Novena for victory over enemies

O sweet and gentle Lady, Immaculate Mother of God, we beg you to be our Mother now and all the days of our life. Shield us, Mother Mary, with your holy mantle that nothing of the enemy could harm or molest us. Ask your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, to spare us from any calamities that will cause us misery. Pray for us that we may lead a life pleasing to Him, and when our end comes, present us to Him. O Victorious Lady, You who have ever such powerful influence with Your Divine Son in conquering the hardest of hearts, intercede also for those for whom we pray, that their hearts being softened by the ways of Divine Grace, they may return to the unity of the true Faith, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

First Day

Psalm 55

² Listen, God, to my prayer;
do not hide from my pleading;

³ hear me and give answer.
I rock with grief; I groan

⁴ at the uproar of the enemy,
the clamor of the wicked.

They heap trouble upon me,
savagely accuse me.

⁵ My heart pounds within me;
death’s terrors fall upon me.

⁶ Fear and trembling overwhelm me;
shuddering sweeps over me.

⁷ I say, “If only I had wings like a dove
that I might fly away and find rest.
⁸ Far away I would flee;
I would stay in the desert.
⁹ I would soon find a shelter
from the raging wind and storm.”

¹⁰ Lord, check and confuse their tongues.
For I see violence and strife in the city

¹¹ making rounds on its walls day and night.
Within are mischief and trouble;

¹² treachery is in its midst;
oppression and fraud never leave its streets.

¹³ For it is not an enemy that reviled me –
that I could bear –
Not a foe who viewed me with contempt,
from that I could hide.

¹⁴ But it was you, my other self,
my comrade and friend,

¹⁵ You, whose company I enjoyed,
at whose side I walked
in the house of God.

¹⁶ Let death take them;
let them go down alive to Sheol,
for evil is in their homes and bellies.

¹⁷ But I will call upon God,
and the LORD will save me.

¹⁸ At dusk, dawn, and noon
I will grieve and complain,
and my prayer will be heard.

¹⁹ He will redeem my soul in peace
from those who war against me,
though there are many who oppose me.

²⁰ God, who sits enthroned forever,
will hear me and afflict them.
For they will not mend their ways;
they have no fear of God.

²¹ He stretched out his hand at his friends
and broke his covenant.

²² Softer than butter is his speech,
but war is in his heart.
Smoother than oil are his words,
but they are unsheathed swords.

²³ Cast your care upon the LORD,
who will give you support.
He will never allow
the righteous to stumble.

²⁴ But you, God, will bring them down
to the pit of destruction.
These bloodthirsty liars
will not live half their days,
but I put my trust in you.

Concluding prayer.

Second Day

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

¹ I must boast; not that it is profitable, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

² I know someone in Christ who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows), was caught up to the third heaven.

³ And I know that this person (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows)

⁴ was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things, which no one may utter.

⁵ About this person I will boast, but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.

⁶ Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me

⁷ because of the abundance of the revelations. Therefore, that I might not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.

⁸ Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,

⁹ but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.

¹⁰ Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Concluding prayer.

Third Day

Concluding prayer.

Fourth Day

Concluding prayer.

Fifth Day

Concluding prayer.

Sixth Day

Concluding prayer.

Seventh Day

Concluding prayer.

Eighth Day

Concluding prayer.

Concluding Prayer

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in the day of battle;
be thou 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
that prowl the world seeking the ruin of souls.

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Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.