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Lead Us Not Into Temptation
Andrea Lende • April 16, 2021
Matthew 6:13
Lead Us Not into Temptation
You can also listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Lead-Us-Not-Into-Temptation-ev1sb1
Matthew 6:13
“And lead (bring) us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen”
I needed God’s assurance today.
The assurance that He will keep me from temptation and from the enemy’s grasp.
This life is full of trials and difficulties.
Some days it is easier to deal with them than others.
Today I needed to know the Lord is caring for all the things that worry me and consume my thoughts.
The enemy is close in times of overwhelm, exhaustion, and confusion.
So, I needed to be reminded I can pray for the Lord to keep me from temptation while I am weak.
And I needed to read that He has all the power.
He has the power to keep me.
Not because of me but for Him.
I am but a mist or vapor as King David wrote.
But God is glory, and all glory is due Him.
God is all powerful.
And God owns the Kingdom.
There is nothing that can harm me with God beside me.
And He is not just beside me.
He surrounds me.
His angels guard me on all sides.
His Spirit is within me.
I am fully protected by the Lord.
When I feel I am at my weakest, He is my Strength.
When I feel powerless, I call on His Power.
When I feel afraid, He is my Shield.
And when I feel I cannot stand, He holds me up.
He faces every trial with me.
He sees the difficulties and the battle that is raging.
But He is the calm in the storm.
He will keep me from temptation in times of trial.
And He will hold me up and keep me safe from the enemy.
Today I am thankful for the promise of God to watch over me, protect me, and keep me safe from the enemy.
May you find the Lord is watching over you, keeping you safe from the enemy, and leading you away from temptation.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for Your Word which brings me strength this day. Thank You for watching over me and protecting me from all harm. Thank You for leading me away from temptation as the trials come. Thank You for being my Strength when all strength is gone. Thank You for reminding me You are all powerful and will keep me from the enemy’s grasp. I praise You, Lord! You are deserving of all praise and glory. To You be the Glory! May all Your people praise You! Help me rest in Your strength this day, Father. Help me rest knowing You shield me from all harm. You set Your angels to guard over my life and the family You have given me. You enfold me in Your love as You take care of all the worries that try to consume me. Thank You for Your peace, Lord. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM with you My child and will let no harm come to you.
Response: Thank You for Your perfect care of me today and every day.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.