A PROACTIVELY POWERFUL PRAYER LIFE
The Real Jesus • Sermon • Submitted
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· 199 viewsWe are taught how to pray proactively, “and lead us not into temptation,” and powerfully, “but deliver us from evil.”
Notes
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Therefore, as for you, in this manner be praying: Our Father who is in heaven, let your Name be venerated, let your kingdom come, let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Our bread, that for the coming day, give us today. And forgive us the moral obligations we owe, even as also, as for us, we have forgiven those morally obligated to us. And do not lead us into the place of testing where a solicitation to do evil would tempt us to sin, but deliver us from the Pernicious One.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Matthew
Matthew 6:1
Let us examine our first truth in this final verse concerning prayer. Our praying must be
PROACTIVE
PROACTIVE
There is a translation difficulty we must understand in order to fully interpret the ending of the Lord’s Prayer.
Last week’s sermon dealt with reactive praying, “father forgives us our debts” in light of our reconciliation with those in debt to us, “as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Today’s sermon brings the Lord’s Prayer to a close with two final steps in our daily praying. We are taught how to pray proactively, “and lead us not into temptation,” and powerfully, “but deliver us from evil.”
Last week’s sermon dealt with reactive praying, “father forgives us our debts” while this week’s sermon deals with proactive praying, “and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”
To help us in our understanding we will exam the translation of renowned Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest.
Do not lead us into the place of testing where a solicitation to do evil would tempt us to sin, but deliver us from the Pernicious One.
Do not lead us into the place of testing where a solicitation to do evil would tempt us to sin, but deliver us from the Pernicious One.
Last week’s sermon dealt with reactive praying, “father forgives us our debts” in light of our reconciliation with those in debt to us, “as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Today’s sermon brings the Lord’s Prayer to a close with two final steps in our daily praying. We are taught how to pray proactively, “and lead us not into temptation,” and powerfully, “but deliver us from evil.”
The Greek language uses one word interchangeably for testing and temptation. Such variabilities often confuse students in their understanding of a particular text. In his paraphrase, Wuest is extremely helpful in enabling us to see this variance.
The Greek language uses one word interchangeably for testing and temptation. Such variabiles often confuse students in their understanding of a particular text. In his paraphrase, Wuest is extremely helpful in enabling us to see this variance.
Not into Temptation
Not into Temptation
Let us be clear in our understanding that scripture teaches us that Satan is the tempter (,) and that God tests ().
Let us be clear in our understanding that scripture teaches us that Satan is the tempter
Let us examine our first truth in this final verse concerning prayer. Our praying must be
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
and that God tests ().
and that God tests
After prayer for provision and pardon comes a cry for protection. The sentence has two halves; “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (either sin, or trouble, or both, or “the evil one” who manipulates trouble to induce sin). Both halves, however, express a single thought: “life is a spiritual minefield; amid such dangers we dare not trust ourselves; Father, keep us safe.” Here the Lord’s Prayer links up with the view of life that runs through the Psalms. The realism, self-distrust, and humble dependence on God that breathes through this petition is something we all need to learn.
).
Let us uncover potential pitfalls concerning these two interchangeable words. In , James the half-brother of Jesus, writes, “let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” In the King James Version, reads, “God did tempt Abraham.”
Let us uncover potential pitfalls concerning these two interchangeable words. In , James the half-brother of Jesus, writes, “let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” In the King James Version, reads, “God did tempt Abraham.”
PROACTIVE
PROACTIVE
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Let us uncover potential pitfalls concerning these two interchangeable words.James the half-brother of Jesus, writes in
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
, James the half-brother of Jesus, writes, “let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” In the King James Version, reads, “God did tempt Abraham.”
In the King James Version,
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
reads, “God did tempt Abraham.”
reads, “God did tempt Abraham.”
There is a translation difficulty we must understand to fully interpret the ending of the Lord’s Prayer.
