Di last request for di Prayer wey Our Lord teach us resemble di request wey come before am, but e carry more urgency and e focus small for another thing. Di chapter before this one reflect on di sixth request—“No lead us enter temptation”—wey we take ask God make di temptations or trials wey we dey face no overpower us. Na humble way to admit say we weak and we need His strength to understand those temptations and trials as tests wey God allow, wey fit later draw us enter life wey holy pass, and make us share more fully for God Kingdom and His eternal glory. That request dey more about prevention: we dey seek grace so that our suffering no go take over all our thoughts or make us lose hope, but make we continue to get hope and stand firm reach di end through every test wey God allow.
For this last request, our plea come get more urgency. Apart from di temptations and trials wey we dey face, we acknowledge say di wicked one—the devil or satan—dey, e get power, and e dey cause harm. We dey pray make we free from am, from all im evil works, and from di danger of eternal condemnation. This request na prayer for deliverance, protection, and eternal hope.
“For this request, evil no be just one idea wey no get person behind am; e refer to one person, Satan, di Evil One, di angel wey oppose God. Di devil (dia-bolos) na di one wey ‘throw imself across’ God plan and di work of salvation wey God accomplish for Christ” (CCC #2851).
How to Overcome di Evil One
Di Greek phrase for di seventh request—“Free us from evil”—na rhysai hēmas apo tou ponērou. Di verb rhysai mean “rescue,” “free,” or “snatch comot,” and, like di first five requests, e dey for di aorist imperative form—wey express one appeal for God to intervene wey urgent and decisive, and wey carry di sense say make e happen now-now and completely. E present di act of deliverance as something wey settle di matter completely, no be something wey still dey go on or wey happen only in part. Remember from di chapter before this one say di request “No lead us enter temptation” na di only request wey no dey for di aorist imperative form. Instead, e use di aorist subjunctive to express one humble request or one plea wey reverently ask make something no happen—no allow us enter temptation, or make we no give in to am.
Di phrase apo tou ponērou get di translation “from evil” or, to make di meaning more exact, “from di evil one.” Di word ponēros fit refer to evil generally, but di definite article (tou) wey dem use strongly suggest say na person wey get power—satan, di evil one. So, this request na direct plea make God free us from di devil imself and all im works; di translation wey bring out di meaning better na “Free us from di evil one.” So this seventh request move from di humble request wey we make for di sixth one—say make God sustain us when temptation and trial come—to one urgent cry for complete protection from di evil one and all di spiritual harm wey e dey try cause.
Study About Demons
Holy Scripture and di Sacred Tradition of di Church confirm say demons dey—angels wey fall because dem rebel against God through pride, and dem cast dem comot from Heaven. Even though dem still get di natural powers wey dem get as spirits, dem now dey use these powers to oppose God plan and di work of making souls holy. Satan, their leader, na di one wey dem call “di prince of this world” (John 12:31) and “di father of lies” (John 8:44). Im main aim na to accuse, deceive, divide, and destroy wetin God create and redeem.
As di Catechism teach, di devil na “‘[one] murderer from di beginning,…one liar and di father of lies,’ Satan na ‘di deceiver of di whole world.’ Na through am sin and death enter di world, and through di defeat wey go finish am completely, everything wey God create go ‘free from di corruption of sin and death’” (CCC #2852).
Di attacks wey demons dey launch no dey always get di same force or purpose. Sometimes, dem dey act for ways wey no easy to notice, through suggestions, confusion, or by using person feelings to control am. Other times, especially when one soul dey draw near God for holiness or when one person or society open itself to serious sin, di attacks dey become more direct—dem fit show as obsession, oppression, or, for rare cases, when demon possess person body. Still, even for cases wey serious like this, demons no fit directly possess or control di spiritual powers of di soul—di power to understand and di free will. Di Church, through her spiritual discernment and care for her people—including di ministry of exorcism—recognize these things as real and confront dem. Demons no fit touch di inner sanctuary of di soul except for di ways wey God permit, and dem no fit ever go beyond wetin grace fit overcome. Even so, demons hatred na real, and their efforts fierce.
Di seventh request—“Free us from di evil one”—na how we dey acknowledge this war wey eye no dey see every day. No be only plea for protection from temptation and trial; na also plea make God free us from di wicked will of spirits wey get intelligence, whose only aim na to destroy us forever. Through this prayer, we dey put ourselves completely for di care of God power, with confidence say “di one wey dey inside una greater pass di one wey dey for di world” (1 John 4:4).
