Lead Us Not Into Temptation

As we pray it's important to know why we pray what we pray.  I Matthew 6, we see Jesus telling the disciples to say whey they pray, "lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one."  The significance of this is Jesus Himself was led into the wilderness by the Spirit and He is now charging the disciples to say to the Father, "lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one."

How is it that it was okay for Jesus to be led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil and it's not okay for the disciples? In my attempt to give an answer here, let's look at the circumstances Jesus was faced with verses the disciples.  Jesus was on a mission from heaven and part of His assignment was to overcome sin.  The disciples on the other hand were on a different mission and that was to carry out the work of the Kingdom of God in the earth as instructed and modeled by Jesus.

In the earth while Jesus walked the earth He live without sin.  Contrary to the first Adam, Jesus did not yield to sin.  Although He was God He was also man and in His manly nature, He did not yield to sin though He was thoroughly tempted.

Getting back to the prayer.  James 1:13 says that "God tempts no man." 1 Corinthians 10:13 says the "God will make away of escape even when man is tempted." (these are my paraphrases). We can see that God is not in the tempting business.  So in reference to the disciples, it is important to not remind God in the prayer but to assure themselves that God will definitely not lead them into temptation but will most definitely deliver them from the evil one.

When you and I pray today and everyday we ought to realize what the disciples realized.  That is God wants us to live above the temptations of this world and will do what He says He will do if we'll but ask Him.  That is to say, we ought not leave this component of the Lord's prayer out of our prayer.

Listen, as we continue to pray with the understanding the the Lord's prayer is not just a few words put together to pacify God.  They are words we live by.  They are the very words of life that keep us connected to the Father and give us the ability to function in His Kingdom here on earth in victory.  Wouldn't you say it's time to pay closer attention to how you pray? Wouldn't you say it's time to take your prayer life more seriously?

CentrePoint family, I am believing God with all of you on an individual level get a hold of the revelation of the Lord's prayer and see it the way the disciples saw it.  See it the way Jesus meant it.  Lastly, see it the way it will have the most positive Kingdom impact in your life today.  This is a daily prayer for daily living.  I really hope we see it as a family,

Stay blessed,

Pastor Cedric
909 263 4569
Skype: cedreynolds