Jesus teaches us to pray, “Lead us not into trials” and
Jesus teaches us to pray, “Lead us not into trials” and says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
Jsays, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
After prayer for provender and pardon comes a cry for protection, our third basic need. The sentence has two halves; “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (either sin, or trouble, or both, or “the evil one” who manipulates trouble to induce sin). Both halves, however, express a single thought: “life is a spiritual minefield; amid such dangers we dare not trust ourselves; Father, keep us safe.” Here the Lord’s Prayer links up with the view of life that runs through the Psalms. The realism, self-distrust, and humble dependence on God that breathes through this petition is something we all need to learn.
To help us in our understanding, we will exam the translation of renowned Greek scholar Kenneth Wuest.
Are you confused? Why is scripture contradicting itself? The book of Job and the life of Jesus will clear up our murky message. Is Job being tested by the Lord? Yes,
Are you confused? Why is scripture contradicting itself? The book of Job will clear up our murky message. Is Job being tested by the Lord? Yes, “have you considered my servant Job.” Is Job being tempted by the Lord? Yes, “curse God and die.” Testing and temptation are not in contradiction; they are concurrent. They are most often happening simultaneously.
And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”
Is Job being tempted by Satan? Yes,
Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”
Testing and temptation are not in contradiction; they are concurrent. They are most often happening simultaneously.
Jesus endured both testing and tempting concurrently.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Matthew 5:1
Trials or tests are necessary to prove what is in us and to show us how far we have come and yet to go. Our Father’s purpose in testing is wholly constructive, to strengthen us and help us move forward.
Do not lead us into the place of testing where a solicitation to do evil would tempt us to sin, but deliver us from the Pernicious One.
Do not lead us into the place of testing where a solicitation to do evil would tempt us to sin, but deliver us from the Pernicious One.
Trials or tests are necessary to prove what is in us and to show us how far we have come and yet to go. Our Father’s purpose in testing is wholly constructive, to strengthen us and help us move forward.
Trials or tests are necessary to prove what is in us and to show us how far we have come and yet to go. Our Father’s purpose in testing is wholly constructive, to strengthen us and help us move forward.
If testing is good for us, then why are we taught to pray, “Lead us not into testing.” Why petition for protection from something beneficial? I will provide three reasons as an answer.
If testing is good for us, then why are we taught to pray, “Lead us not into testing.” Why petition for protection from something beneficial? I will provide three reasons as an answer.
The Greek language uses one word interchangeably for testing and temptation. Such variables often confuse students in their understanding of a particular text. In his paraphrase, Wuest is extremely helpful in enabling us to see this variance.
First, whenever God tests us for our good, Satan, “the tempter,” tries to exploit the situation for our ruin. Peter, who knew well, the concurrency of testing and temptation tells us in , “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
Let us be clear in our understanding that scripture teaches us that Satan is the tempter
First, whenever God tests us for our good, Satan, “the tempter,” tries to exploit the situation for our ruin. Peter, who knew well, the concurrency of testing and temptation >>>>>>
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Jesus knew from his wilderness experience how mean and cunning Satan is and wished no one to underestimate him.
Why should we petition Our Father for protection from testing? The pressure we experienced can be so great that we flee from our circumstances. Jesus began His Gethsemane prayer with “Father, remove this cup.” Yet He endured under pressure so great that blood seeped through his pores onto the surface of His skin. Testing/temptation is no picnic!
ESV
The thought that God may lead Christians into temptation, as the first clause assumes, has puzzled and shocked many people. Things grow clearer, however, once we see what temptation means here. “Test” or “trial”—that is, a situation which reveals how far you are able to go right and avoid going wrong—is the idea behind the word. The driving test, which (believe it or not) is designed to enable you to show that you can do everything right, is a “temptation” in this sense. Now, any educational or training program must of necessity include periodic tests for gauging progress, and the experience of taking and passing such tests can be very encouraging to the trainee. In God’s program for the spiritual education and growth of Christians, the same applies. God does and must test us regularly, to prove what is in us and show how far we have got. His purpose in this is wholly constructive, to strengthen us and help us forward. Thus he “tested” Abraham
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
Why should we petition Our Father for protection from testing? The pressure we experienced can be so great that we flee from our circumstances. Jesus began His Gethsemane prayer with “Father, remove this cup.” Yet He endured under pressure so great that blood seeped through his pores onto the surface of His skin. Testing/temptation is no picnic!
