A PATTERN FOR PRAYER
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!
"If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." (1 Corinthians 10:12-13, NLT)
"And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one." (Matthew 6:13, NLT)
(SLIDE 2)
INTRODUCTION
Rick Warren tells of a Pastor that had to go into downtown Santa Ana for a meeting. He was late and ended up parking in a No Parking Zone. He wrote a note to "bribe" the cop and he put it under his windshield wiper... "I’ve circled this block ten times and I have to make this appointment or my heavenly Boss will be upset with me... Remember ` forgive us our sins.’"
When he got back he found a ticket on his car and this note from the Police officer... "I’ve circled this block for ten years. If I don’t give you a ticket, my earthly boss will be upset with me. Remember... `lead us not into temptation’"
We are at present considering this the 6Th petition of our Lord’s Pattern of prayer asking what it means...
Thus far as we have been examining our Lord’s pattern for prayer, OUR LORD HAS FOCUSED OUR ATTENTION ON:
• GOD’S PERSON … “May Your name be kept holy”
• GOD’S PURPOSE … “May Your Kingdom come soon”
• GOD’S PROGRAM … “May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven”
• GOD’S PROVISION … “Give us today the food we need”
• GOD’S PARDON … "… and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us."
Then last week our focus was turned to our need for...
• GOD’S PROTECTION ... “And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”
As we looked at this petition requesting god’s protection we saw that this was not a prayer
• TO KEEP US OUT OF TRIAL, TESTING OR TROUBLE
Nor was it a prayer
• ASKING GOD NOT TO PLACE US IN A SITUATION WHERE WE CAN BE TEMPTED?
Rather it is a prayer
• ASKING GOD TO HELP US FROM BEING DRAWN OR SUCKED, BY OUR OWN WILL, INTO SINNING
As was suggested last week the NLT captures this meaning by translating the petition … “And don’t let us yield to temptation”
(SLIDE 3)
To understand this petition more fully we considered the … THREE ASPECTS OF TEMPTATION
• THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR TEMPTATION
• THE ROUTE OF TEMPTATION (both last week)
• THE RESOURCE IN TEMPTATION (this week)
(SLIDE 4)
THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR TEMPTATION
We asked who is to blame when we give in to temptation, remembering that temptation is not a sin (Jesus was tempted, yet He never sinned) …
So…
WE TRY TO BLAME?
• CIRCUMSTANCES
• OTHERS
• GOD
• SATAN
BUT ULTIMATELY we need to realise that …
• I AM RESPONSIBLE!
That led us to considering …
(SLIDE 5)
THE ROUTE OF TEMPTATION
Here we uncovered the same pattern Satan has used to entice God’s people into falling for temptation and causing them to sin. We examined …
THE SLIPPERY SLOPE … used by Satan since Eden
• DESIRE
• DOUBT
• DECEPTION
• DISOBEDIENCE
• DEATH
The Bible says …
“The reward for sin is death, but the gift that God freely gives is everlasting life found in Christ Jesus our Lord. ” (Romans 6:23, GW)
So that leaves the question... what can we do to prevent becoming a casualty of temptation?
HENCE TODAYS MESSAGE TITLE …
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!
(SLIDE 6)
We now examine the help that is ours in the overcoming of temptation …
THE RESOURCE IN TEMPTATION
This morning … WE CONSIDER THE SECOND HALF OF THE PETITION … "… rescue us from the evil one." (NLT)
Therefore the question is
How can I ensure that I do not fall prey to the schemes of Satan?
James suggests two things when he advises us …
"So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you." (James 4:7, NCV)
We are to …
• SUBMIT TO CHRIST
The Bible assures us that for those who belong to Christ by virtue of receiving His free gift of forgiveness through His death on the Cross as a payment for the PENALTY for your sin, for those who daily submit to the Lordship, the management of Jesus over their lives by being led and controlled by the Spirit … there is help to overcome the POWER OF SIN in daily living.
To have victory over sin in my life, to not give in to the temptations that assail me, I need to be fully submitted to Christ in every area of my life. Be obedient to Him...
in my personal life,
in my church life,
in my civic life,
in my business life,
in my recreational life,
in my family life,
in my spiritual life.
My spiritual pulse needs to be strong. My daily walk with the Lord needs to be in excellent shape. If I am not walking in step with the Holy Spirit, I am an easy target for the schemes of the Devil! To overcome temptations power we must fix our eyes on Jesus!
• STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL
HOW? How do we stand against Satan? Paul has some valuable advice for us when he wrote to the Corinthians…
"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." (1 Corinthians 10:13, NLT)
NOTICE FOUR THINGS FROM THIS SCRIPTURE:
• TEMPTATION IS A COMMON EXPERIENCE… WE ARE NOT ALONE!
• GOD IS FAITHFUL, DEPENDABLE AND CAN BE RELIED UPON.
• GOD WON’T LET YOU FACE MORE THAN YOU CAN MANAGE
• GOD WILL ALWAYS PROVIDE YOU WITH AN ESCAPE ROUTE
(SLIDE 7)
With this in mind let us consider …
SIX STRATEGIES TO STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL:
1. SENSE YOUR WEAKNESS
"Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence." (1 Corinthians 10:12, The Message)
There is an old story of an eagle who, on an early morning during the Spring thaw, soared high above the forest looking for something to eat. As he followed the course of a river he looked down and spied a small rodent, trapped on a piece of ice that had broken free and was floating down stream.
Seeing an easy meal, he swooped down, landed on the ice, killed the mouse and began to eat. As he continued his meal, he saw that his perch was rapidly approaching a water fall, but determined to finish eating and thinking he would rise into the air and to safety at the last moment, continued his course. As the ice neared the falls, the eagle finished his last bite. Satisfied with his breakfast he spread his mighty wings and attempted to rise skyward as the chunk of ice tipped over the edge. While enjoying his meal however, he had failed to notice that the warmth of his feet had caused his claws to become embedded in the ice. Try as he might, he could not dislodge them and free himself from what had now become the burden that would carry him to his death on the rocks far below.
Don’t fool yourself! Don’t be overconfident; thinking it can never happen to you; that is a recipe for disaster! Given the right circumstances, any of us are callable of messing up.
C. S. Lewis made these insightful observations about temptation: “No man knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. That is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is....Christ, because He was the only Man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only Man who knows to the full what temptation means.” (CS Lewis, ‘Today in the Word’, November, 1998, p. 24)
2. SEEK HELP
"This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." (Hebrews 4:15-16, NLT)
Remember you are not alone in your struggles. Not only does God understand our weaknesses but is always on hand to help us especially when we need it most.
Heaven has a 24 hour help line and emergency service. Ask God’s help to do the right thing and he will help you. Don’t be embarrassed to ask God’s help
3. STAY IN THE WORD
How did Jesus overcome temptation? … By the Word of God. Every time Satan tried to tempt Him, He countered with the Word of God. That is why the Psalmist said
"Let me live by your word." (Psalm 119:37b, NCV)
And again the writer of Ps 119 poses and answers the question … "How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word … I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you."
(Psalm 119:9, 11, NIV)
When you suddenly face temptation, if the Word is hidden in your heart, it becomes a weapon to use against temptation.
An American TV advert for chewing tobacco coined the phrase “You just put a pinch between your cheek and gum.” Steve Farrar suggests that it is like that with the Word of God. As you put the Word between your cheek and gum and chew on it all day, when temptation comes you spit the Word of God into the eye of temptation!
4. SPRINT AWAY FROM THE SOURCE OF TEMPTATION
A senior pastor was cautioning his new assistant pastor on some of the potential temptations and pitfalls that arise within the ministry. He warned him that he should avoid any situation where he found himself alone with a female member of the congregation. The assistant pastor quite self-assured and said, "I do most of my socializing in groups, there is safety in numbers." The wise senior pastor responded, "Yes, there may be safety in numbers, but there is greater safety in Exodus!"
RUN AWAY FROM THE SOURCE OF TEMPTATION!
Paul cautions us … " “Don’t give the devil any opportunity ⌊to work⌋.” (Ephesians 4:27, GW)
Peter emphasises this as well … "Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping."
(1 Peter 5:8, The Message)
How do we do this? … “There is a saying forewarned is forearmed.” Ask yourself some searching questions such as When? Where? With whom? Seek out the characteristic circumstances and then stay away from them.
Follow the advice of Solomon …
"Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path." (Proverbs 4:26, NLT)
I need at all times to guard my mind. A battering ram may hit a fortress gate a thousand times, and no single blow seems to have any effect, yet after constant pounding the gate finally gives in. In similar fashion, failure is the accumulation of small mental indulgences and minuscule compromises, the immediate consequences of which were, at the time, indiscernible.
