LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION
MATTHEW 6:13
OUR THOUGHTS ARE ALWAYS GEETING US IN TROUBLE. OUR MIND IS THE INITIAL STARTING PLACE FOR TEMPTATION.
I’M REMINDED OF THE STORY ABOUT A MAN AND HIS WIFE WHO WERE OUT SHOPPING, WHEN A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WALKED BY THEM. SHE WAS NOTICED ON A CONTINUAL BASIS BY THE HUSBAND. WITHOUT LOOKING UP FROM THE ITEM HIS WIFE ASKED, “WAS IT WORTH THE TROUBLE YOU’RE IN?”
CONSIDER THE BOY WHO WAS IN THE CONFESSIONAL BOOTH:
BOY “BLESS ME FATHER FOR I HAVE SINNED…FATHER I HAD BAD THOUGHTS.”
PRIEST: DID YOU ENTERTAIN THEM?
BOY: “NO FATHER…BUT THEY SURE ENTERTAINED ME.”
THIS IS MY FINAL MESSAGE ON THE LORD’S MODEL PRAYER AND THE PETITION WE ARE LOOKING AT HAS BEEN CONSIDERED BY SOME TO BE CONFUSING.
THE CONFUSION COMES BECAUSE IT WOULD APPEAR THAT GOD LEADS US INTO TEMPTATION, OR ELSE WHY WOULD WE NEED TO PRAY THIS PHRASE. COMBINE THIS WITH THE FACT THAT IT WAS THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT LED JESUS INTO THE WILDERNESS TO BE TEMPTED BY SATAN.
LESLIE AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS AND HER INSIGHTS WERE VERY HELPFUL. SHE POINTED OUT THAT JESUS TEMPTATION WAS PART OF GOD’S PLAN. THE FIRST ADAM FELL TO TEMPTATION, JESUS, THE SECOND ADAM USED THE WORD TO SUCCESSFULLY RESIST TEMPTATION. SHE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS SATAN WHO DID THE ACTUAL TEMPTING, THE HOLY SPIRIT ONLY LED JESUS TO THE WILDERNESS. THESE ARE TWO VERY EXCELLENT AND WELL THOUGHT OUT POINTS.
THIS PART OF THE PRAYER IS A STATEMENT OF SUBMISSION AND DEPENDANCE ON GOD. WE ARE ASKING HIM TO LEAD US, BECAUSE IN OURSELVES WE ARE NATURALLY DRAWN TO TEMPTING WAYS THAT CAN LEAD US FROM GOD.
I WAS COMING TO MINTO FROM ACADIA AND I USUALLY USE THE RODHOM HILLS TO GET THROUGH TO TRURO. THAT’S WHERE I COULD GET ON THE HIGHWAY TO NEW BRUNSWICK. I STOPPED FOR A COFFEE AT TIM’S, AND THERE WAS A LADY ASKING DIRECTIONS FOR HOW TO GET THROUGH THE RODHAM HILLS. THE CLERK WAS VERY HELPFUL, AND I COULD FOLLOW HIM BECAUSE I KNEW THE ROAD, BUT I COULD SEE HER GETTING CONFUSED.
I ASKED HER IF I COULD BE OF HELP, AND WHEN SHE SAID SHE WANTED TO GO TO TRURO, I SIMPLY SAID “FOLLOW ME. I’LL GET YOU THERE. I KNOW THE WAY.” I DROVE IN FRONT OF HER, SHE TRUSTED ME AND FOLLOWED ME, AND SHE GOT TO HER DESTINATION EASILY, WITHOUT GETTING SIDETRACKED BY THE MANY SIDEROADS ALONG THE WAY.
THE ROAD THOUGH WAS NOT AN EASY ROAD. THERE WERE SEVERAL SHARP TURNS ON IT, AND MANY PLACES WHERE IT WOULD BE EASY TO LOSE YOUR WAY IF YOU DIDN’T HAVE SOMEONE WHO KNEW IT LEADING YOU.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR “LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION.” WE ARE ASKING JESUS TO HELP US TO REMAIN ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW ROAD. HE IS NOT LEADING US INTO DANGER. HE IS KEEPING US FROM IT.
