THE LORD’S PRAYER 07
MATTHEW 6:13 (NIV84)
13AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE.’
INTRODUCTION: WELL, HERE WE ARE IN THE FIRST SUNDAY OF 2024. WE HAVE SURVIVED THE CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS HOLIDAYS.
YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT LAST WEEK, I SHARED A MESSAGE ENTITLED, “MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION IN 2024”. THE CHALLENGE WAS TO DO JUST THAT – MOVE FORWARD. TO BECOME MORE ENGAGED IN OUR WALK WITH CHRIST, OUR SERVICE FOR CHRIST AND OUR KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST. THIS MESSAGE ENCOURAGED US TO LOOK WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, AND THEN TO SEEK GOD’S DIRECTION ON WHAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON. SOME OF YOU HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THIS TO HEART AND HAVE COMMUNICATED WHAT YOU ARE NOW DOING IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD IN YOUR MATURITY AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.
ONE OF THE SMALL THINGS I HAVE ASKED YOU TO DO IS TO COMMIT TO MEMORIZE ONE VERSE EACH MONTH. FOR JANUARY THE VERSE WAS JEREMIAH 29:11 –“I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU DECLARES THE LORD. PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU. PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE.”
OUR TEXT THIS MORNING, IS ALSO A WAY FOR EACH OF US TO MOVE FORWARD IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK. THIS IS A SHORT VERSE ON HOW WE SHOULD APPROACH AND DEAL WITH TEMPTATION
TRANSITION: THIS MORNING, LETS TAKE A LOOK AT UNDERSTANDING AND AVOIDING TEMPTATIONS
HOW DO WE SEEK GOD’S DIRECTION DURING TIMES OF TEMPTATION?
1. THIS SIMPLE VERSE DESCRIBES THE TWO PARTS IN OUR PERSONAL SPIRITUAL PROTECTION
a. SPIRITUAL PROTECTION COMES FROM THE DIRECTION OF GOD
i. BEFORE WE CAN SEEK OR WILL SEEK SPIRITUAL PROTECTION, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE OUR WEAKNESS IN THIS AREA
ii. WE SHOULD BE AWARE THAT WITHOUT THE DIRECTION OF GOD, WE WOULD SEEK DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT.
iii. IN FACT, WE ARE TOLD THAT WE LOVE DARKNESS MORE THAN WE LOVE LIGHT
iv. SPIRITUAL PROTECTION GOES AGAINST THE NATURAL TENDENCY OF MAN.
v. THE INITIAL STEP IN OUR OWN SPIRITUAL PROTECTION IS US YIELDING OURSELVES TO GOD.
1. THROUGHOUT THE PSALMS, DAVID ASKS GOD TO BOTH LEAD HIM AND TEACH HIM.
2. IF WE WANT THE SPIRITUAL PROTECTION OFFERED US BY GOD HIMSELF, WE NEED TO BE WILLING TO YIELD OURSELVES OVER TO HIM.
QUESTION: IS IT OUR ATTITUDE TO BE LED BY GOD? IF IT IS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN OUR LIVES? IF IT IS NOT, WHAT DO I NEED TO CHANGE IN MY LIFE IN ORDER TO BE LEAD AND TAUGHT BY GOD?
vi. WE KNOW FROM PREVIOUS MESSAGES AND TEACHING THAT GOD OFFERS US HIS DIRECTION AND WISDOM
1. IN THE BOOK OF JAMES, CHAPTER 1 WE ARE TOLD THAT WE ARE TO ASK GOD FOR WISDOM AND THEN FOLLOW THROUGH ON WHAT HE GIVES US
2. IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS, WE ARE TOLD TO HIDE HIS WORD IN OUR HEARTS SO WE WILL NOT SIN AGAINST HIM
vii. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO NOT BE LED INTO TEMPTATION
1. ALL CHRISTIANS STRUGGLE WITH TEMPTATION. BECAUSE WE DO WE NEED TO PUT OUR DEPENDENCE ON GOD FOR VICTORY
2. TO ASK THIS OF GOD ACKNOWLEDGES OUR OWN SPIRITUAL WEAKNESS.
a. WE CANNOT DO IT ALONE, WE NEED GOD’S HELP
b. TO TRY AND DO IT ALONE WILL ONLY RESULT IN FAILURE
c. ACKNOWLEDGING OUR WEAKNESS IN THIS AREA IS A SAFEGUARD AGAINST A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY, AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY
d. WHEN I NEGLECT MY DEPENDENCY ON GOD, I OPEN MYSELF UP TO SPIRITUAL WARFRE IN MY LIFE
3. WHAT AM I REALLY ASKING FOR
a. I AM ASKING TO NOT BE LED INTO A TEMPTATION THAT I CANNOT RESIST.
