“Lead us not into Temptation but Deliver us from Evil”
Matthew 6:13
Forgiveness.
As a new believer I asked God to give me two ministries: Prayer and writing. “But prayer first,” I told Him, because I knew if I could live a life of devoted prayer, I would know God well, and could endure any difficulty.
That has been true.
Almost 20 years ago I gave in to a temptation that wrapped ugly tentacles around me and cast me into a sea of darkness for far too long. Thankfully, I was delivered from evil, but it came at a price. A high price. I will, with trepidation, share that soon, but first let’s look at what Jesus wanted us to pray concerning temptation.
Jesus taught his disciples, and therefore you and I to pray “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”
That’s a bit of an odd prayer, don’t you think? Would God EVER lead us into temptation? Why would we pray that?
James 1:13 tells us “No one can say he is tempted BY God.” He goes on to point out it is our own lusts that lead us astray.
I like what the study notes in my “Key Word Study Bible” say about this idea:
“Why did the Lord teach His disciples to pray ‘Lead us not into temptation?’ Does this in fact mean God tempts people? When God allows one of His children to be tempted, it is for the purpose of proving to His child that He or she can rely on God’s wisdom and strength. It is God’s desire to give believers victory over the temptation, and at the same time make them more experienced in the tactics of spiritual warfare against the devil. It is crucial to remember however, that the actual enticement to sin is never generated by God.”
I also believe “lead us not into temptation” is actually a prayer for protection, rather than a prayer about being “led to” temptations. It’s the heart speaking, saying “I am in a world surrounded by evil. I live in a body of flesh that continually wants it’s own way! If you do not guide my every step I will surely succumb to “the lust of the eyes, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.”
Similarly, This prayer is also a plea to “endure” times of difficulty. Look at James 1:12
“Blessed is the man who ENDURES temptation.” Temptations will come, even Jesus was tempted in the wilderness where He went without food or drink for forty days. Yet He endured, steadfast until the end.
But what if we do not endure? Yikes. That is a terrifying thought.
That is why Jesus added “But deliver us from Evil.”
There could be times evil would grab us, and pull us into it’s dark cauldron. In such seasons we will need rescued from something we ourselves are powerless against without God’s help. Sin of any kind is like a drooling spider, that takes no mercy when it’s prey lands in it’s carefully prepared web. It darts out and wraps us so tight we will be facing certain demise unless a miraculous deliverance takes place.
Thus, Jesus, knowing our frame, instructed us to be preemptive in our prayer. Pray to avoid the evils of this world. To be in the world, but unsullied by its filth. AND if we get dirt on us, to wash it off through repentance as quickly as possible!
1 John 1:8 says “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Dirt gets on us all. Jesus, leading up to his death took time to wash the disciples feet. Why? Because although they were saved, the dust and grime of this world still had a way of attaching itself to them. He told Peter:
“Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean.” John 13:10
Which is why first John also went on to say: If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 Peter 5:8 says the devil is sneaking around, like a lion, hunting it’s prey. The prey is God’s people. And the enemy wants to devour us. This is a verse we rarely take seriously.
“Oh, the Lord will protect me”
Yes. And one way He protects us is to WARN us that we must be diligent to pray, fast, and seek God in order to avoid temptation!
Beware of thinking you can sin “just a little,” and get away with it. Like eating a piece of cake on a diet, one bite will never seem to be enough.
Ever Since I was prayed to receive the Lord I have loved Jesus. From early on, my life revolved around ministry, teaching, praying, and planting a small Bible church in a far North land. In fact, I felt very strong in the Lord. I read my Bible every single day, took time to pray, and I saw many miracles of healing, provision, and direction.
I didn’t realize that I had become a bit too sure of my own strength until temptation slithered through the door.
I didn’t even recognize it as a temptation.
See, this much younger, needy young man had found the Lord and had no where to stay, so we invited him into our home. To be honest, I found him to be an irritant at first. Too Loud, too boisterous, too demanding. Again, I never expected myself to do much more than endure his presence. I only hoped he would grow in the Lord and move on.
He did begin to grow in the Lord. He played worship music and became an important helper for me. He came along when I was overwhelmed with responsibilities. I was grateful for his assistance.
I remember how he watched me reading and praying in the morning. He seemed fascinated with my commitment and relationship with the Lord. No one seemed to care much about that before, so I allowed him into that time. Time previously set apart for the Lord alone.
Now, rewind a bit.
Years before our family moved North to start a church, God had given me a warning. Just as Jesus warned his disciples to pray “Lead us not into temptation.” I saw our family walking through a doorway in heavenly places. God told me “You are entering a new place. You have prayed for it and it will happen. Now be diligent to pray every single day. If you don’t, Satan will grab you and toss you around like a rag doll.”
Praying daily was my jam. Of course I would. Of course I did!
Until, over a decade after of serving the Lord in the place He called us, the heartbreak and weariness of starting a church in a far away place, getting bitten by some confused sheep, and being on call 24-7 began to wear me down. I was depressed. Sad. Despite all God had done to sustain us and the small church we pastored, I felt alone.
And so, I am terribly sad to report, this young mans attention and admiration began to be more important to me than my time with Jesus. And it wasn’t long afterwards, that temptation came flying out of hiding and wrapped me in a sticky cocoon. It sucked the very spiritual lifeblood that had sustained me after walking so tightly with the Lord for over 20 years.
Soon I lost everything.
I left home. The church I had poured my very soul into, my ministry, my marriage, my friends. Instead of the love and admiration I once knew, I was now hated and despised. I was told by one of my closest friends that I was the biggest hypocrite she ever knew.
