"Lead Us Not Into Temptation"

This coming Sunday I will continue my teaching series on what is commonly referred to as “Lord’s Prayer”. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” Mt. 6:13. When Jesus instructed the disciples to pray, “Lead us not into temptation,” He was telling them to pray that forces beyond their control would not lead them into trials. He was also teaching them to watch and pray against entering into temptation through their own carelessness or disobedience.

As Jesus faced the prospect of the cross, He Himself, prayed, “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt,” Mk. 14:36

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus had cautioned the disciples to pray lest they enter into temptation. (seeLuke 22:40) But when He arose from a time of prayer , He found them not praying, but sleeping. (vr 45) Before the night was over, at least one of the disciples, swore he didn’t even know Him, and then wept bitterly because he had failed the Lord.

Jesus knows our potential weaknesses also, which is why He has instructed us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation”. As children of God, we do not have to learn everything the hard way . We can be instructed, warned, and trained by His Word and the examples of others. (See 1 Cor. 10:11) God desires for us to learn by example and revelation as well as by discipline and difficult personal experiences.

Jesus also taught His disciples to pray for deliverance from evil. Specifically, through prayer as we put on the whole armor of God, according to Eph. 6:14-17. When we do this we build a hedge of protection as it were around ourselves and stand firm in the victory Christ has already won. Likewise Psalms 91 gives us several reasons why we can claim God’s protection. For example in verse 9 we read from the Amplified Bible “because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place,” We invoke God’s protection, when we make the Lord our habituation. Psalms 23:3 says “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.” As we sing and pray to the Lord He dwells among us, enthroned upon our praises and prayers.

Finally, we can claim protection “because he knows and understands My name,” (vr 14, AMP). We must know His name. Proverbs tells , “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run into it, and is safe,” (Pro. 18:10)

As we submit our lives daily to His will and acknowledge that His name is a strong tower, we can be certain in all knowing protective will. We can prayerfully declare “You are my refuge, my fortress, my God, In You do I trust.” We can stand secure in the victory Christ has won for us.