Here is a list of prayers for practical everyday use in relation to spiritual warfare. These prayers of the Church should help to offer you and your family spiritual protection and peace in Christ. Some of these prayers can be prayed individually or by the whole family.
There can be dark nights and days in the spiritual warfare we must endure.
There are times in life we can feel worn down, broken, and overwhelmed. Jesus said in the Gospels we will have troubles, but with Jesus there is mercy and peace.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” John 16:33
These prayers are not all inclusive to spiritual warfare, nor were any Church litany prayers or chaplets included. Many of these prayers are quick and effective. Most of them can be memorized and prayed every day. All they require is faith in God.
20 Powerful Spiritual Warfare Prayers for the Family
Prayer Tips for Troubled Families
Families that pray together stay together! Try to pray together as a family each evening at the same time so all the family members are involved as much as possible.
If there is a father of the family present, he should lead the family in prayer because God has given him spiritual authority over his family. If there is no father, the mother should lead the prayers. Allow God’s grace to do the rest.
“The prayers of close family members are very efficacious; their collaboration can be very helpful in creating a positive climate in the house.” – Fr. Gabriele Amorth, Exorcist
Every prayer below has been rooted with a verse from Sacred Scripture. Let’s begin!
20. Kyrie, Eleison – Lord, Have Mercy
….‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ Luke 18:13b
“Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.”
This is what I would like to call an emergency spiritual warfare prayer as I have had to use this prayer before in an emergency situation. If you are under any kind of diabolic attack, try praying this one over and over. It can also be prayed throughout the day as needed. We pray the Kyrie, Eleison (Greek) during the Penitential Act of the Mass.
19. St. Anthony’s Brief
God is made known in Judah; in Israel His name is great. Psalm 76:2
“Behold the Cross of the Lord! Begone, you powers of darkness! The Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, has conquered. Alleluia!”
– St. Anthony, pray for us
As the story goes, the Brief of St. Anthony was written by St. Anthony himself! The holy saint left the prayer with a woman that he had just freed from diabolic obsession.
18. Psalm 51
“Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. Psalm 51:3
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. Have mercy on me oh God in your goodness, in the greatness of your compassion, wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and from my sin, cleanse me. For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always. Against you Lord have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. O Lord, open up my lips and I my mouth shall speak your praise.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Sprit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.”
Psalm 51 is a penitential psalm that should help clean up any demons in your life and in the lives of your family. To help give example of the power of this psalm in relation to spiritual warfare, Psalm 51 is prayed every Friday morning in the Church’s Liturgy of the Hours while most of the other psalms are prayed just once every four weeks.
17. A Prayer of Deliverance to the Son of the Most High
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” Luke 23:46a
“O Jesus our Savior, My Lord and my God, My God and my all, with your sacrifice on the Cross you redeemed us, and defeated the power of Satan. I beg you to deliver me from every evil presence and every evil influence.
I ask in your name, I ask you for the sake of your wounds, I ask you for the sake of your blood, I ask you for the sake of your Cross, I ask you through the intercession of Mary, Immaculate and Sorrowful.
May the blood and the water that flow from your side wash over me to purify me, deliver me, heal me. Amen“
This prayer by the late Father Gabriele Amorth, who was the Vatican’s Chief Exorcist, appeared in the Magnificat last year. I wrote Fr. Gabriele’s prayer down, and I have been praying it in the evening with my night prayers. This is my favorite deliverance prayer, and it is a prayer I think the Church should venerate in spiritual warfare.