b. THE WORD TEMPTATION CARRIES WITH IT THE MEANING OF TESTING
c. WE ALREADY KNOW THAT GOD DOES NOT TEMPT US
i. THE ROOT OF THIS WORD HAS TO DO WITH TESTING
ii. TESTING THAT PRODUCES CHARACTER
4. WE NEED TO SEE TEMPTATION WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF THESE PRINCIPLES:
a. GOD NEVER DOES ANYTHING WITHOUT A PURPOSE – A GOOD PURPOSE. ROMANS 8:28 TELLS US THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD
b. JAMES 1:2-3 WE ARE TO COUNT THESE TIMES OF TRIALS WITH JOY. GOD IS DOING SOMETHING WITH OUR CHARACTER TO MAKE US MORE LIKE HIM.
c. JAMES 2:13 TELLS US THAT GOD DOES NOT TEMPT US TO DO EVIL, NORIS HE THE AUTHOR OF EVIL. TRIALS TURN INTO TEMPTATIONS WHEN WE TAKE OVER THE TRIAL INSTEAD OF LEANING ON GOD
d. 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 TELLS US THAT WHEN GOD IS IN CONTROL OF THE TRIAL, HE HAS IT ALL PLANNED OUT. HE IS AWARE OF EACH, ANY AND ALL TRIALS. HE HAS PREPARED AND EQUIPPED US TO GO THROUGH THE TRIAL WHICH WILL PRODUCE THE CHANGE IN US HE IS LOOKING FOR
b. SPIRITUAL PROTECTION COMES THROUGH THE DELIVERANCE FROM SIN
i. SITUATIONS THAT CAN LEAD US INTO TEMPTATION
1. WE CAN BE TEMPTED AFTER A “MOUNTAIN TOP” EXPERIENCE
a. WE BECOME VULNERABLE WHEN WE THINK WE ARE INVINCIBLE
b. THIS IS A TIME WHEN WE NEED TO BE PRAYING FOR GOD TO HELP US AVOID THE TEMPTATION INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DEFEND AGAINST THE TEMPTATION
c. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT AT THE BEST OF TIMES, WE ARE PROFOUNDLY WEAK AND MORE IN DANGER OF FALLING THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME
d. PRIDE DECEIVES US INTO THINKING WE ARE SPIRITUALLY STRONG WHEN WE ARE NOT.
2. WE CAN EASILY BE TEMPTED WHEN WE ARE CAUGHT OFF GUARD OR BY SURPRISE
a. BOBBY LEACH, THE ENGLISHMAN, WHO STARTLED THE WORLD BY GOING OVER NIAGARA FALLS IN A BARREL WITHOUT SUFFERING SERIOUS HARM. SOME YEARS LATER HE WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET, SLIPPED ON AN ORANGE PEELING, AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH A BADLY FRACTURED LEG.
b. IN LIGHT OF THIS, THE BIBLE TELLS US IN EPHESIANS 5:15 TO WALK CIRCUMSPECTLY
c. THIS WORD MEANS: CAREFULLY, EXACTLY, ACCURATELY, DILIGENTLY
d. LIKE WALKING A BALANCE BEAM, WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL OF EACH AND EVERY STEP WE TAKE
e. OUR EARTHLY LIFE NEEDS TO BE BALANCED BY OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE, OR WE ARE IN DANGER OF FALLING VICTIM TO TEMPTATION.
ILLUSTRATION: CERTAIN KINDS OF ANTS HAVE A PASSION FOR THE SWEET, GLANDULAR SUBSTANCE GIVEN OFF BY THE CATERPILLAR OF A LARGE BLUE BUTTERFLY. THEY CAN BECOME SO “ADDICTED” TO IT THAT THEY EVEN SEEK OUT “THE SUPPLIER” AND CARRY HIM TO THEIR NEST WITH DELIGHT, BUT THEY UNWITTINGLY BRING HOME AN ENEMY IN DISGUISE, FOR THE CATERPILLAR GORGES HIMSELF EXCLUSIVELY ON ANT LARVA. USUALLY SUCH A THREAT TO THE COLONY WOULD BE REPELLED WITH GREAT VIGOR, BUT THE ADULTS ENJOY THE TASTY SECRETIONS OF THEIR “GUEST” SO MUCH THAT THEY ARE OBLIVIOUS OF THE FACT THAT THEIR YOUNG ARE BEING DEVOURED IN THE PROCESS.