When di Battle Become More Fierce
Just like request number six, wey we take beg God for the grace to endure trials and overcome temptations, this request number seven dey do the same thing—but with more urgency and strength. The difference dey for where the trouble come from. For request number six, we dey ask for grace to overcome any kind suffering wey God allow as He dey guide and care for everything: sickness, loss, persecution, injustice, or even temptation wey rise from weakness or disorder inside us, together with temptations wey God allow. Even though these trials dey painful, no be every time dem get direct link to beings wey be source of evil—demons.
But request number seven recognize one kind trial wey more direct and dangerous—the ones wey the evil one deliberately bring upon us by im own action. No be only plea for strength inside hardship; na also plea make God rescue us completely from the wicked plan of satan, wey im aim no be just to weaken us, but to destroy us. This battle don become more serious: “Make una get clear mind and stay alert. Una enemy, the devil, dey prowl around like lion wey dey roar, dey look for person to swallow. Stand against am, stand firm for faith, as una know say una fellow believers for the whole world dey pass through the same sufferings” (1 Peter 5:8–9).
Think of one woman wey dey struggle with addiction. For the kind situation wey request number six concern, she fit experience temptation from inside herself—strong desire to go back to using opioids, wey memories or emotional weakness stir up. With God im grace, she resist am. But now, think of one darker situation: the person wey dey sell drugs to her before come without invitation, offer her drugs free, and join am with pressure, tricks to control her, or even threats about spiritual things. This one no be only temptation from inside again—na attack from outside wey dem aim directly at her. The evil one dey use other people, situations, or even demons themselves to trap the soul with deliberate wickedness. Request number seven na plea make God rescue us from these stronger attacks.
Sometimes, the evil one dey use all the powers wey im get by nature—to entice, threaten, control with tricks, deceive, and accuse—because of im foul hatred and pride wey nothing fit satisfy. When the devil attack more directly, we must respond with more urgency and humility, dey beg God make He pour out even more of His protection upon us. For moments like this, request number seven become like rope wey fit save our spiritual life, one desperate cry from the battlefield: Father, rescue us from the evil one and all im works!
Examples from Wetin Don Happen Before
E important make we recognize the times for history when the evil one im influence don show with unusual clarity—whether through individuals, systems of belief, or widespread corruption of moral life. These ones no be ordinary human failures, but stronger attacks from the devil, where e be like say satan and im demons don gain serious influence over cultures, movements, or even whole societies.
For example, think about how governments wey claim total control over every part of people life rise for the twentieth century, especially Nazism and Communism. Both systems of belief openly deny God, and dem follow organized plans to replace Him with the worship of the state, race, or social class as idols. This one directly lead to the slaughter of millions of people. Pope Pius XII, together with many writers of that time wey write about spiritual life and theology, recognize say these movements no be just political happenings, but deep spiritual crises wey get root for humanity im rejection of God. The terrible cruelty wey show for the Holocaust, Stalin im mass purges, and the widespread suppression of freedom of religion reveal deep hatred for the image of God wey dey imprinted on every human soul—one disturbing sign wey mark the devil im rage.
Another example na how culture don sink enter the “culture of death” for modern times. The way plenty people don accept abortion, euthanasia, the twisting of human sexuality, and the changing of wetin family mean no be just changes for society. Na coordinated attacks on the foundations of life and love as God will them. As Pope Saint John Paul II warn for im encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), we dey face one “structure of sin” wey “take the form of a real ‘culture of death.’” This one dey result in attack from the devil against the people wey least fit protect themselves—especially unborn children, the weak, and old people—wey dem dey treat as if dem no be human beings and throw away.
We also see this stronger battle for personal life inside the lives of some saints. Saint John Vianney endure attacks from the devil every night as e dey lead countless souls to repentance. Demonic powers likewise torment Saint Padre Pio for body and spirit, because of im extraordinary spiritual gifts and im ministry of confession. These saints remind us say holiness dey bring opposition—but also say Christ im victory sure for those wey remain faithful.
These times when evil grow stronger remind us why we dey pray: “Rescue us from the evil one.” Dem call us, as members of the Mystical Body of Christ, to stay alert, get courage, and, above all, put confident trust in the power of Christ, Who come into the world “to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). For every age, the Lord dey raise saints and shepherds to confront evil, and the power of this request dey remain as both shield and sword for the battle for souls.
