The Lord’s Prayer 6 ‘Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

Matthew 6v9-13 Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever. Amen. (NIV)

General Points ‘Temptation’ or ‘Testing’? – Same Greek word is used for both – Only ‘negative’ petition: so focus on ‘temptation’. ‘Temptation’ a rare subject in today’s church – Because ‘sin’ is also rare! – But God is concerned about both sin and temptation! The ‘Tempter’ is the ‘Evil One’, the devil: – Matthew 4v1, 3: Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God…” (NIV)

Temptation: What is it? Temptation is the ‘enticement to sin’, the ‘bait’. 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 one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin. When it is full grown, gives birth to death. (NIV) The sound, sight, smell, taste, touch, and the thought or feeling that leads into sin: 5 senses and more!

Temptation: The Process Temptation is the ‘work’ of the Evil One, the devil, who ‘drags away and entices’. The 4 ‘Ps’ of the Tempter: He Presents an attractive temptation to our senses – To engage our imagination. He Persuades our minds it is ‘good for us’! He Persists to convince our hearts to choose to sin. He Pressurises to overcome our strength to resist.

The Aim of Temptation To cause us to fall, to sin. – To break our ‘open’ fellowship with God our Father. To ‘snare’ and trap us: to put a ‘bind’/’vice’ on us. – To destroy our testimony and reputation – To make us ineffective as God’s servants. To ‘kill’ us spiritually: – Sin gives birth to death; the wages of sin is death.

“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one” This Prayer is our 1 st line of defence vs Temptation: – Casting ourselves upon our Father God – Matthew 26v41: Jesus said: “Watch and pray, so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” (NIV) This Prayer is a ‘mature prayer’: – We are agreeing with God’s will to keep us from sin. – We recognise our own weakness vs sin & the devil. – James 4v7: Submit yourselves, then, to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. (NIV)

Prayer requires Action! Flee temptation: Don’t ‘dally’ with it! – Romans 13v14: Do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (NIV) – “You can’t pray lead us not into temptation if you lead yourself into temptation!” (P Lewis) Watch & Pray: Develop a disciplined spiritual life – Regular prayer & Scripture reading – Romans 13v12: Put on the armour of light Fellowship with other Christians: – ‘Us’ again! We’re in this together: Stand together! – Romans 13v8: Love one another. Pray for one another.

Jesus wants us to overcome! 1 Corinthians 10v12-13: If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it. (NIV) God is our help! God is faithful! God will keep us as we seek him and his ways.