Get Connected: A Daily Pattern for Prayer
"God Keep Me from Disobeying You"
Week 5
Matthew 6:13
We are two thirds of the way through this series of message called Get Connected: A Daily Pattern for Prayer. God more than anything else wants an intimate relationship with you. He wants all of your heart and He wants all of your life. He didn’t send His Son Jesus to die for you just to save you and for your to continue on with life as usual.
No, He died for you to be forever intimately connected with Him in fellowship. And He knows the only way that intimacy is going to grow is for you to spend personal time in prayer fellowshipping and worshipping Him. Your not going to know the Lord the way God wants just coming and getting a spiritual fix one hour a week. No it comes from a daily personal time in prayer alone with God in prayer. It’s your time to connect with God. It’s your time to grow in intimacy.
“God I praise you”
“God I want to do your will”
“God meet my daily needs”
“God forgive me for my sins”
This week – “God keep me from disobeying you”
Matthew 6:13 “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” NAS
It seems to be implying that God leads us into temptation. God doesn’t lead any of us into temptation. The bible says God doesn’t tempt anyone. There is no sin in Him and He does not tempt anyone of us to sin.
Better rendered. "Make us aware of the temptations around us and help us not give into those temptations."
God desires to deliver us from temptations but we need to cry out for His help and deliverance.
God’s will for our lives is that we would not sin. He is after Perfection. He is after righteousness. He is after holiness. That needs to be the cry of our heart everyday. “God help me to be perfect like you are perfect.”
That's why Christ says to cry out daily and ask God for His help in being delivered from evil.
Listen to this warning from, I Cor. 10:12 “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” NAS
One thing we need to remember we should never should get to the point when we feel like we have arrived in our Christian life. That we have conquered sin. That we are beyond falling. No one is beyond falling or committing any sin.
Proverbs 16 talks about pride going before a fall.
Pride is one of those sins that causes us to fall further into sin. Don’t ever come to the point of thinking, “I’ve made it.” “I’ve conquered that sin.” “I’ll never struggle with that one again.” As soon as you do that God says you will fall.
What Peter told Jesus.
Let’s all be honest with each other today. No of us has arrived and none of us is beyond falling into any sin.
One thing Jesus is trying to communicate to us here, is it's not enough to just
prayer for forgiveness of our sins we need to ask for God's power to help us overcome sin in our life.
We live in an evil world. Evil is all around us. Sin is everywhere. Sin is rampant. Oh how we desperately need God’s strength to stand against it.
Tempt means - to entice to do wrong with the promise of pleasure or gain.
Everyone of us are tempted each day to do wrong. To disobey God. To do something wrong with a promise of pleasure or gain of some type. You need to know there are powerful forces working against us each day to cause us to stumble and fall and disobey God and sin.
We need to understand how we are tempted.
How we are tempted:
1. From the evil desires within us.
James 1:14-15a “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions.” NLT
So one of the first ways we are tempted is by our own evil desires. It’s the evil desires within each of us that are at work.
Each of us was born into sin. We inherited the sin nature of Adam. Adam was created perfect without sin but Adam was tempted and sinned and because of his sin all of us are born with a sin nature. We can’t get away from this. His sin causes all of us to sin.
When we are born again in Christ. We receive another spirit. The spirit of God. Now there are two natures within us. Sinful nature and a spiritual nature. Listen how Paul puts it in Galatians 5:17.
Gal. 5:17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions." NLT
These two natures are in a constant struggle and battle with each other. They are fighting back and forth, back and forth. The sinful nature is tempting us to do wrong and sin and the spiritual nature is working to bring about God’s righteousness in us.
How many times do we say we are never going to give into that temptation and sin and yet we do just that? It’s because of the power of this sinful nature we still have.
2. From Satan and his army.
We need to realize that Satan is a real being and he is mightily at work in this world. Bible says that he is the prince and the power of this earth.
Number of years ago there was a Christian book entitled… “Satan is alive and well on planet earth.” That is such a true statement.
I Cor. 7:5b "...so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control." NLT
We can see there that it’s implied that Satan tempts us to sin and disobey God.
He even tries to keep us from doing the will of God. Listen to what Paul says here is I Thess. 2:18.
I Thess. 2:18 We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us." NLT
Listen to how Peter warns us in I Peter 5:8.
I Peter 5:8 "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” NLT.
i.e. - Lost in Space - "Danger Will Robinson, Danger!"
Now I have seen a lion before. I have even been pretty close to one at the zoo, with a nice tall wall between the lion and me. I felt pretty safe. One time on T.V. I saw a lion take down a Zebra and just tear it to pieces. They are such powerful creatures.
God’s word describes Satan as this powerful lion that is roaming for his prey. He’s hunting it down. He’s pursuing it. And you know what? We as God’s children are that prey. He is out to devour our life, to take it from us.
