1. TO FRUSTRATE AND BRING TO NOUGHT THE WILL OF THE DEVIL, [II Cor. 2:11] OF THE WORLD [I John 2:15, 16] (wicked persons), AND OF OUR OWN FLESH [Gal. 5:17+] (our natural heart). For these are the great enemies of our souls, who by their EVIL COUNSELS AND PURPOSES WOULD HINDER US FROM HALLOWING THE NAME OF GOD AND PREVENT HIS KINGDOM FROM COMING TO US. They tempt us to oppose God's will by despising His Gospel, disobeying His Commandments, and murmuring against His dealings with us. We pray God 2. TO STRENGTHEN US, [Phil. 2:13] so that we may be able to overcome these enemies and do God's will in spite of them. [Eph. 6:11, 12+] They are very powerful, but if we are in earnest about overcoming them, God will give us the needful strength in answer to our prayer. We pray God 3. TO KEEP US STEADFAST IN HIS WORD IN THE FAITH EVEN OUR END, [Phil. 1:6, I Pet. 4:19] so that we may believe the Gospel with all our heart, live holy Christian lives, trust God to lead us as He sees best, and be faithful unto death, that we may receive the crown of life. QUESTIONS.--1. What do we pray for in this petition? 2. What do we mean by God's will in this petition? 3. How do we pray that God's will may be done? 4. Why is the will of God good and gracious? 5. How is God's will done without our prayer? 6. When do we do God's will? 7. What three things do we pray God to do? 8. What three wills oppose the will of God? 9. What do the devil, the world, and our own flesh seek? 10. Why do we pray God to strengthen us? 11. When do we remain steadfast in God's Word and in the faith? SCRIPTURE VERSES.--I Tim. 2:4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. I Thess. 4:3. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification. Rom. 8:17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ: if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Gal. 5:17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Eph. 6:11, 12. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. READING.--Jesus in Gethsemane, Matt. 26:36-44. CHAPTER XXVIII. THE FOURTH PETITION. Give us this day our daily bread. _What is meant by this Petition?_ God gives, indeed, without our prayer, even to the wicked also, their daily bread; but we pray in this petition that He would make us sensible of His benefits, and enable us to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. _What is implied in the words "our daily bread"?_