God's Protection Through Prayer Part 2 Series

"God, please don't let me be a failure!"

Purpose: To alarm believers about the danger Satan poses.

Aim: I want the listener to humbly seek God's protection.

INTRODUCTION: After we pray for God to be lifted up and glorified, and that we will obey Him, then Jesus instructs us to ask Him for our daily needs, our daily forgiveness, and finally that we would avoid falling into sin as we go through trials and that we would be safe from the traps that sin and Satan lay out for us.

No one wants to feel like a failure in life. Because of that we use several tactics in life in order to avoid feeling like a failure. Sometimes we can try to just forget our failures quickly. You know, move on and expect that the future will be better. Other times we can avoid feeling like a failure by comparing ourselves to those who appear to be worse failures than we are: "I'm glad that I'm not a jerk like that person." It's like the fat person who wants to feel skinny so he hangs around people who are even fatter.

Another way to keep from feeling like a failure is keep our expectations low: "Nobody tells the truth ALL the time" or "I can't help worrying, my mother was always like that." If none of those things work then we can just wallow in self-pity and hope that others will feel sorry for us.

Jesus just finished teaching us that we should humble ourselves and ask forgiveness for past failures, and now He wants us to eagerly ask God for help in avoiding future failures.

That is what the last request in the Lord's Prayer is all about.

REVIEW:

I. An Overview of this Prayer

A. We must avoid fake prayers

1. Don't let your prayers be hypocritical

2. Don't let your prayers be repetitious

B. We must remember the purpose for prayer

1. Real prayer exalts God

2. Real prayer humbles us

C. We must remember to pray God's way

1. Ask for what God has already promised

2. Ask believing God can answer

II. The Request for Protection

A. Ask God to guide you away from sin "do not lead us into temptation"

LESSON:

► B. Ask God to guard you from sin and Satan "deliver us from [the]evil [one]"

We have already learned that we need God to cleanse us from our past sin, now we need to see the need to avoid future sin.

The word EVIL can also be translated to mean THE EVIL ONE referring to SATAN. Either way, we are asking God to deliver us from sin and/or Satan who always wants us to sin.

Before we will really ask God to guard us from sin and Satan there are five things we must believe.

► 1. You must believe that you desperately need help "deliver us"

"Deliver (4506) (rhuomai [word study] from rhúo = to draw, drag along the ground)means to draw or snatch to oneself and invariably refers to a snatching from danger, evil or an enemy. This basic idea of rescuing from danger is pictured by the use describing a soldier's going to a wounded comrade on the battlefield and carrying him to safety (he runs to the cry of his comrade to rescue him from the hands of the enemy).Rhuomai emphasizes greatness of peril from which deliverance is given by a mighty act of power." J. C. Ryle

► "...a genuine expression of saving faith includes a desire for deliverance from future sin." Dr. John MacArthur

The word DELIVER is a call for urgent help. Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (NAU)

Listen to how David talked to God when he was in a time of need: Psalm 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears. (NAU)

Psalm 69:1--3 Save me, O God, For the waters have threatened my life. I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and a flood overflows me. I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched; My eyes fail while I wait for my God. (NAU)

If (1) we are truly humble, and we will be humble if (2) we are aware of God's presence, and if we ask God for help then (4) God's peace will protect our minds. Philippians 4:5--7(1) Let your gentle spirit be known to all men.(2) The Lord is near. (3) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And (4) the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NAU)