A prayer based on Psalm 3.

<aside> 🙏🏻 Father, you loved this world by giving us your Son. As we dwell on this great thing you have done, we are amazed at what He went through in order to achieve our salvation. The betrayal by one close to Him. The arrest. The trial. The rejection by the crowd who yelled “Crucify Him, Crucify Him!” The beating and mocking from the hands of soldiers. The ridicule of onlookers who said, “Let God rescue Him.” The death He received on the cross, hanging as one cursed by God. All this because of our sin.

We thank you that He willingly went through all this for us because there was no other way. He knew that it was only by going to the cross and paying the penalty our sin deserved, that He could have a people from all nations for Himself. So He did, full of faith in you, that you would be a shield around Him, and certain of what was to come. As He took His final breath, He committed His Spirit into your hands. He lay down and slept in a grave knowing that He would not be abandoned by raised to life. And because He has, salvation has come to all who take refuge in Him.

Lord Jesus, we love you. We trust you. We need your help and protection for we have many enemies. We are in a spiritual conflict. The devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking to devour us. The rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm are against us. We feel the pressure of this world opposed to you. Our own sinful nature is drawn to sin. And these enemies conspire to undermine our faith in you. They seek to bring us down. To cause us to fall into sin. To make us doubt your love for us. To believe things about you that are not true. Be a shield around us. Thank you that we do not need to fear these foes because by your death and resurrection they have been defeated. Fill us with your Spirit and give us the power we need to resist the lure of this world and to fight against our old nature that we are no longer enslaved to. Keep us safe in your Father’s love. And lift up our heads to see the certain hope we have. That one day we will lie down and sleep until you wake us up our resurrection day to dwell in the house of the Lord forever as you bring us safely through death to eternal life in the new creation.

We long for this day when you take us to be with you. When our salvation will be complete. When never again will the devil, this world opposed to you, and our remaining sinful nature, will be able to harm us. As we wait for that glorious day, give us a taste now of what awaits us. We pray that would know victory over a particular sin. Relief from a particular temptation. That the opposition we face from the world would be removed. Bless us your people, we ask for the glory of your Name.

Amen.

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