We should petition Our Father for protection because we are weak and vulnerable in spiritual matters. The sneaky snake is far to willy for us fallible followers of Christ. Those spokespersons of Christ who have fallen from great heights serve to remind us to pray, “Lord, if possible, no testing or temptation!” Trial/temptation may be our lot, but only a fool will make it his preference.
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
We should petition Our Father for protection because we are weak and vulnerable in spiritual matters. The sneaky snake is far to willy for us fallible followers of Christ. Those spokespersons of Christ who have fallen from great heights serve to remind us to pray, “Lord, if possible, no testing or temptation!”
Praying, “lead us not into testing,” isn’t a request for the removal but the reduction of temptation in our lives.
and that God tests
(so RSV; AV has “tempt,” RV “prove”) by telling him to sacrifice Isaac, and after the test promised him great blessing “because you have obeyed my voice” (, ).
Trial/temptation may be our lot, but only a fool will make it his preference.
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
by telling him to sacrifice Isaac, and after the test promised him great blessing “because you have obeyed my voice”
How many of us daily ask our Lord to keep us from trial and temptation? How many trials and temptations have we endured that were avoidable had we need Christ teaching on prayer.
Praying, “lead us not into testing,” isn’t a request for the removal but the reduction of temptation in our lives.
ESV
:
and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
No Picnic
After these things, God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
(ESV)
How many of us daily ask our Lord to keep us from trial and temptation? How many trails and temptations have we endured that were avoidable had we need Christ teaching on prayer.
REACTIVE PRAYING
REACTIVE PRAYING
Let us uncover potential pitfalls concerning these two interchangeable words. James the half-brother of Jesus, writes in
40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
The word evil is rightly translated evil one or evil. It reminds us of the evil that lurks on the outside as well as that which lurks within.
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
Why, then, if temptation is beneficial, should we ask to be spared it? For three reasons. First, whenever God tests us for our good, Satan, “the tempter,” tries to exploit the situation for our ruin. “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”
POWERFUL PRAYING
POWERFUL PRAYING
While we need deliverance from Satanic assaults, our greater need is deliverance from the evil that remains in us. It is remaining sin that forms favorable conditions for Satanic attacks.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
ESV
. Jesus knew from his wilderness experience how mean and cunning Satan is, and wished no one to underestimate him or to court a meeting with him. (Our modern occultists would do well to take this to heart.)
Jesus knew from his wilderness experience how mean and cunning Satan is, and wished no one to underestimate him.
Second, the pressures in times of trial can be so appalling that no sane Christian can do other than shrink from them. For both reasons Jesus was as right to start his prayer in Gethsemane with “Father, remove this cup” as he was to end it with “yet not my will but yours be done” (cf. ). Temptation is no picnic!
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
The word evil is rightly translated evil one or evil. It reminds us of the evil that lurks on the outside as well as that which lurks within.
Remaining sin spawns all kinds of inclinations to do something other than Our Father’s will and to love something or someone more than Him. Always and everywhere, remaining sin seeks to lead us astray.
Third, knowledge of our own proven weakness, thickheadedness, and all-round vulnerability in spiritual matters, and of the skill with which Satan exploits our strong and weak points alike, mixing frontal assaults on our Christian integrity with tactics of infiltration and ambush, so that while avoiding one hazard we constantly fall victim to another, compels us to cry, in humility and self-distrust, “Lord, if it be possible, please, no temptation! I don’t want to risk damaging myself and dishonoring you by falling!” Temptation may be our lot, but only a fool will make it his preference; others will heed Paul’s warning to the spiritually reckless, “let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” ().
The Anglican Prayer Book reveals the graveness of our danger in its cataloged prayers concerning temptation.
