The Lord's Prayer: Exploring the Depths of GodSample

The Problem We Face

The Bible is a book that deals very openly and honestly with reality. If a hero of the faith has a bad day, the Bible doesn't try to hide it. Abraham lies, David commits adultery, and Peter denies Christ; it's all there. As Jesus teaches us how to pray, the reality demonstrated by these examples is addressed. Jesus says that temptation is real and evil, or more specifically, the evil one, is real. We are told to pray that we will not fall prey to temptation and we will be delivered from evil or the evil one.

Temptation and evil go hand in hand. Though from a language construct, one can speak of being tempted towards something good, when the Bible speaks of being tempted, it refers to being drawn toward something sinful or evil. Further, it is not as if evil is simply some random, unexplained force but rather the result of the work of one who is evil. In the Garden of Eden, there was one who came to Eve as a tempter, enticing her toward an evil, sinful decision. Further, Adam was faced with a choice to do what he understood as God's will or enter into sinful behavior in violation of what he knew to be God's will. From the first man and woman, the temptation to sin has been a part of human existence. And this is not random or accidental but is purposeful. There is one from whom temptation and evil come. He is known as the evil one, the devil, satan, and many others. We are told in the scriptures that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of wickedness. Evil is real; it is pervasive, and the tempter tries to make it enticing to us.

Jesus, therefore, tells us that we must pray to avoid temptation. When the evil one brings temptation or the presence of evil into our lives, we must also pray for deliverance. We may not be stronger than the temptation, but the Bible promises that God will provide a way of escape when temptation comes. Further, we may not be stronger than the forces of evil, but God is. He is able to deliver us from evil because He has defeated the evil one. The message of the cross and the empty tomb is a message of the ultimate and complete victory of Jesus over the forces of evil. The evil one may attack us, but God is victorious over every temptation and every form of evil. Pray to avoid temptation and to be delivered from whatever evil satan may bring. God is the victor!