Recently, in my pastoral work around the parish, I have become aware of some of our folks working through times that are both challenging and testing. These times have reminded me again of a prayer, originally written by Derek and Ruth Prince, that I pray several times each week in my personal devotions, not as some sort of blind mantra or formula, but spoken out loud into the heavenlies as an act of my faith in God. I feel it is a good time to again bring it before us all, so that others may also stand firm against our enemy who does indeed 1 Peter 5:8 – prowl “around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Please use this prayer often (or others like it) for we are all overcomers 1 John 5:4 – “everyone born of God overcomes the world.”
Declaration of Confidence in God’s Protection
No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper and every tongue which rises against me in judgment I do condemn. This is my heritage as a servant of the Lord and my righteousness is from you, O Lord of hosts.
If there are those who have been speaking or praying against me, or seeking harm or evil to me, or who have rejected me, I forgive them (name people if you know them). Having forgiven them, I bless them in the name of the Lord.*
Now I declare, O Lord, that You and You alone are my God, and besides You there is no other – a just God and a Saviour, the Father, the Son and the Spirit – and I worship You! I submit myself afresh to You today/tonight in unreserved obedience. Having submitted to You, Lord, I do as Your Word directs.
I resist the devil: all his pressures, his attacks, his deceptions, every instrument or agent he would use against me. I do not submit! I resist him; drive him from me and exclude him from me in the Name of Jesus. Specifically I reject and repel: infirmity, pain, infection, inflammation, malignancies, allergies, viruses, (name any other sicknesses), every form of witchcraft and every type of stress.
Finally, Lord, I thank You that through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, I have passed out from under the curse and entered into the blessing of Abraham whom You blessed in all things:**, exaltation, health, reproductiveness, prosperity, victory, God’s favour and God’s friendship. Amen
* See Matthew 5:43-45, Romans 12:14
** See Galatians 3:13-14, Genesis 24:1