In the King James Version,
Jesus knew from his wilderness experience how mean and cunning Satan is and wished no one to underestimate him. Christ's victory in the wilderness does not deputize Christians to live as spiritual vigilantes. Christ never commanded His Disciples to seek spiritual confrontation for their adversary continuously prowled seeking consumption not confrontation. Our prayer should be defensive, “lead us not into temptation,” or delivering, “but deliver us from evil.”
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
Lord, deliver us from all evil and mischief; from sin, from the crafts and assaults of the devil. From all blindness of heart; from pride, vain-glory, and hypocrisy. From envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness. From fornication, and all other deadly sin; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Christian, you have an adversary who is always prowling so make your petition for deliverance to your advocate who is always praying.
KJV 1900
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
All the evils listed, in the Anglican Prayer Book, flow spontaneously from the fallen human heart. Satan may be their ringmaster, deciding in what order they shall come on for their performance, but he does not have to inject them into our system; they are already there. Sin, for the most part, works by deceit. Blindness, deceits, and hardness of heart are keywords describing sin’s methods. Envy, hatred, and malice are keywords describing sin’s manifestations.
Jesus prayed for us concerning this very need in
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
; “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” Paul affirms Jesus prayer in , “The Lord is faithful He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”
Paul affirms Jesus prayer in
Watch and Pray
, “The Lord is faithful He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”
Jesus teaches us to pray, “Lead us not into trials” and
Our deliverance from the evil one comes from the power of petition, not in the power of our person.
Let us heed Christ’s Gethsemane admonition, “watch and pray lest they enter into temptation” ().
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
Our deliverance from the evil one comes from the power of petition, not in the power of our person.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
While we need deliverance from Satanic assaults, our greater need is deliverance from the evil that remains in us. It is remaining sin that forms favorable conditions for Satanic attacks.
ESV
(ESV)
When Jesus found his disciples asleep in Gethsemane, he said, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into [that is, start yielding to] temptation; the spirit indeed is willing [to do God’s will], but the flesh [human nature] is weak” (). What prompted his comment was the struggle he had just had with himself, in which his own flesh had violently recoiled from the prospect of Calvary, plus now the sleep of those who, though tired, had been asked to watch with him—stay awake, that is, and support him by their presence and prayers. We must appreciate that the test of sincerity and realism in saying “lead us not into temptation” is readiness to “watch and pray,” lest we fall victim to it unawares.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
Remaining sin spawns all kinds of inclinations to do something other than Our Father’s will and to love something or someone more than Him. Always and everywhere, remaining sin seeks to lead us astray.
“Watch” suggests a soldier on guard, alert for the first signs of enemy attack. We watch against temptation by noting what situation, company, and influences expose us to it, and avoiding them wherever we can. As Luther said, you can’t stop the birds flying over your head, but you can stop them nesting in your hair. Find out what for you is fire, and don’t play with it!
The Anglican Prayer Book reveals the graveness of our danger in its cataloged prayers concerning temptation.
Are you confused? Why is scripture contradicting itself? The book of Job and the life of Jesus will clarify this murky message. Is Job being tested by the Lord? Yes, “have you considered my servant Job.” Is Job being tempted by Satan? Yes, “curse God and die.” Matthew’s Gospel records Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. Jesus had to be tested and tempted as we are to substantiate his claim as Savior.
In 1346, during the Hundred Years' War, the English army of King Edward III met a French battalion at Crecy, France. The King's son, Prince Edward, led one vital division of the British force while Edward III stood nearby with a strong band of soldiers, ready to send relief if needed. Soon after the battle started, the prince thought he was in danger, so he sent for help. But the king didn't come. Young Edward sent another message, pleading for immediate assistance. His father responded by telling the courier,
“Pray” points to the kind of prayer Jesus had just made—prayer for strength to do what one knows is right in face of inward reluctance plus any number of siren-songs seeking to charm one off course and spiritually onto the rocks.
Lord, deliver us from all evil and mischief; from sin, from the crafts and assaults of the devil. From all blindness of heart; from pride, vain-glory, and hypocrisy. From envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness. From fornication, and all other deadly sin; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Testing and temptation are not in contradiction; they are concurrent, most often happening simultaneously.
