The Lord's Prayer - 7

THE LORD’S PRAYER ~ 7


"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"
- Matt 6:13

Honestly, for years I found this a hard verse to understand. We have Jesus telling us to pray to the Father that He would not lead us into temptation. And yet we know that Jesus, Himself, was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness following His baptism, to be purposely tempted by the devil. (Matt 4:1) Then we have the words of Truth written by the Lord’s brother - "Let no one say when he is tempted, ’I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted with evil and He Himself tempts no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." - James 1:13-14

It would almost appear that we have a contradiction in Scripture. Yet there is not. Let us delve a litter deeper into the Word...

Being made our High Priest, One able to help us in our hour of temptation, He had to be proven worthy. Jesus HAD to be tested in every area of temptation that His brothers would face. He endured great suffering in that, yet was fully obedient, never succumbed and sinned; and thus was perfected. (Heb 2:10, Heb 5:8)

He overcame all obstacles, persevered through all trials, triumphed over all temptations. Indeed "in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted." (Heb 2:17-18)

Hebrews tells us that Jesus our Lord, our elder Brother, was "tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." (Heb 4:15b)

Now, trials and testings will come to us, especially once we have been called into the body of Christ. Our job is to not allow these trials and testings to tempt us to sin. As the Father tested the Son so too He tests His people.

- God tested Abraham greatly to see where his heart truly lay. Abraham passed the test and therefore received the promise of God (Gen 22:15-18).

- The original Israelites who were set free from Egypt were tried and tested as they journeyed toward the Promised Land (Deut 8:2). Those who endured and overcame entered in (Num 32:11-13).

- And so the Father tests us...

Jesus would say to each of us - "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Mark 14:38)

Dear friends, as we read above in James 1:13-14 it is when we cease to spend time in prayer and seeking God’s will that we are enticed by the lusts of the flesh. When we desire the temporal things of this world, our hearts are drawn away from the Lord and ensnared.

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also"
- Luke 12:34

God makes His grace available to us, and gives us every opportunity to choose to seek His strength to turn from temptation and sin not. But if we choose the things of the world rather than the things of God, He does not force us to do His will, rather - "Since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct." - Rom 1:28

Testing becomes temptation. That is where we do not want to be. Yet even when do find ourselves facing temptation, our God is there calling our name. If we choose to turn our hearts to the Lord, He will strengthen us, guide us, deliver us -

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man, God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." - 1Cor 10:13

Dear saints, Jesus is our way of escape, our strength in time of weakness. May we turn our hearts fully to Him that He may lead us on the path that leads to Life. May our prayer always be -

"Make me to know Thy ways, O LORD; teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me, for Thou art the God of my salvation; for Thee I wait all the day long."
- Psalm 25:4-5

God bless you & keep you,

Michael


He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies
- Psalm 25:9-10