mat. 6:13

"And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” ()

The third petition takes us into the realm of daily spiritual warfare.

It assumes the awareness of our danger and of the opposition of the devil.

Before we enter into the difficult questions involved in ‘do not bring us into temptation’,

it is vital to see our weakness and danger, our vulnerability, so that we call upon the Father for help without delay.

It is important to see that Jesus refers to ‘the evil one’, not just to ‘evil’, so that we remember : ‘Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for anyone he can devour.’

We must see ourselves with the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane,

weak and weary, in danger of letting down our Savior and

denying him before men, and

hear our Lord warning us: ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body [literally, “the flesh”] is weak’ ().

This will give us the necessary urgency to pray for our soul’s safety and also provide a clue as to the meaning of this petition.

The thought of God leading us into temptation has alarmed many.

Might God tempt us to sin?

How can we survive if the Father leads us into temptation?

Or, if we take the word in its frequent sense of ‘trial’, rather than enticement to sin,

ought we to ask to be delivered from that which is for our good?

The New Testament speaks of ‘testing’, which may be translated as ‘temptation’ and refer to enticement to sin ().

On the other hand, it may be translated as ‘trial’,

referring to the refining and maturing experiences of difficult situations (, ).

The reconciliation of this is that in any test

Satan is enticing us to fall into sin,

while God is pulling in the opposite direction,

leading us to growth through obedience.

Both aspects are true in every situation.

In every examination we may pass or fail.

God wants us to pass; Satan wants us to fail.

Certainly God does lead into testing: ‘Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil’ (4:1).

Satan tried to make Jesus sin;

God enabled him to triumph over his enemy as part of making ‘the author of [our] salvation perfect through suffering’ ().

We, however, like Peter, are not in the same league as our Lord.

Although God may test us for our good and ‘will not let [us] be tempted [tested] beyond what [we] can bear’ (),

we must not presume upon His grace.

Instead, we must ask to be spared from those situations where we are likely, or even certain, to fall into sin,

Instead of spending our time debating the details of the doctrine, we should praying daily that he will ‘deliver us from the evil one’.

praying daily that God will ‘deliver us from the evil one’.

big idea

The truly forgiven person desires deliverance from sin as much as from hell itself.

A saved man knows that he couldn’t be happy, even in heaven, if sin remained in control over him!

We’re going to break this down under two simple headings this morning.

DO YOU HAVE THIS DESIRE?

“And do not bring us into temptation”

We know explicitly that God doesn’t ever tempt men or women to sin.

"No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone.” ()

Though that’s true, it is also true that there is good reason to ask the Lord

to not even to permit us voluntarily to run into temptation.

God will test us beloved but He won’t tempt us towards sin.

We find God testing Abraham concerning his son Isaac. "After these things God tested Abraham...” ()

He tested the children of Israel. "Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these forty years in the wilderness, so that he might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.” ()

Testing to see what’s in your heart! Is

{1.} grace in your heart or

{2.} sin in your heart this morning?

{1.} It’s through affliction and trials that God tries our hearts. "You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials "so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” ()

It’s also testing through delaying His promises to us.

He just delays the accomplishment of His promise.

In , speaking of Joseph’s imprisonment, the Holy Spirit uses that word “test”

which describes the smelting process that removed dross from fine metal.

"Until the time his prediction came true, the word of the Lord tested him.” ()

Joseph’s imprisonment increased his trust in the Lord.

It’s through these trials and delay’s of promise that reveals is there’s true saving grace residing in our hearts!

{2.} God also tries what corruption there is in us.

God’s providence leads us into several different settings. For example

ONE. Somethings may be lacking.

In Jesus and asks about how in the world that they are going to provide bread to all these people.

"So when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward him, he asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?” "He asked this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.” ()

Oh how awesome if our Lord Jesus, who will have our weaknesses tested as well as our strengths.

Will these look only to the outward ability of themselves or would they rest themselves upon God’s promise and all His sufficiency!

TWO. Some situations we have too much.

He will outwardly prosper people to test them.

"He fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers had not known, in order to humble and test you, so that in the end he might cause you to prosper.” ()

In the writer asks for God to not give him wealth, “Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you, ...” ()

So God will indeed test us to see what’s in our hearts.

But we’re asking God to not bring us into temptation, which is asking Him to let us not fall back into the snare of the evil one.

Temptation by the Tempter, the devil.

