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Lead us Not into Temptations
By Jim Murriner
"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."
We saw in out first study that only those who have a Heavenly Father can pray. All others are still dead in sins, and are children of the devil, and if they were to pray to their father, they would be praying unto the devil. Salvation is not by prayer then for the lost sinner cannot pray. Not even the sinners prayer that is so popular today.
Next we saw that we are to have the greatest respect for God, and set His name apart, and consider Him to be Great, and powerful, when we pray.
It is to be our desire that the Kingdom of God come upon our lost loved ones, and it is to be our desire that we would live like we are citizens of the Heavenly Kingdom.
That God's will be done is to be the goal of every saint, as they pray.
We are to ask Him for our daily needs, knowing that He will provide for us, and that it is more important that we have our thoughts upon spiritual things rather than physical things.
We saw in our study last Lord's day that we are to seek our Father's forgiveness for sins in our lives.
Now today we want to look at the request that God not lead us into temptation.
We must note first that God never is the cause of sin, and that God never leads anyone into temptation.
James 1:13
"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:"
The word "lead" here is to lead in the sense of bringing us into something or some place.
God rules in our lives, and brings us from place to place, and situation to situation, but He never brings us into temptation.
James 1:14
"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed."
Temptation comes from without.
Matt. 4:3
"And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."
Satan is the tempter, He lies in ambush. Not simply hiding in the bushes but hiding silently by watching our every move, knowing just when to throw temptation in front of us.
Job 1:7
"And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
Job 2:2
"And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."
We need to be aware that he is much more vigilant in his attack on the saints of God, now in these last days.
Rev. 12:12 while speaking of a time in the future yet, is speaking of our time too.
"Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."
Satan is filled with so much malice that he is very diligent in his attack on us.
I Peter 5:8
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"
He is walking about, not just sitting still, not sleeping, not relaxing, not taking it easy as many saved people are doing today.
Amos 6:1
"Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!"
We most certainly need God's help in resisting temptation, and in avoiding temptation, because our adversary, the one tempting us is stronger than we might consider.
He is called a prince in John 14:30.
"Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me."
Luke 11:14-21
14"And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered."
15"But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils."
16"And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven."
17"But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth."
18"If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub."
19"And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges."
20"But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you."
21"When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:"
He gets into our minds
John 13:2
"And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;"
Though he cannot compel the will, he places very pleasing objects in front of us.
Gen. 3:6
"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."
Joshua 7:21
"When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it."
These temptations are sent upon us suddenly like a dart
Eph. 6: 12 - 16
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Satan is very subtle in his tempting us.
He observes the natural temper and constitution. He does not know the hearts of men, but he may feel their pulse, know their temper, and can apply himself accordingly.
As the farmer knows what seed is proper to sow in such a soil, so Satan, finding out the temper, knows what temptations are proper to sow in such a heart.
The same way the tide of a man's constitution runs, the wind of temptation blows.
Satan tempts the ambitious man with a crown, the lustful man with beauty, the covetous man with a wedge of gold. He provides savory meat, such as the sinner loves.
He chooses the fittest season to tempt in.
As a cunning angler casts in his angle when the fish will bite best, so the devil can hit the very joint of time when temptation is likeliest to prevail. There are several seasons in which he tempts .
He tempts us in our first days following our trusting our souls to Christ. He will never disturb his bondman; but when we by the grace of God have been broken out his prison, and brought into the kingdom of God, he will pursue us with violent temptations.
When Israel were gone a little way out of Egypt, Pharaoh pursued them.
As soon as Christ was born, Herod sent to destroy him. When the child of God is newly born, the devil labors to strangle it with temptation.
The devil tempts when he finds us unemployed. We do not sow seed in left idle ground; but Satan sows most of his seed in a person that lies fallow.
When the fowler sees a bird sit still and perch upon the tree, he shoots it; so when Satan observes us sitting still, he shoots his fiery darts of temptation at us.
Matt 13: 25
"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way."
2 Sam 11: 2, 3.
2"And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon."
3"And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"
4"And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house."
When a person is reduced to outward wants and straits, the devil tempts him. When Christ has fasted forty days, and is hungry, the devil comes and tempts him with the glory of the world.
Matt 4: 8.
"Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;"
When provisions grow short, Satan sets in with a temptation; What, wilt thou starve rather than steal?
Satan tempts after an ordinance.
When we have been hearing the word, or at prayer, Satan casts in the angle of temptation.
When Christ had been fasting and praying, then came the tempter.
Matt 4: 2, 3.
2"And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred."
3"And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."