THIS PRAYER SPEAKS TO OUR CONTINUAL DEPENDANCE ON THE LORD.
“FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS” SPEAKS TO OUR PAST
“GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD” SPEAKS TO THE PRESENT
“LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION” SPEAKS TO THE FUTURE.
THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT AS WE CONSIDER THIS PETITION THIS MORNING. WE ARE THEN GOING TO LOOK AT THREE WORDS BEGINNING WITH THE LETTER “D”: THE DANGER OF TEMPTATION, OUR DEFICIENCY IN DEALING WITH TEMPTATION, AND OUR DELIVERANCE FROM TEMPTATION.
POINT ONE: THE DANGER OF TEMPTATION
MANY OF THE DANGERS WE FACE AS A RESULT OF TEMPTATION, COME FROM OUR OWN MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT, SIN, SATAN, AND OUR POWER TO RESIST TEMPTATION. WE WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE ACCEPTED CHRIST WE WILL NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH TEMPTATION ANYMORE. WE HOLD TO THE VERSE
1 JOHN 4:4: YOU, DEAR CHILDREN, ARE FROM GOD AND HAVE OVERCOME THEM, BECAUSE THE ONE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN THE ONE WHO IS IN THE WORLD.
AS IF IT GAVE US IMMUNITY FROM TEMPTATION. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO FIND A WAY AROUND THE FACT THAT GOD WILL TEST US.
LET’S BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS. GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF TEMPTATION. JAMES IS CLEAR ON THIS:
JAMES 1:13-15:
WHEN TEMPTED, NO ONE SHOULD SAY, “GOD IS TEMPTING ME.” FOR GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED BY EVIL, NOR DOES HE TEMPT ANYONE; 14 BUT EACH PERSON IS TEMPTED WHEN THEY ARE DRAGGED AWAY BY THEIR OWN EVIL DESIRE AND ENTICED. 15 THEN, AFTER DESIRE HAS CONCEIVED, IT GIVES BIRTH TO SIN; AND SIN, WHEN IT IS FULL-GROWN, GIVES BIRTH TO DEATH.
THE GOAL OR PURPOSE OF TEMPTATION IS CLEAR. IT IS AN INSTRUMENT USED BY SATAN TO DISTURB OR RUIN A PERSON’S RELATIONSHIP TO GOD. IT ALWAYS HAS A NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCE TO YOURSELF, AND OTHERS THAT YOU LOVE
THINK OF SMOKING AS AN EXAMPLE. SMOKING CAN PHYSICALLY CAUSE HARM TO NOT ONLY YOUR BODY, BUT ALSO TO THOSE AROUND YOU AS A RESULT OF SECOND-HAND SMOKE.
JAMES ALSO SAYS THAT GOD WILL TEST OUR FAITH.
JAMES 1:3-4:
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE. 4 LET PERSEVERANCE FINISH ITS WORK SO THAT YOU MAY BE MATURE AND COMPLETE, NOT LACKING ANYTHING.
WHEN JESUS TESTS OUR FAITH, IT IS NOT ABOUT SEEING IF WE PASS OR FAIL. THE TESTS OF GOD ARE STEPPING STONES IN FAITH-BUILDING. OUR FAITH WALK IS A CONTINUAL PROCESS OF MATURING AND LEARNING TO DEPEND ON HIM FOR ALL THINGS.
TESTING BY GOD IS NEVER DECEITFUL BUT IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT. AS WE MATURE IN OUR CHRIST WALK THE TESTS WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT. IF WE RECEIVED THE SAME TEST IN GRADE 12 THAT WE DID IN GRADE 1, IT WOULD SAY THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE DECIDED THAT WE DIDN’T MATURE AT ALL.