Examples from Your Life
You don ever see hatred wey strong so much or behaviour wey no follow reason, sotey shock make you talk say, “This one no make sense!” Evil no dey ever follow reason. E no stand on truth, but on hatred and destruction. When di attacks of di evil one become stronger, di confusion and disorder wey dey inside am often dey leave faithful people puzzled, confused, or shaken. Evil no dey ever “make sense” to mind wey dey reason well.
To make person lose direction na one of di devil tactics. If e no fit lure us enter sin, e go try use fear and confusion hold us down so we no go fit cooperate with God grace. Wetin e want na to block God work for our lives by weakening our peace, trust, and hope. We must recognise these tactics, expose dem, and rebuke dem for di Name of Jesus Christ—with firmness, confidence, and spiritual authority wey get root for grace.
Many times, these attacks no dey come through arguments wey follow reason or accusations wey clear; dem dey subtle and dem dey touch person deep inside. Di fear, confusion, and unrest wey dem dey cause for our feelings dey disturb di peace of our inner life and our relationship with other people. These disturbances from di devil fit arise inside families, workplaces, communities, and systems of government—anywhere wey people dey relate with one another.
Sometimes, di evil one dey try disgrace or frighten one soul, leaving di soul inside cloud of darkness and doubt. When this kind thing happen, our sure defence na this last request for di Prayer wey di Lord teach us. Na spiritual sword for our hands and shield for our hearts. When we pray am with faith, we put ourselves for di care of God, wey be our refuge and stronghold, and wey no go ever abandon His children.
If you find yourself under this kind attack, remember to turn to di One wey be your source of strength and victory—Jesus Christ. Di attacks wey demons bring against Him no follow reason, dem no stop, and dem full of blind hatred. E no do anything to deserve dem, but E endure dem completely and come out victorious. Through His Cross, E conquer satan and all im works. When we unite ourselves with His Passion, we share for that victory and we receive deliverance from evil—no be by our own strength, but by His own.
Also rely on di Blessed Virgin Mary, as she dey intercede for us and protect us as our mother. As she dey united with her Son, na dem be di true victors. We go share their victory when we rely on their authority over di evil one:
“Dem win victory over di ‘prince of this world’ once and for all for di Hour when Jesus freely hand Himself over to death so E go give us His life. This na di judgment of this world, and dem ‘cast out’ di prince of this world. ‘E pursue di woman’ but e no get power over her: di new Eve, wey ‘full of grace’ of di Holy Spirit, dey preserved from sin and from di decay wey death dey cause (di Immaculate Conception and di Assumption of Mary, di Most Holy Mother of God, wey remain virgin forever). ‘Then di dragon vex for di woman, and go wage war against di rest of her children.’ Na why di Spirit and di Church dey pray: ‘Come, Lord Jesus,’ because His coming go deliver us from di Evil One” (CCC #2853).
To Pray di Prayer Wey di Lord Teach Us Na Our Remedy
Make we consider one last passage from di Catholic Church Katekisim (#2854), wey dey give us sure and certain hope say we go overcome every attack from di evil one:
“When we ask for deliverance from di Evil One, we also dey pray make we dey free from every evil—di ones wey dey now, di ones wey don pass, and di ones wey still dey come—wey e start or push people to do. For this last request, di Church dey bring all di suffering of di world before di Father. Together with deliverance from di evils wey dey overwhelm human beings, she dey beg for di precious gift of peace and di grace to persevere as we dey wait for Christ to return. As she dey pray like this, with humble faith she dey look forward to when everybody and everything go gather together for Him wey get ‘di keys of Death and Hades,’ wey ‘dey, wey don dey before, and wey dey come, di Almighty.’
Lord, we beg You, deliver us from every evil and give us peace for our time, so that, with di help of Your mercy, we go always dey free from sin and under Your protection from every worry, as we dey wait for di blessed hope and di coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
From di Lowest to di Highest
For one sense, di lowest moments wey we dey experience for earth na di times when di attacks of di evil one dey strongest. Dem be “lowest” no be because dem don defeat us, but because we come face to face with di one wey low pass and fall pass among all di creatures wey God make: di evil one imself.