Go tell my son that I am not so inexperienced a commander as not to know when help is needed, nor so careless a father as not to send it.
Nobody ever expressed the right state of mind in this matter better than Charles Wesley, in the hymn that starts, “Jesus, my strength, my hope, On thee I cast my care.”
All the evils listed, in the Anglican Prayer Book, flow spontaneously from the fallen human heart. Satan may be their ringmaster, deciding in what order they shall come on for their performance, but he does not have to inject them into our system; they are already there. Sin, for the most part, works by deceit. Blindness, deceits, and hardness of heart are keywords describing sin’s methods. Envy, hatred, and malice are keywords describing sin’s manifestations.
Our Father knows what we need and he sends His enablements in time.
Trials or tests are necessary to prove what is in us and to show us how far we have come and yet to go. Our Father’s purpose in testing is wholly constructive, to strengthen us and help us move forward.
Let us heed Christ’s Gethsemane admonition,
If testing is good for us, then why are we taught to pray, “Lead us not into testing.” Why petition for protection from something beneficial? I will provide three reasons as an answer.
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
I want a godly fear,
We use Scripture to kill sin, and we use prayer to keep us from situations where we are prone to sin.
First, whenever God tests us for our good, Satan, “the tempter,” tries to exploit the situation for our ruin.
We use Scripture to kill sin, and we use prayer to keep us from situations where we are prone to sin.
A quick-discerning eye
Why should we petition Our Father for protection from testing? The pressure we experienced can be so great that we flee from our circumstances. Jesus began His Gethsemane prayer with “Father, remove this cup.” Yet He endured under pressure so intense that blood seeped through his pores onto the surface of His skin. Testing/temptation is no picnic!
Praying comes with an advisory label; The answer to this prayer will come at a time and in a manner that I deem to be most prudent.
That looks to thee when sin is near
Let me end our time this morning with a song and a story.
We should petition Our Father for protection because we are weak and vulnerable in spiritual matters. The sneaky snake is far to willy for fallible followers of Christ. Those spokespersons of Christ who have fallen from great heights serve to remind us to pray, “Lord, if possible, no testing or temptation!” Trial/temptation may be our lot, but only a fool will make it his preference.
And sees the tempter fly;
I asked the Lord that I might grow
Praying, “lead us not into temptation,” isn’t a request for the removal but the reduction of temptation in our lives.
A spirit still prepared
How many of us daily ask our Lord to keep us from trial and temptation? How many trials and temptations have we endured that were avoidable had we need Christ teaching on prayer.
In faith and love and ev’ry grace,
He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them.
And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
And armed with jealous care,
ESV
Might more of His salvation know,
For ever standing on its guard
And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
And seek more earnestly His face.
And watching unto prayer.
Jesus ends his teaching on prayer by reminding us of its power.
‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
POWERFUL PRAYING
POWERFUL PRAYING
And He, I trust, has answered prayer,
The conclusion of the matter is this. For good and necessary reasons connected with our Christian growth (cf. ), we shall not be spared all temptation (cf. ); but if we ask to be spared and watch and pray against Satan’s attempts to exploit situations for our downfall, we shall be tempted less than we might have been (cf. ), and will find ourselves able to cope with temptation when it comes (). So do not be unrealistic in not budgeting for temptation, nor foolhardy enough to court it; but when it comes, do not doubt God’s power to deliver from the evil it brings, and to “keep you from falling” () as you pick your way through it. When you are not conscious of temptation, pray “lead us not into temptation”; and when you are conscious of it, pray “deliver us from evil”; and you will live.
Deliver Us
Deliver Us
“Deliver us from evil” is a plea for protection in face of danger that threatens. The Anglican Prayer Book reveals the graveness of our danger in its cataloged prayers concerning temptation.
The Anglican Prayer Book reveals the graveness of our danger in its cataloged prayers concerning temptation.
The word evil can mean evil or evil one. It reminds us that evil that lurks on the outside as well as within.
But it has been in such a way
Lord, deliver us.
