Deliver Us From the Evil One

Last Sunday's message was a continuation of the sermon series Standing On The Promises of God. Jesus taught us to pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Josh McDowell, in his book “Understanding the Occult,” writes: According to the Bible there is a supernatural warfare going on. ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of darkness…against the spiritual forces of wickedness… (Eph. 6:12) This ongoing battle is between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. The apostle John gives one of the reasons for Jesus coming to earth: “The son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8).

According to the Barna Research Group, 60% of Americans do not believe Satan to be a living being…. The modern world view has made it socially dangerous to admit belief in demonic spiritual powers, but Jesus had no problem talking & confronting Satan’s activity in the world. Our culture resolutely refuses to believe in the real existence of evil while our newspapers are filled with a flood of immorality, violence, drug abuse, slavery, and behaviors that destroy human life.

The apostle John says that the world is a trap that is made up of three things.“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”1 John 2:15-16 (KJV)

The Progression Of Temptation

1. False impression given by Satan that whatever wrong we are contemplating really is not that serious.

2. The temptation presents a picture of some action that in some way appeals to our inner needs. Satan makes us see something, or someone, or some situation which he is sure will appeal to our lives.

3. A desire is actively aroused. “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.(15) Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” James 1:13- 14 (NKJV)

4. We begin to toy with this idea. We play with it. We fantasize about it. It this point we have already begun to fall for Satan ruse.

5. We proceed to act on that what was presented to us. But the moment we give in we are dismayed and disgusted by our own defeat.

6. We try to hide our sin. We attempt to excuse or to conceal this matter from God and others. [principles drawn from W. Phillip Keller. A Layman Looks at the Lord’s Prayer. Chicago: Moody Press, 1976.) pp. 132-133.]