Fri, May 19th - 12:53AM
Lead us not into temptation
Lead us not into Temptation
By Evangelist: Chuck Gibson
2 Samuel 11: 1 & 2 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. 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. And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
It was the time that kings should go forth into battle, but King David tarried still at Jerusalem. Anytime we don’t get in the battle, we fall into temptation! Whenever we decide that we are not going into battle look out, the old devil is laying in wait for us. He is as a roaring lion, our adversary the devil is seeking for whom he may devour! Folks we are in warfare! We’re fighting against principalities, against powers! We wrestle not against flesh and blood, things that we can see or touch! But against the demonic hosts of Satan themselves! Against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, (In high places of authority) authority given to them by “The god of this world” (Notice that is spelled with a small “g”)
That is why we must put on the whole armor of God, that we might be able to stand, having done all that we can do, we must stand in the power of his might! Stand against the wiles of the devil (The tricks and devices that he uses) he’s crafty and cunning like a fox, but we are not to be ignorant of his devices, lest he take advantage of us! He loves to take advantage of every circumstance and situation! It is however the believer’s duty, or responsibility to withstand (Bear the burden of war) to stand toe to toe with the enemy and fight the good fight of faith. As Paul told Timothy son I’ve fought a good fight and I have kept the faith! To withstand in the evil days! Withstand is synonymous to defy, resist. Now that sounds familiar resist the devil and he will flee from you! We must earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints! That word contend means to be in opposition to, we should be in opposition to everything he stands for! God will only use a soldier he can trust, so keep on the firing line! Some of you might have heard that great old song out of the hymnal. It’s still as real today as it was back then!
Perilous times have come, the last days of the evil one, and he knows that if we stand in the power of God’s might then he’s lost the battle! When the enemy comes in like a flood, the spirit of almighty God will raise up a standard against it! The standard of holiness, Righteous and truth, the blood stained banner of Jesus Christ and him crucified! By myself I can do nothing, but through him I can do all things, because (here comes the explanation) he gives me the strength to do so! Hallelujah, praise his name!
I love the Lord’s prayer, when his disciples ask him to teach them how to pray, he said pray like this, “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and give us this day our daily bread and forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for yours is the kingdom the power and the glory forever amen! So we find contained in the Lord’s Prayer a request or petition for God’s protection. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us O’ Lord from the grip of the evil one!
Job was led into temptation because God was bragging on him; for He had asked the devil, “have you ever considered my servant Job? He’s so perfect and upright, one that shuns the appearance of evil, who has never been partakers with another mans sin!” O’ but Satan said, “ Does he serve you for nothing? You have a protective hedge around him (The angel of the Lord is encamped around about them that love and fear Him.) He told God that if He would take down the protective hedge that he would cause Job to curse him to his face!
Many times we have been led into temptation by the seducer, but I am so glad that Jesus included the prayer of divine intervention. However don’t say that brother Gibson is saying we will never have to go through anything. The Bible plainly tells us that those who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution! Jesus said that as long as you are in this world you shall have trouble, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world!
But in David’s case however, I should say before going any further, that so many times we are led away from God, away from the way of holiness, and righteousness by our own lust and enticed. There is no temptation taken you (One that has taken you by surprise) but such as is common to man. Those common temptations are found in the things that pertain to this world, they are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, these things are of the world of which we are told not to love the world neither the things of the world. For if any man love the world and the things that are in the world then the love of the Father is not in him! But I must say in telling you this, that God will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear, but will with every temptation, make a way of escape that ye may be able to bear it!
These three temptations are just general categories, every sin known to man falls under these three. Jesus was led into the wilderness (Led by the Spirit) (Now let no one say that when he is tempted, that he is tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted by sin, neither does he tempt any man.) (Not that God won’t try your faith because the trying of our faith works patience and it is precious to God than fine gold!)(That is why when the Lord taught his disciples how to pray, he told them to pray like this, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”) To be tempted by the devil, see that is the one to blame for all our woes, the tempter!
He was therewith tempted by the same three temptations that are common to all men. He was tempted with the lust of the flesh, the tempter said if you be the “Son of God” command that these stones be made bread. However Jesus knew how to battle with the old slue foot! He used the word of God (Deuteronomy 8:3 that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.) That’s right he quoted an Old Testament scripture. The lust of the eye was to be Satan’s next line of offence. He took him upon the highest mountain in Jerusalem and showed him all the kingdoms of this world and said all this will I give you if you would only bow down and worship me. Again Jesus refused and gave him the one line the devil knows so well it is written, “Thou shall worship the Lord your God and only him shall you serve” Exodus 20:3-5 the first Commandment! The third temptation was one that dealt with the pride of life for it is an ugly one. The devil took him up to the pinnacle of the temple (The highest point, similar to the steeple nowadays) and there the devil used the word of God to lure Jesus into his death trap. For he said, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. However Jesus being wise as a serpent yet harmless as a dove told him “It is written again, Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God!” Even though the devil knows what is written, he cannot stand against us if we say o’ yea but Satan “It is written again”!
Jesus went into the garden to pray after they had finished the washing of the saint’s feet. WHAT! Yes it was after the supper that Jesus explained the other half of the communion the part that most do not like to take part in. But Jesus told Peter if I do not wash your feet, you do not have part in the communion with me! Back to the garden Jesus told the disciples to wait, watch and pray while he went a little farther to pray apart from them. Three times he came back and found them asleep on the job! What, could you not watch with me for one hour? Typical of most church folks, you get together for one hour for prayer and they will fall asleep on you! He told them something very significant for the church today, Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation! He also said something else that is conclusive in this matter “The Spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak” The Spirit wants to serve God but it is the flesh that is so self serving (It wants to serve self) and makes us weak, it is a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God. That’s why Galatians 5:16&17 says Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. Check out Roman’s 7th chapter Paul had a problem with this and brother or sister so do I!
It is the devil’s job as the tempter to try and lead us astray, for he is as a roaring lion take note of this, as a roaring Lion is not the same as being one! He is seeking for whom he may devour. Our job (as it were) is to resist him that he may flee from us! And please always remember that it is not a sin to be tempted, it only becomes sin when we yield to the temptation.
Let Us Pray
Our Father who art in Heaven hollowed be thy name, (Holy and righteous is his glorious name) thy kingdom come thy will be done (First of all Lord we pray that your kingdom would come, and not our will that gets done but your will is what we are seeking) on earth as it is in Heaven, give us this day our daily bread (Those things that we need to sustain us) forgive us O” God our debts as we forgive our debtors, also Lord forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us (Help us to forgive so that we can be forgiven) and Father lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the hand of the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever Amen!
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Name: Chuck Gibson