16. The Jesus Prayer
But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, he is calling you.” Mark 10:48b – 49
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
We are all blinded by sin on some level. The Jesus Prayer is an excellent prayer to pray throughout the day. If you pray it, be sure to include, “Son of God” in the prayer. You are declaring to heaven and earth in an act of faith that Jesus is the Son of God +
15. Anima Christi
My soul rests in God alone, from whom comes my salvation. Psalms 62:2
“Soul of Christ, sanctify me. Body of Christ, save me. Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me. Passion of Christ, strengthen me. O Good Jesus, hear me. Within thy wounds, hide me. Permit me not to be separated from Thee. From the wicked foe, defend me. At the hour of my death, call me, and bid me come to Thee, That with all thy saints, I may praise thee, For ever and ever. Amen.” – St. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us
St. Ignatius said to picture yourself on the spiritual battlefield. On one end of the field is Jesus and His angels with a battle flag. On the other end of the field is Satan and his demons with a battle flag. You have to prayerfully discern where you are located at this very moment in your life between those two flags on the spiritual battlefield.
14. Seekers of Faith
Turning your ear to wisdom,
inclining your heart to understanding. Proverbs 2:2
“Gracious and Holy Father, give us the wisdom to discover You, the intelligence to understand You, the diligence to seek after You, the patience to wait for You, eyes to behold You, a heart to meditate upon You, and a life to proclaim You, through the power of the Spirit of Jesus, our Lord. Amen.”
– St. Benedict, pray for us
Did you know that St. Benedict is the patron saint of exorcists?
For that reason alone, his prayer made the list. If you study the life of St. Benedict, founder of the Benedictine Order of monks and Western Monasticism, anytime the devil tried to attack him, St. Benedict was delivered because of his profound holiness. St. Benedict was a man of wisdom, devout prayer, order, and humility.
Wisdom, prayer, order, and humility are all essential in spiritual warfare. St. Benedict’s prayer devotion will help you with your life-long formation in Christ.
13. Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you… John 14:27a
“Lord Jesus, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, forgiveness; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in forgiving that we are forgiven,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
– St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us
St. Francis conquered evil in his life by doing good and being obedient to God. His prayer should be highly effective in relation to spiritual warfare because it emphasizes the importance of forgiving others in our lives, the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, and living every day devoutly for the love and glory of God and His peace.
12. St. Patrick’s Breastplate
Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, Ephesians 6:13-14
“Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left…Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise… Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me… I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. Amen.”
– St. Patrick, pray for us
Just recently, I heard renowned exorcist, Father Ripperger say that St. Patrick’s Breastplate prayer is very effective when they are engaged in deliverance sessions. This ancient prayer for Divine protection is also known as the Lorica of Saint Patrick.
11. Prayer to St. Joseph for Protection
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. Luke 2:39-40
“O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the Throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. O St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord; so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. O St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me, and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls, pray for us. Amen.”
St. Joseph is on the rise in the Church today, but so is evil in the world. We need his spiritual protection more than ever. Known as “The Terror of Demons,” St. Joseph is a powerful intercessor and a miracle worker. St. Teresa of Avila, a doctor of the Church, said she could not recall a time that St. Joseph did not help her when she prayed for his help. We should be devoted to St. Joseph just as Jesus was (Lk 2:51).
10. Divine Praises
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct. Matthew 16:27
“Blessed be God. Blessed be His Holy Name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man. Blessed be the Name of Jesus. Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart. Blessed be His Most Precious Blood. Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy. Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception. Blessed be her Glorious Assumption. Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints. Amen.“
This prayer is prayed and sang during the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. I learned from a spiritual warfare expert to pray this prayer as soon as you wake up, and pray it again just before you go to bed. God does not like murmuring and complaining (Jn 6:43) – the opposite of what the Divine Praises to God are about.
9. Psalm 91
He will shelter you with his pinions, and under his wings you may take refuge; his faithfulness is a protecting shield. Psalm 91:4
Psalm 91
Safe in God’s Sheltering Care
Antiphon: Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High and abides in the shade of the Almighty says to the Lord: “My refuge, my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!”
It is he who will free you from the snare of the fowler who seeks to destroy you; he will conceal you with his pinions and under his wings you will find refuge.
You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the plague that prowls in the darkness, nor the scourge that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand fall at your right, you it will never approach; his faithfulness is buckler and shield.
Your eyes have only to look to see how the wicked are repaid, you who have said: “Lord, my refuge!” and have made the Most High your dwelling.
