Lord's Prayer: Deliver Us From Evilনমুনা

Who is this Evil One? Jesus has a lot to say.

Jesus refers to him as an accuser (this is what the Hebrew word “Satan” means). He calls him a murderer, a liar, and the father of lies. He says he comes to steal and kill and destroy.

Revelation 12 might give the most fascinating picture. Here the devil is pictured as a dragon, enormous and red. He’s eager to devour Jesus and the “woman” who gave him birth (Is this Mary? Israel? The sum total of the people of God – Mary included – leading up to the birth of Christ?)

The dragon is terrifying. But he is not stronger than God. He’s cast down from heaven. He is enraged. He cannot defeat Jesus, the Dragon Slayer. Time and again you see this in the Gospels. It’s a head-to-head showdown, with Jesus casting him out. So in his hate, the dragon goes on to wage war against the people of God – those who call on Jesus’s name. The logic is simple: if he cannot overthrow Jesus, destroy those he loves.

There is an enemy. He’s out to get you. Take heart. Jesus has won!