Let me look with awe and wonder upon the throne of grace. Let me gaze at the majestic beauty of Your holiness, Lord God Almighty. In Your likeness, I long to be conformed. Turn up the fiery furnace of affliction if need be because I know You are with me in the fire. I trust that my soul will come out unsinged and without smelling of smoke. Lord, I require much pruning if I am ever to be rid of the seeded corruption lingering in my heart. Keep my path headed in the direction of perfection, Lord Jesus. Only You can crush my enemy beneath Your feet. Only You can send Satan back to the abyss. Your love douses his fire. Your gracious sacrifice washes me clean with Living Water. Let me continue as a stranger and sojourner of this world that is not my home. Keep me forever at enmity with it so that I do not become an enemy of You, Lord God. Do not find me slumbering on the battlefield when there is an ambush in the form of temptation around every corner. Thank You for being my route of escape. And when I am not looking for the enemy without, let me remind myself of the enemy within. Secret corruptions linger, waiting like a dormant disease to infect my heart of faith. So, Lord, I would be remiss not to expect trouble in this world. But I can take heart because You have overcome the world. Under the blessed truth in James 4:4 and the authority of my Savior and King, I bow in prayer.

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James 4:4, NIV