During this dark season, I would fall apart if I saw people enter my old church, carrying Bibles. I longed to join them, but could not. They opened a coffee shop that as long as I continued in sin, I was not allowed to enter. My heart was shredded into a million pieces.
I wanted out of the sticky cocoon, but like James says in chapter one, sin had given way to death. In fact, lets read James 1:13-15
“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
See, God does not tempt us. It’s our own sinful desires that will take us down. We are left without excuse.
I had no excuse.
Thankfully Jesus also taught us to pray: “But deliver us from Evil.”
There can be deliverance. The drug addicts, the porn addicts, the gamblers, and so many others can be released from their captivity by asking God to “Deliver us from Evil.”
My mind was so befuddled and messed up, I couldn’t find my way back. But I still read the Bible, although its words felt like glass cutting into my very soul. I walked for long miles and long hours at night. I tried to talk to God, but I had no words left. I was shattered glass. Shattered into a million pieces like Humpty Dumpty. I was impossible to put back together again.
I soon was living as a friend of, and among, other sinners. I was told by many well-meaning Christians I was doomed to go to hell. I believed it because I hadn’t been able to break free of this adulterous relationship. So I would walk, and in my solitude I tried to talk to the God I was pretty sure had utterly rejected me.
In the Bible, Jesus brought all of his disciples, minus Judas, to the garden of Gethsemene the night he was betrayed. Judas was no longer a follower. He had chosen the world over the savior. Another eight sat, likely sleeping, afar off. They were followers, but too far to see the agony Jesus was about to experience. Three of the disciples, Peter, James, and John, were asked by the Lord to stay close and pray with Him.
“That you may not enter into temptation.”
They were called closer. They could see His agony. Yet, instead of partnering with their master in His greatest hour of need they slept. When the time of temptation came, they fled. Peter even denied Him three times!
How many times through the next decades did they look back at the moment in the garden, realizing the cost of sleeping? Jesus had told them explicitly why it was important to seek the Father, to avoid temptation, and yet, in the moment the flesh craved sleep.
This is also why Jesus placed this incredibly important phrase in the prayer he once taught his disciples, and therefore teaches us today. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” You may think you are too close to the Lord to fall, but it’s the closest ones that often become the target of evil.
I thought I had every safeguard from sin up. Yet I fell.
After a far-too-long season of living in sin, there was one Friday night I was walking alone, down the main street of the small town where I now lived. I was sad, missing the Friday nights with my family. I missed my kids. I missed the church friends and the fun we once had together. I missed our long conversations about the Bible. My life felt as dark and empty as the abandoned mining pits in our county. The loneliness was palatable. I had no hope of ever serving God or enjoying life again.
“I am 45.” I thought, considering how old that was. Too old to start again. My life was over.
Just then, God spoke to me. I was crossing a dark and empty street when I heard him as clearly as if He walked beside me. “You have lived half of your life. You still have half of your life to live, and it will be a full life.”
Full? I could not imagine. How could I, chief among sinners, ever have a full life again? Yet, It was the pinprick of light I could move towards. That word began the excruciatingly slow walk back to wholeness.
Deliverance was painfully slow, but it began that night. It takes time to reconnect shattered glass shards. I broke off the relationship, and turned the ship, Slow as a giant cruise ship, back towards the Lord again. The church, my house, my husband could never be recovered for me. But, one by one my kids forgave me and became a part of my life again.
God brought me to a new home, and a wonderful church that helped free me from the shame I carried like a dead corpse. I met and married an awesome man. And I have been involved in many ministries. In fact, sometimes I battle with how “Full” my life is now. I have many new, good friends, a good church, and 12 grandchildren! Only Jesus can deliver us so completely from the evil that would destroy us. It is His heart to save, deliver and heal. He doesn’t punish forever!
Now, perhaps you understand why I have dedicated myself to seek the Lord in prayer. Like the old story of the sheep, draped around the shepherds neck after he wandered too far and had a broken leg, I now know I have to stay closer than ever. Not because I am tempted… I am not AT ALL. Why touch that lit gas stove again? But staying closer has also has made me love my rescuer all the more!
Jesus came and suffered an unfair and inhumane death to set us free from our tragic choices. He longs to restore his children, not chide and humiliate them! He wants them to fulfill their destiny, not be deprived of it.
Listen to Isaiah 57:15-16. (And I like the NLT version of this passage)
“The high and lofty one who lives in eternity,
the Holy One, says this:
“I live in the high and holy place
with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.
I restore the crushed spirit of the humble
and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.
For I will not fight against you forever;
I will not always be angry.
If I were, all people would pass away—
all the souls I have made.”
Jesus died so we could live. No matter how awful we can be, He has his arms stretched out to forgive and heal. He does not want you or anyone else to wallow in the shame of the past, but, by faith, to embrace the life He suffered and died for.
“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” is an acknowledgment of our need for God. It is the prayer of humility. When we pray these words we are declaring our desperate need of Gods salvation, and His Spirit to sustain us. The pride of life that waits to ensnare us will be stopped by our mighty God when we, on our knees in humility, cry out to Him.
And if we fall, we must find our way to this place of humility and cry out to Him the same words. Our sin will, of a certainty, hurt us and others, but Jesus will lead us back to wholeness when we return to His side.
Maybe today, you know someone who fell from their place as I once did. You wonder if there is any hope? Are they doomed? Maybe you wonder at some sin that has wrapped you up tight in a sticky cocoon.
Then pray with Jesus: “Deliver us from Evil!”
And He can, because Jesus stated “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory!!! “ He has the authority to set us free when we call on His name!
Let’s save that for next month and the final episode in this series on the Lords Prayer.
In the newsletter you will find a Bible study that outlines more keys to avoid temptation
And keys to find deliverance from a sins grip on our lives.
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