[1] #276, Praying Through Temptation, Sunday 05-06-2007

Text: Matthew 6:9-13
Theme: You can live in victory over temptation and evil.

Introduction

1. As he shared with me, I felt badly.
   
   1. He was bound in all kinds of habits, addictions.
      
   2. But, he considered himself a believer going to heaven.
      
   3. There was no “family resemblance.”
      
   4. Salvation is not a ticket to heaven, but the entrance into a life of transformation.
      
   5. “But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” John 1:12
      
2. As believers, we must address the reality of temptation and evil.
   
   1. We are still in a fallen world.
      
   2. We are still in fleshly bodies.
      
   3. We are still in the presence of evil, Satan.
      
   4. Jesus knows our struggle. He came to defeat the world, flesh and devil
      
3. He teaches us how to pray. Matthew 6:9-13
   
   1. He instructs to first consider the Father ad His Kingdom. (vv. 9-10)
      
   2. He then reminds us of our source of food, life. (v 11)
      
   3. He teaches us the power of forgiveness. (v 12)
   4. What about after forgiveness?
   5. True forgiveness will be followed by a desire for ongoing victory over sin and evil.
   6. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:13
      

Theme: You can live in victory over temptation and evil.
We need to stop accepting defeat as “normal.”
We need to understand this prayer of Jesus.

1. 1. Temptation is a test.
      
   2. The test reveals our character and inner heart.
      
   3. There are two principle “actors” in this drama.
      
   4. The tempter (whose chief attribute is subtlety, deceit.)
      
   5. The tempted (one who is often weak and gullible.)
      
   6. Temptation is a battle. (inner war)
      
   7. There is the attack of the temptation (manipulation, deceit)
      
   8. There is the process of fighting the “allurement”
      
   9. There is the closure of the battle.
      
   10. A resisting of temptation – victory.
       
   11. A giving in to the temptation – defeat.
       

   1. Sometimes temptations come to us.
      
   2. This is common to all of us.
      
   3. “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 Corinthians 10:13
      
   4. Sometimes we go to the temptations.
      
   5. We can’t blame others for these temptations.
      
   6. “Why is God allowing this?”
      
   7. “The devil made me do it.”
      
   8. We must take personal responsibility for our temptation.
      
   9. “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each of us is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.” James 1:13-14
      
   10. The good news: we are not powerless “victims” of temptation. Sin is not an “incontrollable disease.”
       

   1. Prayer. (pray Jesus’ prayer)
      
   2. Don’t pray that you won’t ever be tempted.
      
   3. Realize your need for God.
      
   4. Don’t be deceived by self-confidence.
      
   5. Example: Peter – “I’ll never deny You.”
      
   6. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Matthew 26:41
      
   7. Practice.
      
   8. We want to win the game without any practice.
      
   9. Get God’s Word inside you. (“It is written.”)
      
   10. “Submit yourselves then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
       
   11. Predetermine.
         
   12. To expose your life to what is good.
       
   13. To turn or shun evil.
   14. Take the high road.

2. What is temptation?
   
3. How are we led into temptation?
   
4. How are we to live in victory over temptation?
   

Conclusion:

1. There is victory over temptation and evil.
2. He is able to deliver us and to keep us.