40 Days of PRAYER - 20

Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
40 Days of PRAYER
Day 20 | DELIVER US FROM EVIL
DELIVER US FROM EVIL

Matthew 6:13
"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."

As Jesus concludes His teaching on praying (commonly called the Lord's Prayer, though it was really HOW we should pray), we come to this final section "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." 

First, we need to understand that God does not tempt men to do evil.  However, He often allows them to be exposed to Satan's trials, tests, and assaults (read about Job and Peter).  This prayer is asking the Father to help us avoid these dangers of sin altogether!
 
No one likes tests, but one way to view this is that the challenges that come into your life can make you stronger.  God does promise that no one will be tested beyond what they can endure and that He (God) will always provide a way to escape; sometimes, it takes just enduring the trial.
 
Like lifting weights, trials can make us stronger, and can also point out areas of weakness on which we need to work.  Even so, this petition, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (or some translation say "the evil one") is an appropriate request simply because that's how Jesus taught us to pray.

Finally, we have "For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."

The right kind of prayer includes glorifying God, recognizing that He is all-powerful, everywhere present, and all-knowing.  He alone deserves the glory forever and ever!

Despite some debate as to if this closing "doxology" is in the early Greek manuscripts, I like it (and so did the translators of the KJV).  To me, it is consistent with the nature of worshiping God and closes this prayer as it began... by worshipping our Heavenly Father, His Kingdom, His hallowed name, and His power and glory.
 
Prayer: LORD, you have provided a remarkable pattern of prayer here.  Help me to let this prayer impact my prayers for Your honor and glory.  Amen.
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