“You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

Acts 10:37-38

Dear God, I started to cover more verses this morning, but verse 38 kind of stopped me. Peter’s description of Jesus’s activities in this world was that he did good and healed all who were oppressed by the devil. What an interesting summation of Jesus’s earthly activities pre-crucifixion. Of course, he left some things out like teaching and revealing you to us. Also challenging the church authorities. But it was including Satan specifically that made me wonder if I don’t need to do that more as I pray for people, including myself.

I was at a National Day of Prayer meeting last night, and while I was praying silently while others prayed, I was taking a bit of an inventory of the tragedies and hard things I had witnessed or heard about during the week. I know of two children in our local schools whose mother died by suicide on Sunday after a very complicated life (I’ll keep what I learned to myself and not type it here for her privacy’s sake). I talked with a grandmother who has relocated her life a couple of times to help her daughter care for her two children because the daughter has had drug issues. The list seemingly goes on and on. There’s so much brokenness. So much addiction. So much pain. I forget who is behind it all. I forget who is whispering anger, hatred, indignation, bitterness, self-righteousness, fear, etc. into people’s ears. It’s Satan and his demons. Yes, I believe in spiritual warfare. I believe there are powers and principalities of this world and then there are the angels and my Triune God on the other side. I believe that sometimes I am completely in tune with you and experiencing the fruit of your Spirit, and then there are other times when I give in to the self-indulgence of my rights, my opinions being right and others wrong, and the need to feel superior to others. I give in to fear and let it motivate me. I create idols that I look to for my peace instead of you and you alone.

Father, Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. You came to give me life. I pray for those in my sphere who are really struggling right now. I am running their names through my head. They are looking for you. They just don’t know they are looking for you. Help them to find you, whether through me or someone else you raise up to be in their lives. Heal hearts. Oh, Father, redeem the pain I’ve seen or know of just from this week. Oh, Jesus, heal. Oh, Holy Spirit, comfort and counsel.

I offer this prayer to you, Father, in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen