The Third Petition

Thus far we have prayed that God's name be hallowed by us and his kingdom flourish among us. These two points include all that pertains to God's honor and the appropriation of God with all his treasures, which is our salvation. But right here there is great need that we hold firmly to these treasures and never suffer ourselves to be torn from them. For as in a good government there must be not only magistrates and rulers, but also defenders, protectors and guardians, so here, when we have prayed for the most important things—for the Gospel, for faith and the Holy Spirit, for divine guidance and deliverance from the devil's power—we must pray that God's will be done. If we are to remain in possession of these treasures, we must suffer an astonishing amount of attacks and blows on their account from all who venture to hinder and thwart the fulfilment of the first two petitions.

For no one is aware how the devil opposes and tries to thwart their fulfilment; it is he who cannot suffer any person to teach or believe the truth, and it causes him indescribable pain when his lies and abominations, honored under the beautiful cloak of God's name, are disclosed and exposed in all their disgrace, and he himself is expelled from our hearts and a breach is made in his kingdom. Therefore, like an angry fool, he chafes and rages with all his might and power, and marshals all his subjects, calling to his help the world and our flesh as his allies. For our flesh in itself is corrupt and inclined to evil, even after we accept and believe God's Word. The world, too, is perverse and wicked. See him incite our passions, see him blow into the flames and fan them! and all this to hinder us, to drive us back and once more to subject us to his power. That is his only purpose, his desire and thought, for which he strives without rest day and night; employing all the arts, all the malicious devices, ways and means he can invent to accomplish it.

Therefore, we who would be Christians must not fail to calculate upon having the devil with all his angels, as well as the world, for our enemies, who will prepare all kinds of sorrow and misfortune for us. For wherever God's Word is preached, is accepted or believed, and bears fruit, there the dear, holy cross of persecution will not be wanting. Let no one think that he will live in peace; rather that he must risk all he has upon earth—possessions, honor, home and estate, wife and child, body and life. Now, this causes sorrow to our flesh and the old Adam; for it means that we must continue steadfast and suffer with patience whatever may befall us, and that we must surrender what is taken from us. Hence, it is necessary in this, as in every other case, that we pray without ceasing: Thy will be done, dear Father, and not the will of the devil or of our enemies, nor of those who would persecute and destroy thy Word, or prevent thy kingdom from coming; and grant that all we have to suffer because of it may be borne with patience and be overcome, thus saving our poor flesh from yielding or falling through weakness or indolence.

Observe that in these three petitions interests which concern God have been the object of our sincere prayer; still, in our own behalf have we prayed. We have pleaded what intimately concerns us when we have asked for that to take place also in us which in any event will take place without us. For, as God's name must be hallowed and his kingdom must come without our prayers, so his will must be done and prevail although Satan and all his host arise and storm and rage against it in the attempt to utterly exterminate the Gospel. But for our own sakes, we must pray that his will be done also among us without hindrance, in spite of their raging, with the result that they accomplish nothing and we remain steadfast in the face of all violence and persecution, submitting to the will of God.

Such a prayer should be our protection and defense and our help in repelling and overcoming all that the devil, the pope, bishops, tyrants and heretics can do against the Gospel. Let every one of them rage and try himself, let him plan and scheme how to weaken and exterminate us to the advancement and establishment of their will and counsel. One or two Christians opposing them with this single petition shall be our bulwark against which they shall hurl themselves to destruction. It is our solace and our boast that the will and design of the devil and of all our enemies must and shall fail and come to naught, however proud and secure and powerful they think themselves. For, unless their will is broken and baffled, God's kingdom on earth cannot abide nor his name be hallowed.