AS WE PROGRESS IN LIFE THE TESTS BECOME MORE DIFFICULT. THIS IS FOR TWO REASONS. THE CONSEQUENCES OF WRONG CHOICES BECOME GREATER, SO TO DO THE REWARDS OF GOOD CHOICES. IF WE ARE FAITHFUL TO GOD THOUGH WE CAN CLAIM THE ASSURANCE OF DAVID IN PSALM 23:
PSALM 23:1-3:
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, I LACK NOTHING. 2 HE MAKES ME LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES, HE LEADS ME BESIDE QUIET WATERS, 3 HE REFRESHES MY SOUL. HE GUIDES ME ALONG THE RIGHT PATHS FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE.
THE SECOND DANGER WE FACE IS THE DISBELIEF IN THE REALITY OF SATAN AND SIN. A BARNA STUDY ON THE U.S. FOUND THAT:
60% OF AMERICAN ADULTS BELIEVE THAT “SATAN IS NOT A LIVING BEING BUT ONLY A SYMBOL OF EVIL.
25% STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT SATAN IS A REAL BEING.
45% OF THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES “BORN-AGAIN” DENY SATAN’S EXISTENCE.
OUR SOCIETY HAS BOUGHT INTO DENYING THE REALITY OF SATAN, BUT NOT THE REALITY OF EVIL. A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ASPECT OF THE MOVIE INDUSTRY IS IN HORROR FILMS. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE ROLE OF EVIL, BUT NOT WHERE THE EVIL COMES FROM.
THE BIBLE TEACHES THE EXISTENCE OF SATAN AND THAT HE INTRODUCED SIN INTO THE WORLD. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED SINLESS, BUT FELL INTO SIN AS A RESULT OF SATAN’S TEMPTATION.
THEY WERE GIVEN THE SAME CHOICE THAT SATAN HAD, TO OBEY THE CREATOR OR NOT, AND BECAUSE THEY CHOSE NOT TO OBEY SIN ENTERED THE HUMAN RACE.
SATAN IS A CREATED BEING, THEREFORE HE DOES NOT HAVE THE SAME POWER AS GOD, BUT AS A CREATED BEING, AN ANGEL, HE OF THE ORDER OF CREATURES THAT IS HIGHER THAN MAN.
HEBREWS 2:7: YOU MADE THEM A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU CROWNED THEM WITH GLORY AND HONOR
SATAN IS SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OF HIS VAST EXPERIENCE. HE HAS NOT SEEN ALL, BUT WHAT HE HAS SEEN AND HEARD HE CAN REMEMBER. SATAN LEARNS ABOUT US AND WHAT TEMPTATION HE CAN ATTACK US WITH.
TO THE SMOKER - IT’S A CIGARETTE SOMEONE HAS
TO THE DRINKER – IT’S THE DRINK AT A DINNER TABLE IN A
RESTAURANT
TO THE GAMBLER – IT’S THE VIDEO GAME IN A STORE
HE WILL NEVER TEMPT US WHERE WE ARE STRONG. IT WILL ALWAYS BE A WEAK POINT IN OUR LIVES WHICH HE LEARNS THOUGH LIFE EXPERIENCE OR BY WATCHING THE INDIVIDUAL.
SATAN HAS AN ARMY OF FALLEN ANGELS WHO BRING HIM INFORMATION ABOUT YOU. HE CAN THEN DETERMINE THE TEMPTATION TO FOLLOW.
THE REALITY OF SATAN AND SIN IS THAT THEY EAT AT US UNTIL THEY DESTROY US.
1PETER 5:8: BE ALERT AND OF SOBER MIND. YOUR ENEMY THE DEVIL PROWLS AROUND LIKE A ROARING LION LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO DEVOUR.
THE FIRST STEP THEN IN BEING DELIVERED FROM TEMPTATION AND THE EVIL ON IS TO ADMIT THE REALITY AND EXISTANCE OF THE EVIL ONE AND TEMPTATION.