No, we can’t avoid all temptation, but in Martin Luther’s words, “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from making a nest in your hair.”
Or to put it another way: “If you’re on a diet, you don’t go into an ice cream parlour.”
This means practical things such as staying away from anything that will encourage the thought process and act as that battering ram at the gate of your mind.
Magazine racks, video stores, advertisements, TV programs, images, people, and places that tempt.
"Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life." (Proverbs 4:23, NCV)
5. SWITCH YOUR ATTENTION
This follows on from the previous strategy. You ask God in the words of the Psalmist to …"Keep me from looking at worthless things." (Psalm 119:37a, NCV)
What you are doing is asking God to help you to refocus your attention away from the temptation. Trying to resist the temptation only reinforces it in your mind and drives it deeper into your thoughts thereby becoming more alluring.
Have you ever noticed that when you have to fast for a blood test and cannot eat after say 20h00, how hungry you get just after 20h00? The more we try to deny ourselves something the more we crave it! Recently, I tried to cut out chocolates! The more I thought about it the more I craved it! To neutralise something we need to switch our attention! So I thought about ice cream instead!
That is why Paul counsels young Timothy…
"Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts." (2 Timothy 2:22, NLT)
6. SECURE AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
The story is told of Muhammad Ali, who at the height of his career was travelling by air on one occasion. When the air hostess told him to fasten his seat belt Ali responded by saying “Superman don’t need no seat belt!” To which quick as a flash the lady replied,”Superman don’t need no plane!”
Beloved, you and I are not Superman, we can’t fly by ourselves! That why God gives us a family! The enemy loves to isolate us… God provides us with one another!
Get a friend who loves you enough to tell you the truth and to hold you accountable!
That is why the Bible says …
"Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, HCSB)
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful." (James 5:16, HCSB)
A loved one, a friend, a mentor who holds you accountable and prays for you is an invaluable asset!
(SLIDE 8)
THEREFORE WHEN WE PRAY… "And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one."
WE ARE ASKING GOD TO HELP US TO…
• STAY ALERT TO THE TACTICS OF SATAN!
• AVOID THE AMBUSHES OF TEMPTATION!
• FINISH STRONG THROUGH GOD’S HELP!
The Bible says
"… let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."
(Hebrews 12:1, NLT)
I want to end with a beautiful poem by an unknown author entitled ‘The Race’ ... quoted in Steve Farrar’s excellent book “Finishing Strong” (FINISHING STRONG, STEVE FARRER, pg 23)
Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from his eye.
“There’s no sense in running anymore-three strikes
I’m out- why try?”
The will to rise had disappeared, all hope had fled away
So far behind, so error prone, closer all the way.
“I’ve lost, so what’s the use,” he thought,
“I’ll live with my disgrace.”
But then he thought about his dad who
soon he’d have to face.
“Get up,” an echo sounded low,
“Get up and take your place.
You were not meant for failure here,
So get up and win the race.”
With borrowed will, “Get up,” it said
“you haven’t lost at all,
For winning is not more than this-
To rise each time you fall.”
So up he rose to win once more, and with a new commit,
He resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn’t quit.
So far behind the others now, the most he’d ever been,
Still he gave it all he had and ran as though to win.
Three times he’d fallen stumbling,
Three times he rose again.
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.
They cheered the winning runner as he crossed first place
Head high and proud and happy; no falling, no disgrace.
But when the fallen youngster crossed the line last place,
The crowd gave him a greater cheer for finishing the race.
And even though he came in last,
With head bowed low, unproud
You would have thought he won the race,
to listen to the crowd.
And to his Dad he sadly said, “I didn’t do so well.”
“To me , you won,” his father said,
“You rose each time you fell.”
And now when things seem dark and hard
And difficult to face.
The memory of that little boy helps me in my race.
For all of life is like that race,
With ups and downs and all,
And all you have to do to win-is to rise each time you fall.
“Quit! Give up, you’re beaten,” they still shout in my face’.
But another voice within me says,
“Get up and win that race.”
Satan shouts “Quit! Give up, you’re beaten,”
Jesus encourages you “Get up and win that race.”
No matter how badly you have fallen, come to Jesus seek His forgiveness and He will help you to get up and finish your race for...
“The one who loves us gives us an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties. ” (Romans 8:37, GW)
And ...
"When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy. After they have proved their faith, God will reward them with life forever. God promised this to all those who love him." (James 1:12, NCV)
