Mt:6:9-13:
9 ¶ Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our supersubstantial bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. (DRV)
Not only did Our Lord Jesus Christ teach us to pray that we be delivered from evil (the evil one and all of it's minions), but He gave us power over the evil spirits.
Lk:9:1:
1 ¶ Then calling together the twelve apostles, he gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases. (DRV)
The Apostles following Our Lord Jesus Christ's teaching, taught us to have nothing to do with idolatry and sorcery and magic (which is what the verse below refers to) which is the demons and devils and practices of paganism .
Acts:15:29:
29 That you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication: from which things keeping yourselves, you shall do well. Fare ye well. (DRV)
The risen Jesus Christ prophesies of those who will not turn from the demons and devils and practices of paganism.
Rv:9:21:
21 Neither did they penance from their murders nor from their sorceries nor from their fornication nor from their thefts. (DRV)
We are to have nothing to do with the demons and devils and practices of paganism - and those who are part of that for they have chosen eternal death (damnation) for themselves.
2Cor:2:14-17:
14 Now thanks be to God, who always maketh us to triumph in Christ Jesus and manifesteth the odour of his knowledge by us in every place.
15 For we are the good odour of Christ unto God, in them that are saved and in them that perish.
16 To the one indeed the odour of death unto death: but to the others the odour of life unto life. And for these things who is so sufficient?
17 For we are not as many, adulterating the word of God: but with sincerity: but as from God, before God, in Christ we speak.
(DRV)
Instead we are to remain apart from the demons and devils and practices of paganism and those who are part of that.
2Cor:6:14-18:
14 Bear not the yoke with unbelievers. For what participation hath justice with injustice? Or what fellowship hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath the faithful with the unbeliever?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God: as God saith: I will dwell in them and walk among them. And I will be their God: and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore: Go out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing:
18 And I will receive you. And will be a Father to you: and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
(DRV)
Since we have been delivered from the power of darkness -
Col:1:13:
13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, (DRV)
Our first rank of prayer is against evil and the evil powers so that we remain apart from the infidelity of paganism and others are delivered therefrom into the kingdom of Our Only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For Our Lord Jesus Christ lives and teaches us that there is nocommunion of the kingdom of God and paganism, nor can there ever be.
Jn:1:5:
5 ¶ And the light shineth in darkness: and the darkness did not comprehend it. (DRV)
Therefore by the power of the Cross of Christ (Jn:3:14) we Pray Against Evil and those who chose to be part of that and the wrath of God remains on them -
Jn:3:14-21,36:
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but may have life everlasting.
16 For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son: that whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but may have life everlasting.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world: but that the world may be saved by him.
18 He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the judgment: Because the light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than the light: for their works were evil.
20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved.
21 But he that doth truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest: because they are done in God.
36 He that believeth in the Son hath life everlasting: but he that believeth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him.
(DRV)
The early Church did the same, they Prayed Against Evil and the practitioners thereof, and the Church has always done this. From the Liturgy of St. Mark:
Bless our meetings, O Lord.
Utterly uproot all idolatry from the world.
Crush under our feet Satan.
Humble now, as at all times, the enemies of Thy Church.
Lay bare their pride.
Speedily show them their weakness.
Bring to naught the wicked plots they contrive against us.
Arise, O Lord, and let Thine enemies be scattered, and let all who hate Thy holy name be put to flight.
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