POINT TWO: DEFICIENCY IN DEALING WITH TEMPTATION
WHEN WE CONSIDER THE POWER OF SATAN, WE MUST ALSO BE READY TO ADMIT THAT IN OUR OWN POWER WE CANNOT DEFEAT HIM OR HIS TEMPTATION. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT NOT ONLY WAS LUCIFER AN ANGEL, BUT MANY THEOLOGIANS FEEL, INCLUDING ME, THAT HE WAS OF A HIGHER CLASS OF ANGEL CALLED ARCH-ANGELS. THE BIBLE LISTS ONLY THREE, MICHAEL, GABRIEL, AND LUCIFER.
THERE CAN BE A TENDENCY ON SOME CHRISTIANS TO THINK THAT THEY HAVE MORE POWER THAN SATAN BASED ON THE FACT THAT THEY ARE CHRISTIAN. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. WE HAVE MORE POWER AT OUR DISPOSAL IN CHRIST, BUT WE MAKE A MISTAKE TO THINK THAT WE ARE INVINCIBLE.
HEBREWS 12:1: THEREFORE, SINCE WE ARE SURROUNDED BY SUCH A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US THROW OFF EVERYTHING THAT HINDERS AND THE SIN THAT SO EASILY ENTANGLES. AND LET US RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE THE RACE MARKED OUT FOR US,
THIS VERSE TELLS US THAT THERE IS A SIN THAT “EASILY” ENTANGLES US, AND SATAN KNOWS WHAT THAT SIN IS, AND HE WILL TEMPT US WITH THAT PARTICULAR SIN. HE KNOWS WHAT HIS BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS IS.
WE ARE EASILY DECEIVED BECAUSE WE THINK OF EVIL AS SOMETHING DARK AND UGLY, WHEN THE OPPOSITE IS VERY OFTEN THE CASE.
2 CORINTHIANS 11:14-15:
14 AND NO WONDER, FOR SATAN HIMSELF MASQUERADES AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT. 15 IT IS NOT SURPRISING, THEN, IF HIS SERVANTS ALSO MASQUERADE AS SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. THEIR END WILL BE WHAT THEIR ACTIONS DESERVE.
WILL WILLIMON WRITES:
“EVIL IS LARGE, COSMIC, ORGANIZED, SUBTLE, PERSUASIVE AND REAL. THE POWERS NEVER APPEAR AS EVIL OR COERCIVE. THE POWERS ALWAYS MASQUERADE AS FREEDOMS THAT WE HAVE BEEN GRACIOUSLY GIVEN OR AS NECESSITIES THAT WE CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT.”
THE TRUTH IS THAT EVIL IS A FORCE THAT SURROUNDS US IN A MILLION SUBTLE WAYS, ALWAYS SEEKING TO HIDE IT’S FACE.
NOW THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE CAN BE VICTORIOUS OVER SATAN. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT IN MANY CASES IT WON’T BE PLEASANT. PAUL TEACHES
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13: NO TEMPTATION HAS OVERTAKEN YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MANKIND. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN ENDURE IT.
TWO THOUGHTS SHOULD STRIKE YOUR EYE FROM THIS VERSE. FIRST, WE CAN OVERCOME THE TEMPTATION SATAN HAS PLANNED FOR US. SECOND, GOD WILL CREATE A WAY FOR US TO ENDURE IT. TO “ENDURE” DOESN’T PROMISE AN EASY JOURNEY. THE RELEASE FOR SOME OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS WHO STOOD FOR THEIR FAITH WAS DEATH. WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT ANYTHING LESS NOW.
CONSIDER THIS:
JUDE 9: BUT EVEN THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL, WHEN HE WAS DISPUTING WITH THE DEVIL ABOUT THE BODY OF MOSES, DID NOT HIMSELF DARE TO CONDEMN HIM FOR SLANDER BUT SAID, “THE LORD REBUKE YOU!”
