Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

Our Father which art in heaven


Mat 6:13 ... lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil


Delivered from evil.


What is the ultimate evil? What's the worst evil of all? Seriously what is the evilest thing you can ever imagine?


Anything that would keep us from God is evil. Being delivered from anything that would keep us from God is something that is desperately desired. When we are delivered from evil we are not being consumed by ANYTHING that would keep us from God.


Satan desires to keep us separated from God. If we are already separated from God- Satan desires to keep us that way. Through anger, through despair, through heart ache, through lusts of all kind, through any evil means- because ANYTHING that keeps us from God is evil- Satan will strive to separate us from our Savior, our Creator. Can Satan use things we wouldn't generally consider evil to keep us from God? YES! Who considers a wonderful spouse, and delightful children- evil? Who considers a nice paying job in a good field- evil? Who believes ministering to the helpless- evil? Not many people consider those things evil and yet if we allow even the seemingly *GOOD* things in life to keep us from God, they are part of the evil Satan will use.


Temptation might not be lust for another person's spouse, temptation might not be to steal riches, temptation might not be to garner power over others, temptation might not be pornography, temptation might not be alcohol or drugs, temptation might not be gambling though all these things are considered sinful, considered evil. Temptation could be the inner belief that is skewed to put self first- even when you believe you are helping others. Temptation might be to put ANYTHING in the place of God- first. You might not be a thief, a murderer, a liar, a whoremonger, a prostitute, a gambler, an adulterer- but you can be the worst of sinners. You don't think that's true? Read this…


Mat 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.


SCRIBES and PHARISEES- those considered to be CLOSEST TO GOD! In truth they were the farthest from God. We are in danger of the same thing! Don't think for one moment anyone professing to be a Christian, professing the love of God is not consumed by evil of a sort that we can't readily see. We have to look into our own lives and find out where God is at. What position does God hold in our lives? How important is God to us? Do we LIVE the way God would have us to live- loving Him and loving others more than we love ourselves? Are we guilty of pure selfishness? Do our lives revolve around our own needs, our own desires?


Mat 6:13 ... lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil


We do not want to be led into ANY direction that would keep us from God. We do not want to be led into despair, we do not want to be led into selfishness, we do NOT want to fail any test of faith put before us. When we pray to our heavenly Father to 'lead us not into temptation' it is asking Him to keep us from ANYTHING that would separate us from Him. When we are praying 'deliver us from evil' we are praying to be kept from ANYTHING that would keep us from God.


May this lesson Jesus is teaching us, this lesson on prayer, be something we NEVER forget and always remember to use if not in exact wording then in the same manner- understanding that we are His and He would have us be His- and this is a choice we make, a free-will choice we make and hold to by His power, through His grace and mercy, by His righteousness always.


Amen.