Upon you no evil shall fall, no plague approach where you dwell. For you has he commanded his angels, to keep you in all your ways.
They shall bear you upon their hands lest you strike your foot against a stone. On the lion and the viper you will tread and trample the young lion and the dragon.
Since he clings to me in love, I will free him; protect him for he knows my name. When he calls I shall answer: “I am with you.” I will save him in distress and give him glory.
With length of life I will content him; I shall let him see my saving power.
“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end, Amen.”
Antiphon: Night holds no terrors for me sleeping under God’s wings.
“Pray Psalm 91 as part of your nighttime prayers, Psalm 91 is the oldest exorcism prayer in the Holy Bible and bless yourself with holy water, demons flee holy water, it causes them injury. Wear sacramentals around your neck, sacramentals give you signal grace during moments of trial. Make sure you have holy objects in your house and room, get rid of any occultic articles, relics or objects from your house.” – Jesse Romero
Like Psalm 51, Psalm 91 is recited every week (Sunday Night Compline) in the Church’s Liturgy of the Hours. In addition to the spiritual protection it provides, praying Psalm 91 with your nighttime prayers will help you to put your faith and trust in God.
8. Angelus Prayer
Mary said,
“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38
The Angelus Prayer is a traditional prayer of the Church dating back through the centuries. Per exorcist Fr. Ripperger, “Precision is everything in spiritual warfare.” If you want to get the most grace out of this prayer, pray the Angelus at the traditional times of 6:00 am, 12:00 noon, and 6:00 pm in solidarity with the Church faithful.
7. Guardian Angel Prayer
See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father. Matthew 18:10
“Angel of God, my guardian dear, To whom God’s love commits me here, Ever this day, be at my side, To light and guard, To rule and guide. Amen.“
36. Q. Were the angels created for any other purpose? A. The angels were also created to assist before the throne of God and to minister to Him; they have often been sent as messengers from God to man; and are also appointed our guardians. Source: Baltimore Catechism
CCC336 From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their (the angels) watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united to God.
Make a friend of your guardian angel. The more you pray this prayer, the more you allow your guardian angel to guard and guide you in life. Angels are very powerful.
6. Memorare
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Acts 1:14
“Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.“
Mother Mary, pray for us
The Memorare was St. Mother Teresa’s emergency prayer. Like the Angelus, the Memorare is centuries old. Mother Teresa would pray the Memorare ten times in a row for quick and effective results to help solve problems that would arise in daily life.
I have learned from a priest who teaches his parishioners to use the Memorare Prayer in spiritual combat to help them and their families be protected from the diabolic.
“As I look around in society today, all three conditions are rapidly on the rise. Things are going to get a lot uglier before they get better. We need more exorcists and more deliverance teams. Our little team is increasingly flooded with valid cries for help. We must look to Our Lady…. My beautiful Mary, my love, we need you.” – Msgr. Stephen Rossetti
5. Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Filled with the holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert. Luke 4:1
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created; and You shall renew the face of the earth. Let us pray, O God, Who did instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that through the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation, through Christ our Lord. Amen
It is important to note that Jesus did not begin to destroy the works of the devil until He was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. In that way, Our Lord gives us a model to follow. We are called to follow His lead into the desert wilderness of our own lives. This is spiritual warfare. We combat darkness with prayer, fasting, and works of mercy. We win battles in Christ, through the light of the Holy Spirit. Come Holy Spirit!
The Final Four Spiritual Warfare Prayers for the Family
We’re down to the final four spiritual warfare prayers for the family! There should be a prayer or two in the aforementioned that resonates with all. It is especially important for the father, the patriarch of the family, to be involved. The devil will go after him first, and from there, demons will seek entry to ruin the souls of the entire family.
Not so fast! We’re not abandoned and alone. Who is like unto God? If you think you have a calling to the highest levels of spiritual warfare, St. Michael needs your help!