Through the Lord’s Prayer, God dey invite us to face those moments, no be with fear but with faith, as we trust say the Father go protect us perfectly and care for us according to His plan. When we pray this last request with our whole mind, clear understanding, and the strong belief wey come from deep inside us, God no dey only shield us. He dey draw us enter the heights of His own glory, and turn those moments wey we dey lowest into the greatest way wey His power and glory go show. He dey place us among the different ranks of angels for heaven, where we join their hymn wey no dey end: “Holy, Holy, Holy na the Lord God Almighty, Who bin dey, Who dey, and Who go come!”
Even the most fierce attacks wey the evil one fit bring fit become occasions for God’s glory to show, when we surrender to grace and allow Christ’s victory to show for the way we dey live. As our Lord talk, “Make una no fear those wey dey kill the body but no fit kill the soul; instead, make una fear the One wey fit destroy both soul and body for Gehenna” (Matthew 10:28).
The evil one no fit throw us enter Gehenna. E no get that kind authority. Na only God, for His perfect Justice, get that power. So, when we nurture the Gift of Fear for the Lord inside our souls—a gift wey dey make us stay alert to avoid everything wey dey offend His divine majesty, and stand strong to reject the evil one’s lies and tactics—we get everything wey we need to overcome every attack from demons.
Because “Na fear of the LORD be the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10), we now turn to the Gift of Ogbon as the light and guide wey we need, the highest of the Spirit’s seven gifts, and the gift wey dey crown those wey stand firm for Christ’s victory.
Gift of the Holy Spirit: Ogbon
Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas connect “Save us from evil” with the Gift of Ogbon, one of the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. This divine gift dey perfect the theological virtue of love by making the soul fit:
- Judge everything with God’s light.
- Taste the sweetness of Divine Truth.
- Experience God Himself—no be only to know about Him.
Through Ogbon, the soul dey get small taste in advance of the Beatific Vision. This knowledge wey come through experience dey draw us closer to God and make us fit:
- Love wetin God loves.
- Hate wetin dey against Him.
For this request, the Gift of Ogbon dey make the faithful fit:
- See how terrible and real evil be—no be only as e dey show for outside, but for wetin e really be: to reject God.
- Long to separate from everything wey dey against God’s holiness.
- Understand say the real enemy no be only danger from outside, but the evil one, sin, and anything wey fit threaten our union with God wey go last forever.
So, when we pray “Save us from evil,” wetin we dey beg for pass everything else na:
- Make God keep us safe from the evil one.
- Make God free us from the power wey sin get over us.
- Make God protect us from everything wey fit cut off our union with Him.
Ogbon—the highest of the Gifts—dey make our spiritual sight sharper. E dey show us:
- The enemy’s tricks wey no easy to notice.
- How the promises of this world be empty.
- The glory of divine love wey nothing fit compare with.
With the Gift of Ogbon, we dey learn to see:
- Life, suffering, joy, and even death from the view of eternity.
- Say no evil—no matter how great e be—fit overcome the person wey dey rest for the heart of Divine Love.
The soul wey Ogbon don give light dey hold God tight with trust wey no dey shake, and e dey long for perfect union with Him, with full confidence for His power to save.
The Beatitude: “Blessed Na Those Wey Dey Make Peace”
Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas connect the seventh request with the seventh Beatitude: “Blessed na those wey dey make peace, because dem go call dem children of God” (Matthew 5:9). To ask God to save us from evil no be only prayer for our own safety—na to beg make we become like God for His peace, and carry that peace reach the world wey sin and division don trap.
True person wey dey bring peace no be just person wey dey avoid quarrel, but person wey dey actively use the power of grace take put things back for their right order. Peace, when e complete, na the calm wey right order dey bring—order wey start inside the soul, flow enter our relationships, and reach im fullness for communion with God. Person wey dey bring peace na person wey God don deliver from evil inside im heart, and because of this, e come become vessel wey God dey use reconcile people outside.
This Beatitude dey call us to imitate Christ, the Prince of Peace, wey use His Cross destroy the enmity between Heaven and earth. Through Him, no be only peace with God we receive; dem still give us mission to carry that peace go meet others. We fit do this only if we ourselves first receive deliverance from evil: from slavery to sin, from hatred, from pride, and from every influence wey dey scatter the harmony wey grace dey bring inside us.
So, when we pray “Deliver us from evil,” we dey also pray make we become people wey dey bring peace—souls wey don fully reconcile with God, so that we dey carry His peace enter the world. And as we dey do this, dem dey call us “children of God,” because we resemble the Son wey reconcile all things inside Himself.