3. WE NEED TO BE ON GUARD, AS SOME TEMPTATIONS CAN COME FROM THOSE CLOSET TO US
a. ADAM WAS TEMPTED BY EVE
b. JOB’S WIFE TOLD HIM TO CURSE GOD AND DIE
c. JEZEBEL INFLUENCED HER HUSBAND TO KILL NABOTH
d. HOW MANY MARRIAGES ARE BROKEN WHEN THEY HAVE LOST THE ATTENTION OF THEIR SPOUSE AT HOME, AND THEN TO RECEIVE IT FROM A CO-WORKER WHO EXPRESSED INTEREST AND CONCERN.
4. TEMPTATION OFTEN COMES IN BEAUTIFUL PACKAGES
a. POTIPHAR’S WIFE
b. SAMSONS ATTRACTION TO DELILAH, EVEN THOSE SHE WAS TRYING TO DESTROY HIM.
ILLUSTRATION: THE SEA LION IS PROBABLY THE CLUMSIEST ANIMAL IN THE WORLD. HE LIKES TO BASK IN THE SUN ALL DAY, AND WHEN HE MOVES HE IS EXCEEDINGLY SLUGGISH AND AWKWARD. IT HAS OFTEN BEEN WONDERED HOW THIS ANIMAL MANAGES TO SECURE HIS FAVORITE FOOD, WILD SEA FOWL. SEA GULLS ARE SO WILD THAT IT IS DIFFICULT EVEN FOR MAN TO GET WITHIN GUNSHOT OF ONE.
THE SEA LION SEEMS TO REALIZE THAT IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME TO ATTEMPT TO CRAWL UPON THE GULLS AS THEY REST UPON THE WATER AND CATCH THEM UNAWARES. SO HE WATCHES UNTIL THE GULLS ARE SOARING SLOWLY THROUGH THE AIR CLOSE TO THE WAVES. THEN THE SEAL DIVES INTO THE SEA AND SWIMS UNDERNEATH THE WATER FOR SOME DISTANCE FROM THE POINT AT WHICH HE DIVED, AND ALLOWS MERELY THE TIP OF HIS GREAT NOSE TO APPEAR ABOVE THE WATER. REMAINING IN THIS POSITION, HE GIVES HIS ENORMOUS BODY A ROTARY MOTION SO THAT HIS NOSE DESCRIBES A CIRCLE ON THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN. HE DOES THIS SO SKILLFULLY THAT TO THE GULL HIS NOSE LOOKS LIKE A WATER BUG AT PLAY. THIS CATCHES THE GULL’S EYE AND IT AT ONCE DARTS DOWN WITH THE SPEED OF AN ARROW, AIMING STRAIGHT FOR THE LITTLE DOT. THE SEAL SEES IT COMING AND SINKS A FEW INCHES, AND AS THE GULL STRIKES THE WATER WITH TREMENDOUS FORCE THE SEAL’S JAWS CLOSE UPWARD AND THE GULL DISAPPEARS. THE TEMPTING LURE FOR THE SEA GULL DESTROYED IT.
SATAN USES THE SAME TACTIC UPON US. HE USES ATTRACTIVE TEMPTATIONS TO LURE US INTO DESTRUCTION. REMEMBER, SIN’S SWEETNESS SOON SOURS.
5. TEMPTATIONS COME REPEATEDLY
a. SATAN IS NOT A ONCE AND DONE KIND OF PERSON
b. HE WILL RETURN TO TEMPT US AGAIN AND AGAIN, OFTEN WITH THE SAME TEMPTATION, SEEKING TO FIND A WEAK TIME WHEN WE WILL FAIL AND FALL.
c. REJECTED TEMPTATIONS CAN BECOME MORE INTENSE IF WE THINK ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE TO SATISFY THEM
d. CURIOSITY MAKES THEM MORE DIFFICULT TO RESIST. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE CRAVINGS OF OUR FLESH
6. TEMPTATIONS COME AT OPPORTUNE TIMES
a. BACK TO POTIPHAR’S WIFE
b. ALMOST ZERO CHANCE OF GETTING CAUGHT
c. SHE KNEW IT AND JOSEPH PROBABLY KNEW IT AS WELL
d. CAN’T ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE FOOLED BY THE NOTION THAT WE WOULD NOT GET CAUGHT
e. SIN ALWAYS CATCHES UP WITH US
f. WE NEED TO AVOID SITUATIONS WHERE WE PUT OURSELVES IN A PLACE OF TEMPTATION
g. DON’T MAKE A PROVISION FOR OUR FLESH TO FAIL. AVOID THOSE SITUATIONS AND THE TEMPTATIONS THAT GO WITH THEM AT ALL COSTS!
ii. WE SHOULD SEEK DELIVERANCE FROM GOD
1. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE THAT WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED, WE ARE TEMPTED BY PERSONS, NOT THINGS.
