Surprised by Temptation

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.      Ephesians 6:12   NIV

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’    

Matthew 6:13  NIV

   We make four big mistakes when we face temptations and trials in life.

       1.  We are surprised by them.

       2.  We underestimate our enemy.

       3.  We fail to see that our temptation or trial is part of a bigger battle.

       4.  We turn to God last instead of first.

   

   Scripture makes it very clear that the struggle we have in this life is not just about flesh and blood.  We are in the middle of a spiritual battle between the forces of God and the forces of evil. This is why Jesus taught us to pray that we would not be led into temptation and that our Heavenly Father would deliver us from the evil.

   This does not mean we need to look for the devil behind every bush.  It does mean, though, that we need to expect difficult times and be prepared to persevere in the fight.  If we expect life to be hard, then it is much easier to keep a clear head and trust God and do his will in the face of difficulty.

   This week, pray through the Lord’s prayer at the beginning of each day and make sure you are aware of the last sentence of the prayer as you pray it.  Ask your Heavenly Father to lead you away from temptation and to protect you from the schemes of your enemy who desperately wants to devour you.

Prayer, Temptation and Loving God's Will

With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!      Psalm 119:10  ESV

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.                John 6:38  ESV

   Jesus came to the earth to live as a human and do the will of God.  He loved the Father and delighted in doing the Father’s will.  This was the source of Jesus’ joy, peace, love, hope and goodness as he lived on earth.  If we want to enjoy life (Doesn’t everyone?) and live it with purpose, our best hope is to follow this path of Jesus in doing God's will.

  It should be clearly understood however, that if we are intent on doing God’s will like Jesus was, we will also face opposition like Jesus did.  We have a very real enemy, which Peter described as a roaring lion that prowls around seeking for someone to devour.  He seeks to devour us by luring us with temptation and  by deceiving  others into opposing us.

  People often pray for protection as they travel or for health just for sake of being safe and healthy.  Have you ever prayed for safety and health SO you can do God’s will effectively?  Have you ever asked your Heavenly Father to lead you away from temptation so that you can succeed in doing God’s will?  This week, pray the last phrase of the Lord’s prayer, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”, every morning, and even other times throughout the day.  If this becomes a regular practice in your life, you will discover that your desire to do God’s will will increase and so will your strength to resist temptation.