Deliver Us from Evil

We like to think that our world is a safe place, but the truth is evil is lurking in the tall grass and even in plain sight. If that weren’t true, then Jesus wouldn’t have taught us to pray:

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.’ Matthew 6:13

Jesus knows how the evil one works. He knows his intentions. He knows he is real and active in this world; that his sole desire is to derail us, to create chaos and confusion, and ultimately to keep us from fully following Him. Now a lot of modern Believers consider themselves too sophisticated to believe in the Devil, but Jesus makes clear that we have a very real adversary who is plotting to keep us from being holy, set apart and living God-honoring lives.

Three Critical Reasons to Pray as Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:13:

1) Temptations are a real and present danger in our lives.

Temptation is a threat to our relationship with God; it is a threat to our communion with Him. One of the biggest mistakes that a Christ-follower can make is thinking they aren’t vulnerable to temptation. The reality is that no matter how faithful you are, or think you are, no one is free from the threat of temptation.

Be very aware of where you are vulnerable to attack. The Apostle Paul lists some of those vulnerabilities in Galatians 5:19-20… Note that the first three have to do with sexual temptation and for good reason; but there are plenty of other temptations that can lead to sin on a daily basis. That’s why it’s imperative that we make this petition daily, in the same way we pray for daily bread.

2) We need God’s help to withstand temptation.

We can not, and will not, withstand temptation by our own power. As much as we might think our will power is enough, we know better, don’t we? If you have ever been on any kind of diet, you know that at some point, will power will fail. It did for me at a Super Bowl feast just last week, when I decided to take the night off!

But taking the night off from a diet is pretty pedestrian in the face of temptation that leads to sin; taking a night off for that kind of temptation can be life-altering. We need God’s help, specifically the Holy Spirit, to enable us to live God-honoring lives. (Romans 8:5-6)

3) We need God to deliver us from our own personal temptations.

All of us have our own personal patterns of temptation; some are more vulnerable to rage or gossip or dissension or addictions, like drugs, alcohol, sex, spending. So when Jesus teaches us to pray “Deliver us from evil”, we must be aware of our own specific temptations. The truth is, the Devil absolutely knows our weaknesses and he will exploit them for his sake. We can and must pray for strength in withstanding those temptations and running away from them! (1 Corinthians 10:13).

For much more, click here to watch the entire service including the message, Prayer Matters - Part 8: Deliver Us From Evil.