Lord’s Prayer 14: Deliver us from Evil
An American preacher advertised his television programmes with the words, 'Tough times never last, tough people do'.
It is through prayer that our faith is strengthened and we can become tough people.
Through prayer God will sustain and guide us, enabling us to face times of temptation or trial without failure.
Our inner strength is given, new insight is gained, and through the most difficult of times we are led to victory.
Doubtless writing from the depth of his own experience, St Paul assures us, 'No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it' (1 Corinthians 10: 13).
If we are to stand firm in time of trial, we need to be sure of our commitment to God and be determined to follow the way of trust and obedience.
This means that we need to arm ourselves in advance for the moral, mental and spiritual struggle that will inevitably come our way.
Otherwise we will have little chance of survival when we are being tested.
Experience shows that sin is not conquered so much in the moment of temptation, but in the long prayerful discipline that precedes it.
If our commitment is shallow, we will give up the battle as soon as something more attractive comes along.
If our faith is weak, and we are not sure that we really want to be committed to Christ and live a Christian lifestyle, then we will be easily led astray into evil.
If, on the other hand, we really believe that God wants the best for us and that the way to abundant life and personal fulfilment is the way of Jesus, then no matter what the cost, we will endeavour to stand firm.
That very determination reinforces the commitment and, with it, our sense of meaning, purpose, self-worth and personal identity.
Although sometimes we feel that sin is of little significance, there are times when we are very conscious of the reality of temptation and the enormous power of evil.
Whatever our feelings, the New Testament is very clear about the reality of the spiritual battle going on in all of our lives and warns us to be on our guard.
The Evil One knows our weak points, and wants to use them to get a foothold into our lives and so destroy us.
In our best moments we aspire to the highest, yet in reality finish up doing what we don't really want to do at all. Paul writes:
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self; but I see: in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death ? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin. ROMANS 7:21-25
Isn’t Paul describing his conscience and we all have times when our struggle with evil can be very intense and we know that we dare not give in to complacency.
Complacency is a major disease of today’s society but we as Christians know that it is imperative that we hold on to Christ at all times, or rather let him hold on to us.
Only then will we be able to stand firm for what we know to be right.
When we pray, 'Deliver us from evil', we are effectively using the imagery of slavery, and realising our need to be redeemed from bondage and saved from the clutches of evil.
The good news is that God really can rescue us from the slavery of sin.
When He helps us to withstand our temptations, He liberates us from their grasp and so furthers the work of the kingdom.
As the hymn writer puts it, 'Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin; each victory will help you some other to win'!
An alcoholic was expounding his problems at great length to his parish priest who listened very attentively and then gently paraphrased these words from Romans 7:
'The good that I want to do, I can't seem to do, and the evil I don't want to do, that I finish up doing. What a wretched man I am.'.
Before he could finish, the parishioner said, 'I don't know who wrote that, vicar, but he must have been an alcoholic like me.'
Paul certainly did understand the human condition. He recognised the reality of human bondage, and we would be wise to take his teaching very seriously.
An old Chinese proverb reminds us, 'You can't prevent the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building nests in your hair.'
We all have areas of vulnerability in which we are particularly prone to temptation.
It is imperative that the person who wishes to stop smoking should spend time in places and situations in which NOT smoking is regarded as quite normal.
To spend all your time with heavy smokers, or to engage in a social life that expects you to smoke, is asking for trouble.
Similarly, someone who wants to give up drinking should stay away from the pub, and someone who wishes to slim would probably be wise to stay away from the chocolate counter.
In the same way if we want to be delivered from the evil one, we should keep out of his way. We dare not go out looking for him, or flirt with him.
Nothing gives temptation a foothold more than over-confidence in realising our weakness, we must avoid tempting situations in which it is all too easy to fall.
God has given us free will, He does not force Himself upon us.
It is only when we acknowledge our need, and really seek His help, that we discover the reality of God's protection and strength.
Although it is certainly available to us at all times, we cannot expect God's help if we are determined to make fools of ourselves.
A lion-tamer had worked with lions for many years and when recovering in hospital after being attacked by one of them, he reflected, 'I was playing with it, and thought it was only playing with me. '
Having given in to foolish self-confidence and a false sense of security, he was caught off-guard.
Similarly, if we play with temptation, we will find it plays with us.
Very few who commit serious crimes set out with deliberate intent rather their failure comes from a deliberate and controlled walk into the field of temptation.
This is very dangerous as our betrayal comes not when we are being severely tested in the most obvious way by grief and suffering, but when we are letting our souls take their ease.
We must never underestimate the power of evil – if we do we are put in a false sense of security and sometimes we have a very rude awakening – September 11th 2001 is a typical example in our very recent history to remind us of this.