The devil and His evil cohorts are real.

These spiritual enemies seek to destroy you dear believer!

Look back at chapter 4.

"Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”” ()

He waits in ambush to do mischief to us!

Wherever you go out into this world, you’re sure to find evidence of satan there.

His minions are present every time that you’re intentionally seeking to obey what you read this week in Scripture, every prayer you offer up to God, when you’re seeking to meditate upon the Lord and His glory, you will find the influence of the tempter.

How that influence is there, we know not!

A Christians whole life is a temptation.

The more we’re tempted the more we are hindered from what is good and right.

Satan is a powerful foe and we all are in great danger of Satan “the ruler of the power of the air”

and so, we had often pray to our Father, “and do not bring us into temptation”.

In the apostle Paul is speaking about forgiving and receiving back into the fellowship a sinning member that repented.

He encourages them to reaffirm their love for this person and makes a connection between forgiveness and satan’s schemes.

and concludes with these words: "so that we may not be taken advantage of by Satan. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.” ()

Let us not be ignorant of satan nor his schemes.

Consideration 1.

Think of the malice of satan in his tempting.

That hellish serpent is swelled with the poison of malice.

He envies man’s happiness.

He looks and sees a clod of dust being so near to God, and himself (formerly a glorious angel)

cast out of paradise, and it causes him to pursue mankind with a seething hatred!

warns us on earth that, “the devil has come down to you with great fury”

Great fury. His fury causes him to delight in the ruination of souls, seeking to bring them into the condemnation of himself.

Consideration 2.

Think of his diligence in tempting.

says that, “the devil is prowling around”.

He that seeks to make us idle is himself busily prowling around.

He is always hunting his prey!

He walks about, not as a pilgrim, but as a spy!

He is looking for where he can thrown the fire-ball of temptation.

He is a restless spirit.

Even if you can repulse him he doesn’t desist! but comes back again.

Satan’s diligence is seen a few different ways:

ONE. Minimum Profit.

As soon as satan gets the least profit (advantage), he pursues it to the utmost!

If he can stir the motion to sin and it begins to take, he stays close with it and presses it to the act of sin.

When Judas was inclinable, that is, he began to bite at the bait of thirty pieces of silver.

He hurries him on and never leaves him till he had betrayed the Lord.

TWO. Multitude of Provocations.

He has a variety of schemes and temptations that he uses.

If one temptation doesn’t work he tries another, and another.

If he cannot tempt to lust, he will tempt to pride;

if a temptation to covetousness doth not prevail, he will tempt to luxury and ease

if he cannot frighten you into despair, he will see if he can draw you into vain confidence.

if he cannot make them irreverent, he will see if he can make them grace-less enforces of man’s rules;

if he cannot make them vicious, he will tempt them into errors.

Satan has several tools to work with, he leaves no stone unturned.

Oh how we need to pray, “And do not bring us into temptation”

THREE. Massive Power.

He’s called the “ruler of this world” (). That’s massive power.

and the “strong man,” .,

and the “great red dragon,” who “with his tail drew down the third part of the stars,” .

FOURTH. Mysterious Pitfalls.

He is full of power, being an angel; though Satan has lost his holiness, yet not his strength.

The devil’s power in tempting is seen several ways:

1. As a spirit he’s an intellectual being, he can convey himself into the imagination and poison it with bad thoughts.

The Spirit of God stirs up good motions to seek the Lord, so to the devil stirs up evil.

"Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him.” ()

The devil put that in Judas’s heart!

2. Though satan can’t make you sin, he presents the temptation as pleasing to the senses.

This is what makes his temptations have great force.

He just set a wedge of gold before Achan (in the book of Joshua) and so enticed him with that golden bait.

3. He can stir up corruption within and work that heart to embrace the temptation.

This he did to David in which reads, "Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to count the people of Israel.”

FOURTH. Mysterious Pitfalls.

In such a mysterious way he tempts us into pitfalls, and we’re not sure if it’s him or our sinful heart.

Like a bird may hatch the egg of another bird, thinking it’s her own.

Think of Peter in seeking to persuade Jesus to not die and suffer death.

Surely Peter thought that this came from pure affection towards the Lord!

"Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to you!” [Remember what comes next?]

"Jesus turned and told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”” ()

This puts us in grave danger in that Peter is fully convinced he’s speaking in the best interests of Christ

but the whole time, he’s under the devil’s influence.

