Lie: You don’t have time to pray.
The devil hates prayer. In the Manual For Spiritual Warfare (MSW), author Paul Thigpen says,
“We can see how much the Devil fears those who pray since there’s not a moment of the day when he tempts us more than when we’re at prayer. He does everything he possibly can to prevent us from praying. When the Devil wants to make someone lose his soul, he starts out by inspiring in him a profound distaste for prayer.
However good a Christian he may be, if the Devil succeeds in making him either say his prayers badly or neglect them altogether, he’s certain to have that person for himself.”
In our busy lives, we can easily fall into the trap of believing we don’t have time to pray. Yet, the Bible does not give us an excuse, but a command regarding prayer. “Pray unceasingly” (Eph. 6:18). Jesus implores his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Rise and pray, that you should not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:46).
The rosary is a prayer the devil can’t stand. Say the rosary!
Shorter prayers can be powerful as well. By learning certain “ejaculatory prayers”, we can offer a quick response when we feel tempted during the day. An ejaculatory prayer is a secret and sudden lifting up of the soul’s desires to God, for any emergency that may occur.
One may engage in this prayer by a simple thought darted up to heaven. The devil would like us not to use this method of prayer. He knows the power that these types of prayers have because they reveal the faith of the one praying.
The following are a few ejaculatory prayers to remember:
‘Jesus, Mary, Joseph, be my Salvation.’
‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Known as The Jesus Prayer)
‘My God & my all!’
‘Jesus, Mary, I love You. Save souls.’
‘God, come to my assistance; Lord, make haste to help me.’
‘May the Holy Cross be my light.’ (Jubilee Medal of St. Benedict)
See also Can We Really Pray Without Ceasing?
