“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.” – Matt. 6:13
I can’t tell you how important prayer is. About the best thing I can do is to say what I’ve said many times–“Everything depends on prayer”. Without it we fail. This is never more true than when it comes to deliverance from evil. Many pray this after the fact, when they should have prayed before their fall. It’s better to pray to be able to resist it than to later pray to be rescued from it!
Evil is a terrible thing and does terrible things! And, in our ability, we have no power over it. You might not be tempted to any and all sins, but there is some sin you can’t resist without God’s help.
When you understand what is meant by the word “evil” you will agree with me when I say, only a fool wouldn’t want to be delivered from it. We are in constant danger because we cannot avoid temptation. You can’t lock it out or hide from it. You can isolate yourself like a monk in a monastery but you can’t lock temptation out. James 1:13-15 explains why–we are drawn away by our “own lust”.
Temptation isn’t a sin, but we are commanded to flee from it (2 Tim. 2:22). We are even told to avoid all appearance of evil. God doesn’t tempt us to do evil, but He does test us, or allow us to be tested so as to bring out the best. Although He permits us to be tempted He has promised that through Christ we can win ( Rom. 6:14). As someone said, “True holiness is the result of a battle–It is only as we fight against our own lusts and against Satan that we become holy”.
To see the seriousness of this we need to consider the word “evil”. When we understand what we need to be delivered from we will be more serious about prayer. It comes from a Greek word (poneros) that means “bad, of a bad nature or condition, wicked, or hardships causing pain and trouble”. If you knew a serial killer wanted to enter your house would you invite him in? Of course not! If you knew you house was contaminated with a deadly disease would you spend another night there? Of course not! We take every precaution possible to protect ourselves physically. Why then would we ignore the danger of evil? We are quick to pray when afflicted, but sin is far worse than afflictions. Thomas Watson said, “There is more evil in a drop of sin- than in a sea of affliction”. That being the case shouldn’t we pray, “deliver us from evil”. – HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
