“But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” — 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (BSB)
“We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” — 1 John 5:18–19 (BSB)
“The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul.” — Psalm 121:7 (BSB)
The “evil” in view includes both personal sin and external threats—temptation, persecution, spiritual deception, suffering, and satanic opposition. I ask for protection, not in my strength, but in God’s. This prayer is an act of faith: I place my life under Christ’s rule and trust that nothing can separate me from His love.
This petition also reminds me that I live in a world under spiritual warfare. Evil is real, but God is greater. I do not fight alone. Christ has triumphed over sin, death, and the devil. In Him, I have victory, even as I still struggle. I pray this daily because the battle is daily—and God’s grace is sufficient.
Canon Dr. Joel Scandrett (Trinity School for Ministry) writes, “This prayer trains us to resist despair, fear, and presumption. It is the prayer of a soldier in the field, looking to the Captain for strength, and to the Savior for rescue.”
Bishop Julian Dobbs (Diocese of the Living Word, ACNA) explains, “We live in a fallen world, but we serve a risen King. To pray ‘deliver us from evil’ is to declare that Christ is our Shield and Deliverer.”
The 1662 Book of Common Prayer reflects this cry for deliverance in the Great Litany (“Good Lord, deliver us”) and in its closing prayers that entrust the Church and the individual into God’s keeping. The Eucharist itself proclaims our deliverance through the cross and resurrection of Jesus.
J.C. Ryle wrote, “This is a prayer for the present and the final hour. Deliver me from the sin I fear today, and from the evil day that is to come. Deliver me from myself, the world, and the devil.” (Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 1865)
Archbishop Foley Beach (ACNA) has said, “When you say, ‘Deliver us from evil,’ you are asking the risen Christ to step into your weakness with His power. You are praying as a child held fast by the Father.”
This petition glorifies Christ because it proclaims His victory over evil, expresses trust in His protection, and longs for the full redemption He will bring.
St. Cyprian of Carthage (c. 200–258 AD): “This is not a prayer of fear, but of faith. We do not trust in our strength, but in Him who overcame the world.” — On the Lord’s Prayer, 22
St. Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335–395 AD): “To be delivered from evil is to be delivered into holiness, to pass from darkness to light, and from the tyranny of the enemy to the reign of Christ.” — On the Lord’s Prayer, 6
St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407 AD): “We ask for deliverance not merely from pain, but from sin. For it is better to suffer in Christ than to be comfortable in evil.” — Homily on Matthew, 19
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
An Ancient Worship Movement invites readers into the rich, historic worship of the early Church rediscovered through the Anglican tradition. This book calls believers into a deeper, Spirit-filled encounter with Christ through timeless practices.
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