IF THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL WAS ONLY TO BATTLE WITH SATAN, AND LEAVE HIS PUNISHMENT WITH THE LORD, IS THAT NOT THE SAME LESSON FOR US. IN EPHESIANS PAUL TELLS US TO PUR ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, BUT THAT ARMOR IS DEFENSIVE IN NATURE NOT OFFENSIVE.
WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT WE WILL BATTLE AGAINST THE EVIL ONE. OUR BATTLE THOUGH IS DEFENSIVE IN NATURE. WE CAN FEND OFF HIS ATTACKS WITH THE ARMOR OF GOD, BUT LEFT TO OUR OWN DEVICES WE ARE EASY PREY FOR THE EVIL ONE. ONLY GOD CAN DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE.
POINT THREE: DELIVERANCE FROM TEMPTATION:
GOD HAS GIVEN US THE RESOURCES TO BE SUCCESSFUL AGAINST THE EVIL ONE AND HIS TEMPTATION.
1. REFUSE TO BE INTIMIDATED BY SATAN. RESPECT HIS POWER BUT
BUT RELY ON THE POWER YOU HAVE IN GOD.
EPHESIANS 6:10-11:
FINALLY, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN HIS MIGHTY POWER. 11 PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD, SO THAT YOU CAN TAKE YOUR STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL’S SCHEMES.
TEMPTATION IS A NORMAL PART OF THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN. SATAN DOESN’T TEMPT THE FOLLOWERS HE HAS FOR HE DOESN’T NEED TO. THEY ARE ALREADY HIS. DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY IT. IN CHRIST YOU HAVE THE POWER TO OVERCOME IT.
2. ASK FOR HELP FROM GOD.
PSALM 50:15: AND CALL ON ME IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE; I WILL
DELIVER YOU, AND YOU WILL HONOR ME.”
IF YOU ARE DROWNING IN A SWIMMING POOL, IT’S THE FOOL
WHO DOESN’T CALL FOR HELP FRO THE LIFE-GUARD.
3. REFOCUS YOUR ATTENTION.
PHILIPPIANS 4:8-9:
FINALLY, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHATEVER IS TRUE, WHATEVER IS NOBLE, WHATEVER IS RIGHT, WHATEVER IS PURE, WHATEVER IS LOVELY, WHATEVER IS ADMIRABLE—IF ANYTHING IS EXCELLENT OR PRAISEWORTHY—THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS. 9 WHATEVER YOU HAVE LEARNED OR RECEIVED OR HEARD FROM ME, OR SEEN IN ME—PUT IT INTO PRACTICE. AND THE GOD OF PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU.
WHATEVER HAS YOUR ATTENTION HAS YOU.
4. REVEAL YOUR STRUGGLE TO A FRIEND
MATTHEW 18:20: FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE GATHER IN MY NAME, THERE AM I WITH THEM.”
WE CAN GAIN STRENGTH AND HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS. BE CAREFUL WITH THIS NOT TO USE MANY PEOPLE AND THAT THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY TRUSTWORTHY.
5. RESIST THE TEMPTOR
JAMES 4:7: SUBMIT YOURSELVES, THEN, TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU.
WHEN JESUS WAS TEMPTED IN THE WILDERNESS HE RESPONDED WITH SCRIPTURE, AND SATAN LEFT HIM. THE SAME WILL HAPPEN FOR US.
CONCLUSION:
THE REALITY IS THAT WE ALL HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE. MATTHEW TEACHES:
MATTHW 6:24: NO ONE CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS. EITHER YOU WILL HATE THE ONE AND LOVE THE OTHER, OR YOU WILL BE DEVOTED TO THE ONE AND DESPISE THE OTHER. YOU CANNOT SERVE BOTH GOD AND MONEY
YOU MUST CHOOSE WHICH MASTER YOU WILL SERVE. WHO IS GOING TO BE LORD OF YOUR LIFE? WILL WE PRAY AS JESUS TAUGHT: “LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE.”