2. THINGS ARE THE HOOK THE DEVIL USES TO TRAP US.
3. WHEN WE ARE TEMPTED, WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A SPIRITUAL ATTACK
a. TESTS BECOME TEMPTATIONS WHEN WE TURN OUR GAZE FROM THE LORD WHO SEEKS TO REFINE AND GROW US, AND PLACE IT ON THE DEVIL WHO SEEKS TO DESTROY OUR TESTIMONY AND MAKE US INEFFECTIVE FOR GOD!
4. WHEN WE ARE ASKING GOD TO DELIVER US, WE ARE ACTUALLY ASKING GOD TO SPARE US FROM, TO SAVE US FROM, AND TO PRESERVE US FROM A TIME OF TESTING TURNING INTO A TIME OF TEMPTATION!
iii. WE AVOID TEMPTATION WHEN WE REALIZE THE DECEPTIONS SATAN USES
1. “YOU HAVE YOUR WHOLE LIFE AHEAD OF YOU, SERVE GOD LATER.”
a. REALLY?
b. HOW MUCH OF YOUR LIFE DO YOU REALLY HAVE LEFT?
c. WE ARE ALL ONLY ONE HEARTBEAT AWAY FROM ETERNITY
d. PROCRASTINATION CAN EXACT A HEAVY PRICE.
ILLUSTRATION: AN INCIDENT FROM THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION ILLUSTRATES WHAT TRAGEDY CAN RESULT FROM PROCRASTINATION. IT IS REPORTED THAT COLONEL RAHL, COMMANDER OF THE BRITISH TROOPS AT TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, WAS PLAYING CARDS WHEN A COURIER BROUGHT AN URGENT MESSAGE STATING THAT GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS CROSSING THE DELAWARE RIVER. RAHL PUT THE LETTER IN HIS POCKET AND DIDN’T BOTHER TO READ IT UNTIL THE GAME FINISHED. THEN, REALIZING THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION, HE HURRIEDLY TRIED TO RALLY HIS MEN TO MEET THE COMING ATTACK, BUT HIS PROCRASTINATION WAS HIS UNDOING. HE AND MANY OF HIS MEN WERE KILLED, AND THE REST OF THE REGIMENT WERE CAPTURED. NOLBERT QUAYLE SAID, “ONLY A FEW MINUTES DELAY COST HIM HIS LIFE, HIS HONOR, AND THE LIBERTY OF HIS SOLDIERS
2. “SINFUL LIVING IS FUN.”
a. WHAT MAY SEEMS PLEASURABLE IS IN REALITY DANGEROUS AND DESTRUCTIVE
b. WE NEED TO LOOK NO FARTHER THAN THE PRODIGAL SON
c. THE SON LEFT WITH HIS INHERITANCE, HIS FREEDOM, AND HIS DESIRE.
d. THE PRODIGAL SON ENDED UP EATING WHAT THE PIGS DID NOT WANT
e. HOW FUN WAS THAT?
3. “YOU WON’T GET CAUGHT
a. THAT IS WHAT DAVID THOUGHT WHEN HE COMMITTED ADULTERY WITH BATHSHEBA
b. IN ORDER TO KEEP HIS SIN SECRET, HE CAME UP WITH A PLOT.
c. WHEN THE PLOT FAILED, HE CAME UP WITH A PLAN THAT COST URIAH HIS LIFE
d. IN THE END, GOD KNEW ALL THE TIME AND WOULD NOT LET HIM GET AWAY WITH HIS SIN.
e. WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FOOL AND DECEIVED OTHERS, BUT NOT GOD. WE WILL REAP WHAT WE SOW IN GOD’S TIME!
IN ORDER FOR US TO NOT BE LED INTO TEMPTATION, WE NEED TO BE ON GUARD TO THE TRAPS OF THIS WORLD AND ASK GOD TO KEEP US FROM FALLING FOR THE DECEPTION OF THE SATAN THAT WOULD TURNOUR TESTS INTO TEMPTATION.