4. Prayer to St. Michael Prayer the Archangel
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” Luke 10:18
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Some might say this is the #1 prayer in spiritual warfare. When war broke out in heaven (Rev 12:7), it was St. Michael, an angelic David, who along with other angels defeated Satan and his demons. St. Michael is present at every exorcism. When we battle in spiritual warfare, the angels are with us. If you fear God, pray the St. Michael Prayer often with your family, especially at the end of every Mass (Ps 34:8).
3. Liturgy of the Hours
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
He has come to His people and set them free. Luke 1:68
The Liturgy of the Hours (LOH)is the prayer and the heartbeat of the Church. LOH is also known as the Divine Office. The LOH will help to sanctify your soul. How good it would be to see Catholic families being trained by parishes how to pray the LOH!
In relation to spiritual warfare, one of the many benefits of praying the LOH in solidarity with the Church faithful is it will help you with custody of the senses:
- Hear no evil
- See no evil
- Speak no evil.
Fr. Ripperger said when someone says bad words, it attracts demons into their lives. When one prays the LOH, you are praying scripture aloud, which is exactly what Jesus did when he battled the devil in the desert. Demons will flee from you (Jas 4:7).
If you decide to learn how to pray the LOH, please consider getting the four volume set. Your parish priest should be able to help get you started. LOH gives glory to God.
2. The Rosary
“Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28b
Fr. Amorth said that the reason the rosary is so effective in spiritual warfare is because it is both a prayer addressed to the Father, to the Blessed Virgin, to the Holy Trinity, and it also a meditation centered on Christ. Fr. Amorth also called the rosary, “a powerful prayer of exorcism.” The Blessed Mother asked us to pray our rosary every day at Fatima. St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina called the rosary, his “weapon.”
St. Francis of Assisi said that when we speak the name of Mary, heaven becomes more beautiful, the demons become terrified and vanish like dust in the wind.
“I would add that the Rosary, being the prayer most appreciated by our Lady, is an extremely powerful arm against the devil, and I warmly recommend it to anyone suffering from spiritual evils. This prayer has, in fact, a strong power of protection and liberation from evil. One day Sister Lucia, a seer of Fátima, revealed that God has conferred a power so great on the Rosary that there is no evil—personal, family, or social—that cannot be defeated by its recitation with faith.” – Fr. Gabriele Amorth
1. The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, Matthew 6:9b
Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us, not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer Jesus instructed us to pray the in the Gospels. It is the perfect prayer. I think we sometimes forget the holy rosary is anchored with the Lord’s Prayer in each of the five decades of the rosary’s mysteries. The Church faithful recites the Lord’s Prayer together at every Mass. The Lord’s Prayer also has a prominent placement in the Liturgy of the Hours, both Morning and Evening Prayers.
In relation to spiritual warfare, many people may not know that the Lord’s Prayer has a petition of exorcism included within it for protection from the evil one.
CCC 2850 The last petition to our Father is also included in Jesus’ prayer: “I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.” It touches each of us personally, but it is always “we” who pray, in communion with the whole Church, for the deliverance of the whole human family. The Lord’s Prayer continually opens us to the range of God’s economy of salvation. Our interdependence in the drama of sin and death is turned into solidarity in the Body of Christ, the “communion of saints.”
Lastly, we should keep in mind the words of St. Paul with the Lord’s Prayer. Our battle is not with our neighbor, but with the evil spirts in the heavens (Eph 6:12).
“Therefore if your neighbor has injured you in any respect, when you pray to God your Father, beg of Him not only to deliver you from evil, that is, from the injuries which your neighbor inflicts; but also to rescue your neighbor from the power of the devil, whose wicked suggestions impel men to wrong.” Source: Catechism of the Council of Trent
RECAP
I hope you have enjoyed this post! Let us pray for one another. Let every family, large or small, be a domestic church for Christ. Let us battle on for the glory of God. And just remember, Jesus loves us very much, and He is with us every day +
“Through devotion your family cares become more peaceful, mutual love between husband and wife become more sincere, the service we owe to the prince becomes more faithful, and our work, no matter what it is, becomes more pleasant and agreeable.” – St. Francis de Sales
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us
