“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). These words come from the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples. More importantly, these words underscore our need for God to help us overcome temptations.
According to the Bible, every Christian is a new creation. We have been born again from above. The Holy Spirit lives in us. He guides and directs us in righteousness. Still, we are subject to temptation. That’s because we are still clothed in a fleshly body. The resulting war within us can be summed up in the following words of Paul the Apostle:
“The flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please” (Galatians 5:17, NASB).
In other words, wherever the Holy Spirit seeks to lead us, our flesh lusts to take us in the exactly opposite direction. Not one Christian is an exception to this internal struggle. That’s why it behooves us all to pray daily for God to help us overcome temptations.
The Intensity of Temptations
Consider this analogy. You have a couple of foods you find irresistible. You just can’t get enough of eating them. You know they are bad for your health, but they taste so good. One day, the thing you feared happens. You experience signs of a serious health issue. The doctor warns you that you must leave your irresistible dishes alone. If you don’t, the outcome will be grave.
Based on what you are already experiencing, you know what the doctor said is serious and true. But that alone is not enough to make it easy to give up what’s killing you. Why? Because it’s hard to deny yourself of the things you like or even love.
A similar dynamic plays itself out in our daily Christian life. Temptations are all around us. Some appeal to us because they gratify the desires of our flesh. While the Holy Spirit is saying danger, our flesh craves the opportunity to be satisfied.
At times, we all experience this war within our soul to some degree. For some Christians, their struggles in the flesh are so profound that this internal war overwhelms.
It is vitally important that we follow Jesus’ advice to pray to overcome temptations. Praying those words is not merely a religious ritual. When we pray them with faith, God will provide us ample grace amidst the temptations we face. He will strengthen us in our times of weakness. He will not allow us to be tempted above what we can bear. He will always provide a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Copyright © 2022 by Frank King. All rights reserved.