Make Our Desires Agree with God’s Own
This last request for the Lord’s Prayer dey draw our hearts reach one important point: to recognize say true deliverance dey come only when our hearts pure and wetin we desire agree fully with the will of God. Every spiritual battle, every temptation, and every trial dey expose no be only the tricks of the evil one, but also the disorder inside our own hearts. The devil dey work pass where weakness, confusion, or attachment to sin dey. We must pray no be only for protection from outside, but also for change inside us. Na cry for our hearts to desire wetin God desire, so that evil go lose im hold on us.
Wisdom as Your Weapon
Temptation get power when our hearts divide. But when the Wisdom of God dey guide our hearts, na God alone we go focus on. Evil go show im true face and lose im power to persuade us. People wey get wisdom dey see the world clearly because dem dey see with the eyes of God. Dem no dey only ask make dem escape evil; dem dey ask make God change dem so much that evil no go attract dem again. Na this be the main thing for spiritual maturity.
- Wetin I truly desire?
- I dey long for comfort pass holiness?
- I dey seek safety pass to surrender myself to God?
- I dey crave make people approve of me pass truth?
- I dey fear evil pass as I love God?
When we pray this request from our hearts, e dey help put these desires wey no dey their right place back for order according to the mind of God. E dey teach us make we no see evil as something to fear, but as something to conquer in Christ. E dey remind us say true freedom no be freedom from suffering or opposition, but freedom from sin. The goal no be just to survive spiritual warfare; na to come out of am holy, victorious, and fully like Christ, as we dey cry out “Abba, Papa” and “Make dem hold Your Name holy!,” even inside every test wey God permit.
To make our desires agree with this request na to welcome God’s grace even as we dey suffer spiritual affliction. Na to proclaim with the angels and saints say we dey for the hands of my Father, even inside the storm. Soul wey dey pray like this no dey let the threats of the evil one paralyse am, make e give in to temptation or obsession. Instead, deeper confidence for the Father’s love dey carry am forward towards Heaven.
To Reject satan
Every request for the Lord’s Prayer dey draw us deeper into union with God, and this last plea, wey we pray from the lowest place of attacks from the devil, dey free us from the enemy, from our fears, our pride, and our attachments wey no dey right order, so that we fit rise reach the highest place for God’s Kingdom. When that deliverance happen inside us, evil no get claim on us again, and God dey reign.
For Easter every year, and for different other liturgical celebrations, dem dey invite us to renew our baptismal promises. The first of those promises na to reject satan, all im works, and all im empty show three times. Profess those promises here and make dem prayer wey you go continue to pray:
- You reject Satan? I reject am.
- And all im works? I reject dem.
- And all im empty show? I reject am.
Another version for the Roman Missal get the same power:
- You reject sin so that you go live for the freedom of the children of God? I reject am.
- You reject the way evil dey entice you, so that sin no go get control over you? I reject am.
- You reject Satan, the one wey start sin and the prince of sin? I reject am.
To reject the evil one no enough. After we reject am, dem dey invite us to profess our faith in God three times through the words of the Creed. Use that profession of faith every time you feel say the evil one dey attack you:
- You believe in God, the almighty Father, Creator of heaven and earth? I believe.
- You believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, wey Virgin Mary born, wey suffer death and dem bury Am, wey rise again from among the dead and sidon for the Father right hand? I believe.
- You believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the body, and life wey no go ever end? I believe.
For your time of greatest trouble, no cry out with fear, but with faith—faith in the One wey don already win the victory. Reject satan, im works and im lies, and declare your faith in God. Join your desire with the desire of the whole Church, dey beg make the victory become complete for all of us, so that for every battle wey we face, we go fit talk with confidence: “Rescue us, O Lord, from the evil one.”
Make We Pray:
Our Father, You wey dey for Heaven, protect us from the evil one, from every attack wey e launch, and from the punishment for hell wey no go ever end, wey e want make we suffer. We be Your children in Christ, Your sons and daughters wey You love; protect us with Your care as our Father. When You allow the wicked attacks of the evil one, I know say na for my good and the good of all Your children. Together with the whole Church, for those moments, I dey cry out, “Holy, Holy, Holy na You, Lord God the Almighty, wey dey, wey bin dey, and wey go come, now and forever. Amen, Amen, Amen!
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