We are continuing our examination of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) and looking at its significance. Years ago, I re-examined this portion of Scripture and realized just how profound this prayer model that Jesus showed us was. We don’t have to pray exactly as shown to us because Jesus is giving us a blueprint on how to pray and approach God the Father. It is the following:
Matthew 6:9-13 – KJV – “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen”
Last issue, we dealt with “forgiving our debtors”. This issue, we will look at the portion of this prayer model that says “…lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”. We are living in a society where temptation, primarily to do “wrong” is all around us. As believers, we are not immune from being tempted especially when faced with things that are not good for our spiritual or emotional health. There are three primary avenues where Christians will be tempted, which are: the world (system), the flesh and the devil. Scripture tells us not to be conformed to this world:
Romans 12:2 – NLT – Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
And there is a reason for that. Scripture goes on to say this in 1 John:
1 John 2:16 – NLT – For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father but are from this world.
Now, we are not talking about rejecting the beauty of God’s created world, revealed in nature (Romans 1:20). It was created for us to enjoy and to see the glory of God in it (Psalms 19:1). We’re also not talking about despising the life goals and pursuits that God has given us to enjoy, nor does it mean to go up into the mountains and live separate from all of humanity (though some do this). We are talking about when the culture surrounding us may be opposed to God and His Word, and we surrender to it rather than the Lord. There is always a strong pull from the “world” on our sinful, human nature which has the potential to lead us away from our Christian faith. It is with great sadness that we see some who were raised in church and surrounded by godly values still wind up leaving the faith they once cherished, but true to what the Scriptures say:
1 Timothy 4:1 – NLT – Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.
We have to be careful of not being drawn away toward anything that will hinder or take away our relationship with the Lord. Sometimes, worldly pursuits that consume us more than our relationship with God can mislead us. There’s nothing wrong with pursuing certain things, whether they are job related or anything else as long as it does not violate Scripture or lead you away from being Christ centered. That’s why the Bible warns us to “guard our hearts” (Proverbs 4:23); and that we must do so diligently.
We also have an age-old enemy, namely the devil whose goal is to completely disrupt, mislead and destroy; he is the ultimate “tempter” (Matthew 4:3;1 Thessalonians 3:5). Scripture says this about him and why we are to be alert as Christians:
1 Peter 5:8 – NIV – Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
As believers, we will always be faced with trials and temptations, but the good news is that we serve a faithful God who loves us and will always with any temptation make a way that we can bear it. Scripture puts it like this:
1 Corinthians 10:13 – NIV – No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
With every trial or temptation that we go through, God will provide a way so that you can endure it. We can always come before Him in prayer at any time and ask for His grace and strength. So be encouraged when you go through a tough trial. Remember that God is with you and remember the Scripture:
Hebrews 4:16 – NIV – Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Jesus ends His teaching on prayer by saying… “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen”, which is a declaration of praise and adoration, a reminder that we must treat God’s Kingdom as top priority, placing it first (Matthew 6:33), acknowledging the sovereignty of His rule and recognizing that all power and all glory belong to Him and Him alone!
God Bless!