From all evil and mischief; from sin, from the crafts and assaults of the devil;
From all blindness of heart; from pride, vain-glory, and hypocrisy;
good Lord, deliver us. From all blindness of heart; from pride, vain-glory, and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness,
from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness,
from envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness,
All
From fornication, and all other deadly sin;
good Lord, deliver us. From fornication, and all other deadly sin; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil,
good Lord, deliver us.
Do you now see the depths of our danger and from where they originate? We need more than deliverance from circumstances. We need deliverance from the sin which remains within us. It is this remaining sin which makes adverse and favorable conditions a springboard for an attack.
Remaining sin spawns all kinds of inclinations to do something other than Our Father’s will and to love something or someone more than Him. Always and everywhere, remaining sin seeks to lead us astray.
All the evils listed, in the Anglican Prayer Book, flow spontaneously from the fallen human heart. Satan may be their ringmaster, deciding in what order they shall come on for their performance, but he does not have to inject them into our system; they are already there. Sin, for the most part, works by deceit. Blindness, deceits, and hardness of heart are keywords describing sin’s methods. Envy, hatred, and malice are keywords describing sin’s manifestations.
All the evils listed, in the Anglican Prayer Book, flow spontaneously from the fallen human heart. Satan may be their ringmaster, deciding in what order they shall come on for their performance, but he does not have to inject them into our system; they are already there. And sin works for the most part by deceit. “Blindness … deceits … hardness of heart” are the keywords on sin’s methods, as “pride … hypocrisy … uncharitableness” are the keywords on sin’s manifestations. But pride and uncharitableness will masquerade as zeal for God, his truth, and his church—and other moral and spiritual evils will regularly creep in unnoticed while our attention is on something else. This is the way of what a Puritan called “the mystery of self-deceiving,” and what Hebrews calls “the deceitfulness of sin” ().
Facing danger, sensible men keep cool but go carefully, keeping alert, watching each step and ready to cry “help” at the first sign of trouble. So too the sensible Christian will watch and pray, lest he enter into temptation (see ), and the cry for deliverance from evil will often be on his lips. And then he will be kept safe.
When facing danger, sensible individuals stay alert, watching each step, and ready to cry for help at the first sign of trouble. Likewise, Christians should heed Christ’s admonition to watch and pray lest they enter into temptation ().
Deliverance
The television program, “This Is Your Life,” reviewed each guest’s personal history from the outside, in terms of work done and friends made. But if you were asked, “What is your life?” you would speak from the inside and go deeper. As a human being, you are a creature of purpose, and you would willy-nilly describe your life in terms of goals you have had, and of challenges, conflicts, frustrations, and progress in pursuit of them.
The secular, man-centered way of doing this is by estimating achievement and non-achievement, success and failure in tasks tackled. Memoirs and biographies of public figures review their careers in this way. Bible writers, Bible characters, and biblical Christians, however, do differently.
To start with, they look at their lives God-centeredly. They see God as the One whose action has been the decisive factor shaping their lives, and as the only one who is able to assess what they have achieved. And they see his action in terms of two main concepts. The first is mercy: their lives appear to them as, in the words of the hymn, “mercy from first to last.” The second concept is deliverance: they see themselves as having been delivered over and over again from trouble and opposition that threatened to keep them from, or obstruct them in, God’s service and their fellowship with him. God “delivered us from so deadly a peril [the Asian affliction], and he will deliver us; on him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again” (): so spoke Paul, and his sentiment is typical of the whole Bible view of life, according to which hope for mercy and deliverance from evil, sin within and storms without, is an essential element in faith at all times. A little time with a concordance exploring the Bible uses of “deliver” and “deliverance” will convince you of this.
Can you yet see your own life in terms of being threatened and endangered by evil of all sorts, and so of needing God’s deliverance every moment? If not, believe me, you cannot yet see what you are looking at! You are like a person wandering blindfolded and with ears plugged in the middle of a city street, with traffic coming both ways. Learn from the Lord’s Prayer what is really going on in your life, and as you are increasingly enabled to discern the dangers, lean harder on the Great Deliverer. “Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him”—that is God’s promise to each saint (). Claim it; it is for you.
