“Prayer for Protection from Evil” is an appreciation of how God protects men from committing evil (sin). This is especially so when you and I act with integrity (innocence or good faith).
Therefore, when the people that you are interacting with misrepresent facts (lie) to you, God will protect you. He will keep you from sinning against Him.
”2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife.” 4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? 5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
Genesis 20:2-7English Standard Version (ESV)
In Genesis 20:2-7, it is clear that Abraham and Sarah misrepresented the true state of their relationship to Abimelech. They presented themselves as brother and sister to him, yet they were husband and wife.
Acting on this presentation (misrepresentation), Abimelech took Sarah to be his wife. In a quick rejoinder, God warned Abimelech through a dream that Sarah was actually Abraham’s wife.
Fortunately, Abimelech had not approached Sarah. Therefore, he used this ground to argue his innocence before God. And God confirmed that it is He who had kept him from sinning against Him. He also instructed him to return her.
Prayer for Protection from Evil
Therefore, drawing from Genesis 20:2-7, the prayer for protection from evil aims at three things. For God to:
- Warn you when and where there is a misrepresentation (lie), or there are misrepresentations (lies) that will cause you to commit evil (sin). That is, commit sin without your knowledge.
God warns men through dreams. Therefore, ask Him to reveal the truth to you. He is able to warn you about the lies of men through the same. In so doing, He will keep you from sinning.
- Help you not to covet another man’s thing (especially a wife), thus, take the same.
- Help you act with integrity always.
