FAITH CAPSULE: Pray without ceasing, deny the devil from coming to promote his program to you so you can eventually buy into it and fail.

2 Timothy 4:9-18, 1John 2:15-17
 
It is written, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous,but the Lord delivers him out of them all.He guards all his bones;not one of them is broken.Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.” (Psalm 34:19-21) God is forever in the business of delivering His people. God is true to His word. However, God delivering the righteous from their afflictions is rooted in knowledge as stated in Proverbs 11:9, “…but through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.” Paul demonstrates the knowledge that takes to get deliverance by praying for deliverance. Imagine Paul praying for deliverance? He must have been demonstrating the knowledge that deliverance is not only in memorizing and quoting the word neither was it base in the title of man. In as much as Paul was a giant, he never underestimated the work of the enemy. His prayers are evidence of how he constantly looked up to God for his life. Apostle Paul prayed in 2Timothy 4:18, “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” As a believer, with title or no title, do not assume or count on your determination to stand in the face of affliction. Determination failed Peter when he promised not to deny Jesus but eventually denies Jesus three times. Determination fails but prayer prevails. Jesus’ prayer for Peter’s faith not to fail prevailed and he could not be consumed by failure. Pray for your deliverance, it is a way of inviting God to take over in all areas of your life so you can be protected from all that is in the world. All that is in the world will take man down if man fail to take his/her ground praying. It was all that is in the world that brought down Adam and Eve. It was also the same — all that is in the world — that showed up to Jesus after His forty-day fast. 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the father but is of the world.” Is any one of the above operating in your life? This is the more reason why consistent prayer for deliverance and preservation is very important in a man’s life. It is not how important you are, or how strong, or how long you have been in the Lord. Just like Paul, praying your way out of the devil’s way is the way of deliverance and preservation. Pray without ceasing because the devil will come to promote his program to you so you can eventually buy into it and fail. He will come at an opportune time. Stay on your guard by keeping focused in prayer.
 
Prayer for today: Deliver me from every evil work and preserve me O Lord God.