From Evil
From Evil
The first thing to say about evil is that it is a reality, and we should not pretend that there is no such thing.
The second thing to say about evil is that it is an irrational and meaningless reality, making no sense, and only definable as good perverted.
The third thing to say about evil is that God is handling it. At the cost of Calvary he has taken responsibility for bringing good out of it; already he has triumphed over it, and eventually he will eliminate it. The Christian contemplating evil is not a pessimist, for he knows that one day this mad and meaningless reality which destroys good shall be destroyed itself. Christ ensured this by conquering cosmic evil on the cross (see ); he will finally snuff it out at his return.
Christian’s await in victorious expectation their Father’s unveiling of how every encounter with evil served their greater good and the Father’s greater glory. On that day, all who questioned evil’s long tenure will experience silence as our Father’s goodness and wisdom are vindicated.
Two Sorts of Evil
Evil means badness which has the effect of ruining, or wasting, or ruling out, goodness—that is, the achieving of a life that is upright, worthwhile, and joyful. Evil, as defined, takes two forms. First, there is badness external to us, the badness of circumstances, “trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity.” Circumstances become evil when they inflict on us more pain and frustration than we can turn into good by the way that we take them. In fact, circumstances are not often that bad the psalmist said, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes” (). Yet when, as sometimes happens, pain is such that a man can only scream till he faints from exhaustion, this is surely evil.
Second, there is badness that is internal to us, the badness of corruption. This is the badness of bad men and fallen angels, the badness which is from one standpoint a lack of good and from another good gone wrong: as in the devil, in Adam, and in you and me. How and why good corrupts is more than Scripture explains or than we can grasp, but the fact remains. And whereas in relation to the first sort of evil we are passive, suffering it, in relation to the second sort we are active, doing it. “The evil I do not want is what I do,” says Paul (); to which every honest man’s response must be, “Yes, and so do I.”
God to the Rescue
Christians cannot disregard evil around and within them, nor are they at liberty to try, for their calling is to face evil and overcome it with good (). But this assumes that evil does not overcome them; and here the Lord’s Prayer comes in once more.
Jesus tells us to ask God to deliver us “from the evil.” Whether this Greek phrase means “evil” in general (so RSV text) or “the evil one” (so RSV margin) does not matter, though the second is perhaps likelier. The first rendering would mean “deliver us from all the evil in the world, in ourselves, in other men, in Satan and his hosts”; the second rendering would mean “deliver us from Satan, who seeks our ruin, and from all that he exploits to that end—all the ungodliness of the world, all the sinfulness of our flesh, all spiritual evil of every sort”; both renderings come to the same thing.
And the great point is that Jesus’ act of giving us this prayer is an implicit promise that if we seek deliverance from evil, we shall find it. The moment we cry “deliver,” God’s rescue operation will start; help will be on the way to cope with whatever form of evil threatens us.
Jesus knew from his wilderness experience how mean and cunning Satan is and wished no one to underestimate him. Christ's victory in the wilderness does not deputize Christians to live as spiritual vigilantes. Christ never commanded His Disciples to seek spiritual confrontation for their adversary continuously prowled seeking consumption not confrontation. Our prayer should be defensive, “lead us not into temptation,” or delivering, “but deliver us from evil.”
As almost drove me to despair.
I hoped that in some favored hour
As we live for Christ, our lives will experience sufficient encounters with the devil and his demons; thus, another compelling reason to pray.
At once He’d answer my request
Christian, you have an adversary who is always prowling, so make your petition for deliverance to your advocate who is always praying.
Jesus prayed for us concerning this very need in
And, by His love’s constraining pow’r,
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
ESV
Subdue my sins and give me rest.
Instead of this, He made me feel
I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.
Paul affirms Jesus prayer in
The hidden evils of my heart
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
ESV
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
Assault my soul in ev’ry part.
Yea, more with His own hand He seemed
Our deliverance from the evil one comes from the power of petition, not in the power of our person.
