Prayer And The Devil

Audi esse diabolum peccatorem. Scriptum est: Ab initio diabolus peccat. Iam vero facinerosum et iniuriosum quis ignorat? Quid tam facinerosum est, quam homicida? Quis prior hominem occidit, nisi qui Adam decepit? Et iniuriosus ipse est, qui contra iustitiam facit, quia in veritate numquam stetit. Contra istum facinerosum et iniuriosum cantatur: Domine libera me de manu facinerosi et iniuriosi. Noli contra vicinum tuum calumniatorem, noli contra potentem qui movit limitem tuum, noli contra ipsum insidiatorem qui te parat occidere. Isti enim omnes homines sunt, qui tibi insidiantur. Caro sunt, sanguis sunt, transeunt. Audi Apostolum dicentem: Non est vobis colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem. Ergo, adversus quos est colluctatio? Contra quos dicendum est: Libera me Domine de manu peccatoris et de manu facinerosi et iniuriosi? Non est vobis, inquit, colluctatio adversus carnem et sanguinem, sed adversus principes et potestates et rectores mundi tenebrarum harum, adversus spiritalia nequitiae in caelestibus. Hominem vitando caves, diabolum orando. Vitatur enim hostis visibilis, ut ubi ille adest, tu ibi non sis; vitas enim quem vides. Quomodo vitabis quem non vides? Orando. Ora contra illum: tela tua, orationis sunt. Tu taces, ideo ille insidiatur; oras, et ille ardet. Sed ex affectu ora, quo gratis amas. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Sermo 22A, Sermo de Responsorio Psalmi LXXI: 'Deus meus, erue me de menu peccatoris.' Source: Migne PL 38.226-227

Hear that the devil is a sinner. It is written, 'From the beginning the devil sinned.' 1 Who does not know that he is a vicious and lawless? What is so vicious as murder? Who was the first to kill a man, but he who led Adam astray? And he is lawless who acts against justice, since he has never remained in the truth. It is against this one who is vicious and lawless that we sing, 'Lord, deliver me from the hand of the vicious and lawless one.' It is not sung against your neighbor who speaks ill of you, or against some powerful man who moves your fence, or against the thief prepared to murder you. These are all men who plot against you. They are flesh, they are blood, they pass away. Listen to the Apostle saying, 'Your wrestling is not against flesh and blood.' 2 So who is the wrestling against? Against whom do we have to say 'Deliver me, Lord, from the hand of the sinner and from the hand of the vicious and lawless one. Your wrestling, he says, is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and the powers and the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 3 You guard yourself against a man by avoiding him, against the devil by praying. For a visible enemy can be avoided, so that wherever he is, you may not be, for you are avoiding someone you can see. But how will you avoid him you cannot see? By praying. Pray against him. Your weapons are prayers. You keep silent, therefore he seizes you. You pray, and you set fire on him. But pray from love, to Him whom you love freely. Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Sermon 22a , On The Response from Psalm 71, 'My God, deliver me from the hand of the sinner.' 1 Jn 3.8 2 Ephes 6.12