Your Daily Devotion for April 25, 2009

Deliver Us from Evil

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

 

Matthew 6:13

 

 

The choice to either give in to temptation or to run away from it will affect your life forever.

 

John Paton was a missionary to the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, “Who were all those men with you there?” Paton knew no men were present, but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station. 

 

God promises His children that He will protect them from evil. Just as Missionary Paton was protected as he prayed, so we can be protected from evil and temptation when we seek God through prayer.

 

The last portion of the Lord’s Prayer deals with the subject of temptation. Why does temptation come to God’s people? Is God to blame for it? Many unsaved people blame the bad things of the world on God. They question how a loving God could allow such tragedies. Yet as Christians we know that temptation comes from the devil.

 

James 1:13 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” God does not lure people into sin. The Bible also says in James 1:14, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” No matter how much people would blameshift their own sin on God, God has promised that He stands ready to deliver us from evil, not draw us into it.

 

First Corinthians 10:13 shows us that God is willing to help us escape evil, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Everything we experience, Christ has already experienced while He was on earth. He endured temptation and escaped, and He will help us escape temptation as well.

 

Too often we view temptation as a nuisance or a weak ploy made by the devil. Make no mistake; the devil’s temptations are nothing to take lightly. The devil is a powerful being, bent on destroying lives. As Christians, he cannot keep us from Heaven, but he can keep us from serving God. Therefore, we must take every temptation seriously and ask God’s help to flee from it.

 

How do you view temptation? Do you take the devil’s subtle enticements lightly or do you flee them immediately? While the Lord showed His pattern for prayer, He made a point to remind us to flee temptations. God is willing to help you avoid temptations but you must daily ask Him for protection. You cannot face the devil alone; you need God’s help. Take a moment right now to seek God’s protection from the devil. Each time you face temptation, remember the choice to either give in or run away will affect your life forever.

 

 

To find out more about Pastor Paul Chappell visit his blog or follow him on twitter.

 

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org.

 

 

 

Daily Bible Reading

2 Samuel 21-22 • Luke 18:24-43

 

 

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