While we need deliverance from Satanic assaults, our greater need is deliverance from the evil that remains in us. It is remaining sin that forms favorable conditions for Satanic attacks.
Intent to aggravate my woe,
Remaining sin spawns all kinds of inclinations to do something other than Our Father’s will and to love something or someone more than Him. Always and everywhere, remaining sin seeks to lead us astray.
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
The Anglican Prayer Book reveals the graveness of our danger in its cataloged prayers concerning temptation.
Humbled my heart and laid me low.
Lord, deliver us from all evil and mischief; from sin, from the crafts and assaults of the devil. From all blindness of heart; from pride, vain-glory, and hypocrisy. From envy, hatred, and malice, and all unkindness. From fornication, and all other deadly sin; and from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
“Lord, why is this,” I trembling cried;
All the evils listed, in the Anglican Prayer Book, flow spontaneously from the fallen human heart. Satan may be their ringmaster, deciding in what order they shall come on for their performance, but he does not have to inject them into our system; they are already there. Sin, for the most part, works by deceit. Blindness, deceits, and hardness of heart are keywords describing sin’s methods. Envy, hatred, and malice are keywords describing sin’s manifestations.
“Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?”
Let us heed Christ’s Gethsemane admonition,
“’Tis in this way,” the Lord replied,
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
ESV
“I answer prayer for grace and faith.”
“These inward trials I employ
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
From self and pride to set thee free
We use Scripture to kill sin, and we use prayer to keep us from situations where we are prone to sin.
And break thy schemes of earthly joy
Praying comes with an advisory label; The answer to this prayer will come at a time and in a manner that I deem to be most prudent. Let me end our time this morning with a song and a story.
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”
In 1346, during the Hundred Years' War, the English army of King Edward III met a French battalion at Crecy, France. The King's son, Prince Edward, led one vital division of the British force while Edward III stood nearby with a strong band of soldiers, ready to send relief if needed. Soon after the battle started, the prince thought he was in danger, so he sent for help. But the king didn't come. Young Edward sent another message, pleading for immediate assistance. His father responded by telling the courier,
I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith and love and ev’ry grace,
Go tell my son that I am not so inexperienced a commander as not to know when help is needed, nor so careless a father as not to send it.
Our Father knows what we need and he sends His enablements in time.
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.
‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer,
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.
I hoped that in some favored hour
At once He’d answer my request
And, by His love’s constraining pow’r,
Subdue my sins and give me rest.
Instead of this, He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart
And let the angry pow’rs of hell
Assault my soul in ev’ry part.
Yea, more with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe,
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Humbled my heart and laid me low.
“Lord, why is this,” I trembling cried;
“Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?”
“’Tis in this way,” the Lord replied,
“I answer prayer for grace and faith.”
“These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free
And break thy schemes of earthly joy
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”
In 1346, during the Hundred Years' War, the English army of King Edward III met a French battalion at Crecy, France. The King's son, Prince Edward, led one vital division of the British force while Edward III stood nearby with a strong band of soldiers, ready to send relief if needed. Soon after the battle started, the prince thought he was in danger, so he sent for help. But the king didn't come. Young Edward sent another message, pleading for immediate assistance. His father responded by telling the courier,
Go tell my son that I am not so inexperienced a commander as not to know when help is needed, nor so careless a father as not to send it.
Our Father knows what we need and he sends His enablements in time.
Why doesn’t our Father just destroy evil instead of delivering . Christian, we await in victorious expectation our Father’s unveiling of how every encounter with evil served their good and the Father’s glory. On that day, all who questioned evil’s long tenure will experience silence as our Father’s goodness and wisdom are vindicated.
Jesus is praying for us this morning, just as he prayed for Peter in Luke.
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,
but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
Yes, Jesus has provided a reactive prayer for when we fall. However, he has provided a proactive and powerful prayer to keep us from falling.
Get up! Your faith has faltered but it has not failed. If your faith is but a flicker come and let Him fan it into a flame.
Today, this very moment is the day to begin praying proactively and powerfully. Many, if not all, need to come to this altar or build an altar at your seat so that Jesus can alter your life.