TEMPTATION!

Continuing on the theme of the Lord’s Prayer (this is the last installment) …

“And do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.”
Matthew 6:13

This is not saying that God tempts us—He doesn’t.

Let no one say when he is tempted,
“I am being tempted by God”;
for God cannot be tempted by evil,
and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
James 1:13

This is simply a rhetorical way asking God the opposite: “Lord, lead us out of temptation.” The next phrase makes that clear: “Deliver us from evil [or the Evil One].” This is a prayer for God’s protection.

We tend to forget that we are involved in something far bigger than we can imagine or comprehend. We get up, eat, drive, work, play, talk, tend to our children, and go to bed without giving a single thought to the existence of an unseen world. But according to the Bible, human history is an arena for the battle of the universe. And we are participating as ordinary men and women in the Great Reversal—that glorious plan of God which will restore the cosmos to its pristine state, one day, soon and very soon. You and I—partners with God! Hard to believe, isn’t it? We—mere specks, in a tiny planet, in the outer suburbs of a spiral galaxy that is only one of about a trillion such galaxies in the observable universe—partnering with God? Incredible … but true!

And … scary: it is a battle against Satan and all his cohorts, the powers and forces of evil aligned against God and therefore, against all of God’s people—against you and me. Which means one thing: We are on the opposite side of Satan. And that means one thing: He’s out to get us.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.
Your adversary, the devil,
prowls around like a roaring lion,
seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8

All he wants is to get between us and God and he’ll do anything to achieve that. But we have help. Satan and his hordes who “rule” the world, are no match for God and His Spirit who indwells us.

… greater is He who is in you
than he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

God’s protection is assured.

No temptation has overtaken you
but such as is common to man;
and God is faithful,
who will not allow you to be tempted
beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation
will provide the way of escape also,
so that you will be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

William Cowper (1731–1800), compatriot of John Newton (of Amazing Grace fame), wrote these immortal lines:

Restraining prayer we cease to fight;
Prayer makes the Christian’s armor bright
And Satan trembles when he sees,
The weakest saint upon his knees.

Concluding his theme on spiritual warfare and the armor of God, Paul urges likewise:

With all prayer and petition
pray at all times in the Spirit,
and with this in view,
be on the alert
with all perseverance and petition
for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18

So pray with Courage.

But resist him [Satan],
firm in your faith,
knowing that the same
experiences of suffering
are being accomplished
by your brethren
who are in the world.
1 Peter 5:9

And soon, we’ll be over all this forever, eternally.

After you have suffered
for a little while,
the God of all grace,
who called you
to His eternal glory in Christ,
will Himself perfect, confirm,
strengthen and establish you.
1 Peter 5:10

Amen!