5. And lead us not into temptation
Finally, Jesus wants us to be aware of how easily we fall into temptation.
We often forget that Satan is the "prince of this world", though Jesus repeatedly referred to him as such (see John 12:31; 14:30-31; 16:11). The apostle Paul warned that:
"our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Eph. 6:12).
Should this discourage us? No, but in order to be able to call upon God to help us overcome temptation, we must first understand the gravity of our situation.
What if, during WWII, France had been unaware that the Nazis were ruling their country? Would they have fought for liberation? No. They would have been perfectly content to play into the hands of their enemy.
When we stumble through life, blind to the fact that Satan is constantly bombarding us with temptations that if acted upon, will separate us from God; we become complacent to God, and we play into Satan’s hands.
But how can we combat an enemy that isn’t flesh and blood (Eph. 6:10)? The apostle Paul gives us the answer in Eph. 6:13-18:
"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Eph 6:13-18)
Can we be victorious by ourselves? No. Without God’s help, we cannot withstand temptation. We don’t even have the desire to do so.
Can we be victorious with God at our side? Yes. "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:13). When we let Jesus take over our lives, we can say with Paul:
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Cor. 10:13)
We need to understand who rules our world, and we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to overcome. We must base all truth on the Holy Bible, and we must pray constantly.
"Dear Papa, I live and walk in Satan’s territory; but with Your help, I can withstand any temptation he throws my way. Help me, daddy! Show me where I am being tempted, and deliver me from Satan’s rule!"
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