Satan is out to destroy your life. He is out to cause you to be a moral failure. He has already lost the battle for your soul. Now He is out to cause your life not to matter for God. To keep you from God's will. He doesn't want you to obey God. He wants you to failure. He wants you to be bound by sin.
God doesn’t want that for you, God wants you to be victorious over sin.
3. From other people.
Psalm 1:1 “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.” NLT
Other people can tempt us to sin and disobey God.
4. From circumstances around us.
I Tim. 6:9 "But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction." NLT
Having money is not wrong but we can become so fixed on money and making money that we lose our desire for God and for obeying Him.
i.e. – Backpacking in the wilderness. There are all kinds of rocks and trees and cliffs. Walking with eyes closed or open. Closed we stumble and fall. Open we see the things in our path. Are eyes are open. We are sensitive to sin.
We need to daily cry out to God in prayer and ask God to open are eyes to the temptations around us. When we are more aware of temptations, we are less likely to give into them. Because are eyes are open and we are living with a readiness to obey and not sin.
Prayer of Jabez - "Keep me from evil that I may not cause pain."
That has to the cry of our heart everyday for us to continue to walk in fellowship and obey God.
How We Delivered from temptation:
1. Through the power of God's Holy Spirit.
Luke 4:1-2a “Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days.” NLT
When Jesus entered a time of testing when He was tempted by the devil, notice He was full of the Holy Spirit. He had just been baptized and was lead by the Spirit of God. Jesus was filled with God’s Spirit. He was spirit filled. He was empowered by God’s Spirit. It was the spirit that gave Christ the power not to sin.
We can get into a great debate over whether or not Christ could have sinned. The point I want to make here is it’s obvious from God’s word that when Jesus we through one of the most intense times of testing in his life that He will full of the Holy Spirit.
And in order for us to overcome temptation and not sin we need the filling of God’s spirit. We need His fullness. When we are filled with His spirit we will not give into temptation and sin.
Galatians 6:8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. NAS
We have a choice to make each day we live. We can live for ourselves and our own selfish evil desires and when we do that we reap corruption. We destroy ourselves. Things will not go well for us. But if we decide that today we are going to live to please the Spirit of God, to obey God. Then we are sowing seeds that please the Lord and God will bless us for that. That’s a decision each of us gets to make every day. To live to please ourselves or to live to please God.
Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." NAS
How are we not going to sin? By walking in the Spirit. That doesn’t just happen. We can do certain things to be more filled with the Spirit of God. We can worship God, read the word, and pray, and fast, and have faith in God. When we do these things we can become more filled with God’s Spirit.
When we walk in God’s spirit we produce the fruit of the spirit.
Bibles says in Galatians 5 - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Without being filled with God’s spirit we produce act of disobedience. Deeds of the flesh - Sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins.
There is all kinds of evil around us. We desperately need God’s help. We can’t stand by ourselves.
Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. NLT
God is working in us. He gives us the desire to obey God, to want to choose righteousness and to do that which pleases the Lord. This is God’s grace working in us.
Grace means – God giving us the power to overcome sin and the desire to overcome sin.
James 4:6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires." NLT
NAS "Greater grace"
God gives His followers greater grace to overcome sin. He gives us the desire (“I don’t want to do this sin any longer, I hate this sin.”) and He give us the power to overcome sin. You need to understand there is no sin that is more powerful than God’s spirit within you. God is all-powerful and His powerful spirit has been deposited into your life. Therefore, there is no sin that God can’t free you from. You need to claim freedom from any sin in your life.
Tell God “I claim freedom over this sin in Jesus name.”
Romans 6:6 “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.” NLT
We you are a slave to something you are bound by that. You have to do what the master says. The master is sin and you must obey it. When you become a Christian your slavery to sin is broken and you are free to obey God and not your sin.
So we have the spirit of God living in us that gives us supernatural power to overcome sin. But we can choose still choose to sin and disobey God even though we know we shouldn’t and when we do that we can grieve the Holy Spirit.
Eph. 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. NAS
We know sin is wrong. God has convicted us of a certain sin in our life but we continue in that sin even though we know it’s wrong and when we do this it grieves the Holy Spirit of God. The power of God is shut off. Fellowship with God stops. Guilt takes place. We feel distance from God. We have grieved the Holy Spirit. When we do that we are far from God. We need to repent and return to the Lord.
First way to not give into temptation is to be filled with the Spirit of God.
2. Through the power of God’s Word.
The power for you and I is found in the word of God. God’s Word is all-powerful. Through the word of God people are saved. People receive physical healing. Lives are radically changed. Relationships are supernaturally healed.
The word of God is all sufficient for everything you will ever face in this life. God created it that way. He didn’t leave out some part that we might need. No He has written everything we will need.
i.e. – Owners manual – Read and put it together right there are no left over parts. With God’s word everything we need is there. It’s not missing any instruction we might need. It’s all there, every part we will ever need.
