEACE, our LORD WHO IS THERE, our HEALER, our PROVIDER, our BANNER, our SHEPHERD. You are EL-ELYON, the Lord God Most High.

Therefore as you search us and know us, You have hedged us behind and before (Ps. 139:5), above and beneath, and around on every side as an unbreakable, impenetrable hedge and bubble of protection. We know that we dwell in the secret place of the Most High, and we abide under the shadow of the Almighty. We do say of You, Lord, that You are our refuge and fortress, our God, in You we trust for protection without fail. Assuredly, You will defend and deliver us as You cover us with Your feathers, and we take refuge under Your wings (Ps. 91:1-4), underneath the everlasting arms (Deut. 33:27), knowing that You shall thrust out the enemy from before us. Your truth shall be our shield and buckler. We shall not be afraid by night or day.

I thank You, Heavenly Father, that your hedge of protection is around me and my family and all that we have, on every side, like a nest around bird, like an unbreakable, impenetrable bubble and hedge of protection to keep us safe from harm, hurt, injury, danger, illness, temptation, evil, or bondage this day and every day. I know that Your hedge of protection is around our home, our property, our possessions, our going outs, our coming ins, where we are, where we are going, what we are in or upon, and what we are doing like an unbreakable, impenetrable bubble and hedge of protection to keep these places, possessions, and things safe from damage, destruction, theft, wreck, or mechanical breakdown. I pray, if need be, that angels will appear, unawares or by sight, to protect us, our possessions, and our going outs and our coming ins this day.

Present a Holy Life to the Lord – Rom. 12:1-2
(DIRECTION)

Lord, as I have put on the whole armor of You, God, and as I have prayed a hedge of protection around me, my family, and my ministry (and others whom You have prompted me to intercede for), our possessions, and our going outs and our coming ins, I realize, Lord, that we need to present a holy life to You, Lord. Lord, You have plainly shown us how You would bless us, if we hearken diligently to Your voice, to observe to do all Your commandments and statutes (Deut. 28:1-14), but there are curses that shall be upon us if we hearken not unto Your voice to observe to do all Your commandments (Deut. 28:15).

Lord, my desire is to present a holy life to You, Lord, and in doing so I can be confident that You will protect me, my family, and my ministry without fail. I believe Deuteronomy 28:24-25: “And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us.”

I resolve to strive daily to live out Romans 12:1-2: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” I choose to be not conformed to this world. I want to seek after the things of You, God, more than anything else, not laying up treasures on earth, but laying up treasures in heaven.

I make a choice to be not conformed to the fads, fashions, and frivolities of this world, knowing the “the form (fashion) of this world passes away” (1 Cor. 7:31). I want to make use of this world, but not to misuse and abuse it, in fulfilling Your purpose for my life. I realize the need to be transformed by the renewing of mind daily. I want to be charged spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, financially, and materially each day by the battery charger—Your Word. I will make the Bible a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path (Ps. 119:105), knowing that it will provide the direction to follow in those steps You have ordered (Ps. 37:23) for me in those paths that You have prepared in advance that I should walk in them (Eph. 2:10), being predestined according to the purpose of You, Father, Who works all things after the counsel of Your own will (Eph. 1:11).

I know, Lord, that as I choose to be not conformed to this world, to be charged daily from Your Word, then I will be empowered in such a way that I can help to change this world from worldliness to Godliness, making a difference for Christ with some (Jude 23), for I will be building up myself on my most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping myself in the love of You, God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Jude 20-21).

Lord, I ask and need Your protection today because I want to be used to make a difference for Jesus in this world and to help change it for the best. I do not want it to be said of me: “You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel [USA] to stand in battle on the day of the LORD. . . . So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one” (Ezek. 13:5; 22:30). Lord, I want to be a GAP person, and I know that such a person must prove Your good, acceptable, and perfect will consistently and conscientiously. As I pray a hedge of protection around my life, my family, and my ministry, I want to do so for our church, our city, our county, and our country so that these words of Yours will not be fulfilled: “Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD” (Ezek. 22:31).

Father, I pray today that You will be a hedge of protection and a wall of fire round about me, my family, and my ministry, and that You will be the glory in the midst of us (Zech. 2:5) to defend, deliver, and direct us so that we may have Your protection without fail. I thank You for blessing and protecting the work of our hands and for increasing our possessions, as You increase in our lives while we decrease (John 3:30). Thank You for conferring happiness, protection, provision, and prosperity on us this day. I thank You that we stand today in the victory Jesus Christ has won for me, my family, and my ministry (1 Cor. 15:57).