And When You Pray/And Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us From Evil - Part 4- 11/07/2021

November 6, 2021 Front Porch Meetings Readying for Return - No pressure Pastor's Pandemic Letter Birthday week: Sandra Rainey, Arthur McCray And Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us From Evil Matthew 6:13 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. James 1:2 - 4 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1: 13-15 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ START Here . . . This morning as we resume our studies in the Lord's prayer with emphasis on Petition #6 which is: Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. . . . I want to show you something unique about temptation. Did you know that temptation doesn't just happen. It follows a process. The Book of James, Chapter One beginning at verse 2 helps us walk down this process. It reads . . . 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1: 13-15 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. With those verses as our backdrop, here's the process that leads to victory or defeat when it comes to temptation. The FIRST thing that must be established is God's four golden words to James in James 1:2-4 which is the key to avoiding temptation hands down. For context, I'll read three verses: 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. The FOUR words are: Count It All Joy. What is this saying to us? The operative word here is COUNT. Count means to pause and observe, to evaluate, consider, or determine. In real time, it is saying when we find ourselves faced with a trial, we are to first STOP and immediately judge or conclude that it is from God to test our faith (nothing else). We are to count or conclude that God is in control of trials coming our way - that He's up to something, and the something is Him wanting to develop our faith -- whether we understand the trial or not. James is saying put every trial "back" in God's hands. We are instructed by James to submit to God with every trial because trials come to us through God and are allowed by God to test our faith. Characterizing "falling into trials as All Joy", goes counter to our human nature. The temptation of the flesh is to do just the opposite - because the flesh hates trials and sees them as anything but JOY or natural . The JOY spoken about here that kind found only in the Lord. It is seen the Believer's life by supernatural form of rejoicing. Rejoicing is JOY manifested. This divine brand of joy can be discerned only in the Lord. "In the Lord" signifies the sphere in which the believer's joy exists - a sphere or realm or space unrelated to the circumstances of life, but related to an unquestionable, unchanging relationship to the sovereign Lord. To count the experience of falling into a trial as JOY comes with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and maturity. Upon understanding God's golden rule and remedy for facing trials and the unpredictable things in life, then we can get a firm grip on how trials, tests, and temptation work as a process. Now that we have a picture of what God says our spiritual attitude must be in order to face the trials of life, let's explore the process further: After counting it all joy (that is, the process and imminent facing of trials) - we now can get a picture of where the rubber meets the road what I call the Temptation Process: Next, TRIALS. What are trials? Trials are defined as trouble or something that breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy, and happiness in someone's life. It sobers up your walk with God. The verb form of this word means "to put someone or something to the test," with the purpose of discovering that person's nature or that thing's quality. God brings such tests to us to prove - and increase - the strength and quality of our faith and to demonstrate its validity and legitimacy (James vv. 2-12). Next, I want to point out something quite significant: listen to James verse 2 again: Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. Two key observations: * When you fall ~ surprise = trials seem to come out of no where; cant plan for only prepare for; (hint you can plan for a temptation) * Various trials - all sorts and different kinds You fall into trials, but you plan for or premeditate temptations. As believers, we must come to a place of knowing the purpose of TRIALS in our lives before we can fully grasp where temptations fit. In short, that place is to develop our faith. Overall, I believe it is safe to say that most believers believe that the trials of life are bad news; that they are of the devil and by the devil; that they are from Satan and by Satan. However, that is not completely accurate. We must understand the reality of trials in our lives so we can effectively deal with them and experience the victory that God has promised. James gives us a step-by-step approach to doing just that. He helps us understand that not every trial is intended or designed to rob us of God's joy, blessings, and benefits. James helps us to take back our life and to stop temptations total manipulation of our lives. Every TRIAL is accompanied by a TEST. James 1: says 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. Knowing that the trial is a TEST for the proving and developing of your faith in God. The TRIAL is not intended to bring you down but to make you whole, complete and perfect. Satan's intent is to bring you down, God's intent is to develop you. Test or testing in this regard means first to qualify or show proof or prove whether what we are exercising (or boasting about) is real faith or just wishful thinking or presupposition. James 2: 14-20 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without [f]your works, and I will show you my faith by [g]my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is [h]dead? To test also means to reveal the strength of our faith as in what proof is your faith - like alcohol - is 60 proof, 70 proof or 100 proof. This is not to judge whether you have enough faith or not, rather to show us how ready we are to experience or take on more responsibility in our faith walk. In other words, is your faith ready to take you into the lions den or by the lions cage. God gives us tests just like school teachers and instructors do as a gauge that reveals our personal development and readiness to go to the next level. (If we test out, then go to the next level; if we miss too many questions which real our unpreparedness, then we dig a little deeper, enrich our spiritual dietary intake - in order to ready ourselves for a repeat of the same or similar trial. Why do trials come? To test our faith. So, when we are faced with a trial or find ourselves in a trial, James says our first response or reaction to the trial is supposed to be: Count it all Joy. Why does our faith need to be tested: to keep us out of trouble, that is, from causing us to think we are more ready to take on the world than our true degree of trust and readiness in God. Peter before denying Jesus said he was ready to die for Him, but turned right around and denied him three times. He needed some development. (His development came when Jesus allowed him to be tested by Satan who wanted to sift him.) 1. With every TEST, comes choices. Don't you like multiple choice. The test that comes with the TRIALS in which believers face has only two choices: Right or Wrong. The choices are: a. To obey God b. Or obey the devil which is the equivalent of "Leaning to your own understanding or lustful desires. (Either way Satan is at the root of it). Let's break it down: Choice A, To Obey God is to apply the instructions of His Word to our lives which in the case of trials is to Count it all joy when you fall into various or divers trials. Primarily, this choice, always provides a way of escape. 1 Cor. 10:12 & 13 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. Choice B - To obey the devil or leaning to our own understanding. This choice opens the door to temptation. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Every trial becomes a test of faith designed to strengthen the Believer: If we as Believers fail the test by wrongly responding, that test then becomes a temptation, or a solicitation to evil (see notes on vv 13-15). [Every trial is accompanied by two things: A way of escape and a way of evil enticement or entrapment.]. In every trial God builds in a way of escape. We can either take it and experience victory; or we can forfeit it and succumb to temptation. (Joseph and Potiphar's wife; David and Bathsheba). Just to reiterate: 1. Count it all joy ~ Reveals the divine attitude of the believer toward trials. 2. Believer's experience or fall into various types of trials at various times. Trials are God's way of testing our faith in order to produce patience or endurance or perseverance to develop within His children spiritual maturity. 3. Every trial is accompanied by a test which reveals man's true heart to himself before God and toward God. 4. Every test is accompanied by two choices ~ A Fork in the Road: Obey/Escape; Disobey/Temptation 5. Wisdom is available to navigate every trial successfully. Just ask, sincerely. 6. The Truth That Makes You Free: James 1:12-15 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 1