Hebrews 4:12a For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword…” NLT
2 Tim . 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. NLT
God word has His breath in it. Inspired - It is God breathed. Therefore it’s all-powerful. It was through God’s spoken word that He spoke into being everything created. “Let there be light, water, fish, animals, etc…
God spoke it and it happened just that way. His words have power and life in them. His words correct us, and His words teach us to do that which is right.
When Jesus was lead into the wilderness and was tempted. He spoke the words of God and those words gave Him power over what Satan was speaking.
i.e. – Bread – don’t live by bread alone; give you this kingdom of this world if you will worship me – only worship God; show you are God – don’t tempt the Lord.
Each temptation was counteracted by Jesus using the power of the word of God.
i.e. – Person struggles you have need to know and memorize God’s word.
Worry – Phil. 4:6 Don’t worry about anything…
Lust – 2 Tim 2:22 Flee youth lusts…
Anger – Eph. 4:26 Don’t let the sun go down on your anger…
It’s all in here. God has spoken His word. His word is all-powerful. Use His word to combat sin.
Psalm 119:9 How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. NLT
Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. NLT
Be filled with the spirit of God. Using the power of God’s word.
3. Through Persistent Prayer.
You want to see a powerful Christian. One who is filled with the spirit and walks with the Lord. Look for a Christian who prays faithfully and persistently to the Lord.
I Thess. 5:17 “pray without ceasing” NAS
We need to have a specific time everyday that we pray to the Lord. Just you and Him. But we also need to pray throughout the day about everything. We need to pray without ceasing. Have you ever given into a temptation and sinned while praying? That’s why we need to pray throughout the day.
Matter of fact the best thing we can do when we are tempted is to pray to God. But most of the time when we are tempted, prayer is the farthest thing from our heart. But it should be the first thing on our mind.
You want to be delivered from temptation. Pray without ceasing.
Eph.. 6:11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil." NLT
i.e. - Alexis and Courtney skit
Belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, sword of spirit – God’s word.
Flaming arrows of Satan -
Eph. 6:18 "Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere." NLT
You put on the whole armor and then pray in the spirit all the time and for every occasion. There shouldn’t be any area of my life I’m not praying about. I need God’s provision and protection in everything.
How many of us would leave the house half dressed in the morning? How many of us would go into a battle without any armor on?
But that's exactly what many of us do each day. We have no armor on to face the enemy is this seeking to destroy us.
When we put the armor on and pray persistently about everything. There is great power in that. We might be losing the battle but when we put the whole amour and pray the battle turns in our favor.
There is more power and more strength, more faith, more obedience, etc...(Baloons)
And when I do this, the forces of evil start to lose their battle against me.
No prayer. No power in your life. Much prayer, much power in your life. You choose....which do you want?
Prayer changes things. Prayer will change what is happening in your life.
God’s Holy Spirit, power of the word, persistent prayer, and then…
4. Through alertness
We need to wake up and be alert.
Listen to what Jesus told His disciples when they were in the garden of Gethsemane.
Matthew 26:39 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!” NLT
Jesus told the disciples to keep watch so they wouldn’t give into temptation. This word watch means to stay awake during the night. When most people are sleeping you need to stay awake and alert to the temptations around you.
i.e. – idea of a guard keeping watch on a tower on the prison wall. Even though people are locked in their cells and it’s the middle of the night and everything is quiet. I keep guard, I keep watch.
You are always alert. There is never a time when you let your guard down. You beat your body and make your body your slave as Paul says so you will not be disqualified for the prize.
In talking about the return of the Lord.
Matthew 25:13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour." NAS
I Peter 5:8 "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
I Cor. 16:13 “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” NAS
I Thess. 5:6 "So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded." NLT
Alert – to stay awake, to keep watch because of ever present danger around you.
Ever one of us are in danger each day of falling into any sin. Therefore, we need to stay awake of the danger of temptations that come our way each day.
Holy Spirit, Power of God’s Word, Persistent Prayer, Alertness and then when we see the temptation we
5. Through running
2 Tim. 2:22a “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace.” NLT
We are suppose to run from anything that might cause us to lust and sin.
Sometimes the best thing we can do when we realize we are not where we should be or are in a tempting situation is just to run as fast as you can run.
We need to have our sneakers on ready to run from any evil that comes our way.
I Cor. 10:13 "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." NLT
God is telling us He will show us the way out. But we need to make sure we don’t put ourselves in compromising situations.
To not put ourselves in compromising situations.
Situation you put yourself in. Teenager going to a party and saying you’re not going to drink.
Computer – in private looking at stuff you have no business looking at with your eyes.
Maybe your married and yet there this person at work you are attracted too. Put yourself in compromising situations like going to lunch or alone together outside of work. Setting yourself up for moral failure.
i.e. - dating and trying to stay pure and putting yourself alone in the backseat of a car.
It can be all kinds of circumstances and many times we put ourselves in those situations and then expect God to bail us out.
Make a daily decision to stand firm for Christ.
"I don't want to sin I want to obey God."
