God’s Prayer Pattern - Lesson 9 (And lead us not in to temptation)

Lesson 9 (And lead us not in to temptation)

The next petition we see in this prayer model is, “…. lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” In Matthew 26:41, the Lord said, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” He also once said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Jn 16:33.

Temptation will come but we desire to be kept away from temptation. The main reason why we utter this petition is because we acknowledge God as our defence, shelter and source of victory. Paul in 1^st Corinthians 10:12- 14 wrote, “So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to 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 an escape, so that you can stand up under it.” satan may tempt us but God will ensure we are not tempted beyond our capacity to resist. Job is one good example which comes to mind. When satan got the permission to test Job, God gave satan strict restriction and at the end of it all, Job emerged the undisputed victor.

 God is indeed our refuge, covering and hiding place.  He is the rock to which we run for protection. The Psalmist in Psalm 62 sang, “Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” For that reason, the Lord Jesus Christ says, "When you pray say, 'And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." We thus pray that that God will protect us in the physical and spiritual realms so as to ensure that we live lives that are pleasing to the Lord. Every day we ought to be praying for each other so that we are not lead us not into temptation.

Does this prayer then assume that God leads people in to temptation so that they sin? The apostle James in his 1^st chapter and at verse 13 writes, "Let no one say when he is tempted, I'm being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil and He Himself doesn't tempt anyone."  God isn't going to tempt anyone.” However, trials and temptations bring out of us the gem that is hidden in each and every one of us. In the 2^nd verse of the same chapter, the apostle James writes, “Count it all joy when you fall into various tests."  Why, because trials result in a perfect work as they produce endurance in us. The apostle Peter also says, "After you've suffered a while, the Lord will make you perfect."  Paul said, "It was in my pain and my suffering, in my agony that I was humbled and that I found in my weakness the strength of Christ."

So in short we asking God that temptations must never overwhelm us hence the phrase, “but deliver us from evil.” In other words, we are saying God do a perfect work in me and ensure that at the end of the day I emerge the type of person you desire me to be.