FIFTH. Mask-wearing Perpetrator.

Behind the word “tempt” is the idea of deception. In Jesus describes them as the “secrets of satan”,

Paul calls them “scheme” by which he seeks to take advantage of us.

Satan has three titles given him in the Scripture, setting forth his hostility against the church.

A dragon, to express his malice, ;

A serpent, to express his subtlety, ; and

A serpent, to express his subtlety, ; and

A lion, to express his cruelty strength, .

A lion, to express his cruelty strength, .

Satan also doesn’t temp everyone equally either.

Some people are like wet wood that won’t take to the flame of temptation like others.

He tempts more where he thinks his techniques will more easily prevail.

Some people are like the spunge, they just soak up satan’s temptations.

There’s five sorts of people that satan sees as fit for his deceptive cunning arts.

Careless People

This is the ignorant man or woman.

The devil can lead them into any snare, as you can lead a blind man anywhere.

In God made a law forbidding anyone putting a stumbling block in front of the blind,

so to, satan knows it’s easy to put a temptation in the way of them that are careless and unawares,

at which they stumble into hell!

The Careless man cannot see the devil’s snares;

Satan tells them that that thing they’re doing is no sin,

or it’s just a little one, and he will do well enough.

Cynical People

This is the lost unbeliever. There are countless cynical people. Them that deny the Deity of Christ,

Them that deny hell!

What sin won’t these folks be drawn to? This is one that will fit into any mold that satan pours him into.

Conceited People.

boastful prideful people. None are in greater danger of coming under the temptation of the devil.

God resists the proud ( says). The pride of the devil: he sinned from the beginning, .

The sin of pride was fatal to him at first, and the cause of those chains of darkness in which he is held;

Cast Down People

yet still he sins the same sin,

he desires adoration and worship from humanity by taking upon themselves his image and character.

, and would be admitted into a partnership of divine worship.

Cast Down People

Being cast down clothes the mind in the darkest shroud and it disturbs a person’s reason.

Satan works much upon the down cast.

The down cast provide a great advantage for satan.

Down cast people become unfit for duty as the wheels of their chariot are pulled off.

It disheartens a man.

Guitars that are too “wet” sound dull and lifeless from the extra water weight the wood is holding.

These are believers that are out of tune for spiritual service.

Cast down people often find themselves siding with satan against God as the devil whispers:

God doesn’t love you! There’s no mercy for you!

The cast down soul believes the devils lie and plays right into his hands.

Oh how easily the down cast fall into the snare of satan.

That’s why it’s important that we teach a biblical understanding of suffering!

That is how we’ll fight off satan when tempted to become down cast.

Comatose People.

(idle people) Those that are idle, be assured that the devil will find plenty of his work for you to do.

Like working discontentment into your heart, breeding discontentment, impatience.

A bitter and unteachable spirit.

"Woe to those who dream up wickedness and prepare evil plans on their beds! ...” ()

If your hands be not working towards holiness, the head will be a plotting sin.

The devil is an absolute destroyer and perhaps you’re thinking, “Is there any hope?”

I want to close by giving you 5 solid immovable foundations.

Foundation 1.

We’re not in this alone. "No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. ...” ()

Yes, to the best of God’s people, Christ’s lambs are set apart by the world system.

Job was tempted to curse God, Peter to deny Christ;

hardly ever any saint has got to heaven but has met with the roaring lion in the way.Jesus Christ himself though he was free from sin, yet not from temptation: we read of Christ’s baptism, , and ., “Then he was led into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”

Foundation 2.

Foundation 2.

By way of comfort, those temptations that become marks and evidences of grace.

He doesn’t tempt you believer because you have sin in you, but because you have grace in you.

"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his estate, his possessions are secure.” ()

If you had no grace, satan would leave you alone and not disturb you,

where all his possessions are secure.

Pirates don’t attack the ships from their poverty stricken homeland but the American

that they believe to be full of monies and precious items.

So to the devil assaults seeking to devour the riches of grace in the hearts of the believers!

Foundation 3.

Christ is near at hand for those under temptation.

He’s sympathetic towards us. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, ...” ()

Foundation 4.

Foundation 5.

DO YOU KNOW THIS DELIVERANCE?

Legg, J. (2004). The King and His Kingdom: The Gospel of Matthew Simply Explained (pp. 112–113). Darlington, England: Evangelical Press.