A Degree of Deliverance
A Degree of Deliverance
Printable version: http://www.arielion.com/degree.pdf
“And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil.”
Matthew 6:13
I’m not smart. That’s why when I heard my favorite preacher speak on this passage a short time ago, I heard him give a great explanation of how the LORD allows temptation in our lives, even as Believers. He even leads us into it. And that this is a good thing. But I never heard (or understood him to say) why this passage speaks AGAINST GOD leading us into temptation. And so I had to study and pray about it some more for myself (and hopefully you’ll get something from it, too).
If we believe Scripture when it says that “with GOD nothing is impossible”, and that He “shuts and no one opens and opens and no one shuts”, then we must accept that He allows the opening of temptation into our lives, even as Believers. Although He does not tempt anyone, GOD does allow temptation. Just as, although He does not deceive anyone, He is in control of even the evil spirits who do. As we see from Job 1, even Satan must have permission from GOD before he makes a move, much more so the demons (fallen angels) that followed him.
The clearest Scripture (as the speaker I mentioned earlier mentioned) that GOD allows temptation is Mark 1:12 which says that the Holy Spirit “drove” JESUS into the Wilderness with the express intention for JESUS to be tempted by the devil. GOD was not doing the tempting, but GOD the Father was allowing the humanity of GOD the Son to be put to the test.
And that’s the key. which I did not hear in the other preacher’s sermon: being put to the test. Although it is a different Greek word, they are closely related. The same fire that can warm you to keep you from freezing to death can burn you to death.
The same Spirit that is the scent of perfume to those chosen for Life is the stench of death to those who are perishing. Temptation is used to reveal the character of those who are undergoing it, whether to show their need for a Savior for non-Believers, or to remove the filth of the world, layer by layer through testing, to reveal more of the Spirit of Christ within Believers.
There will always be temptation. Because we are surrounded by non-Believers influenced by the enemy and his agents and Believers who still fail because they’re still in flesh. Believers pray that the LORD would keep them from temptation because temptation is a test for a Believer who is struggling in some area to be strengthened against it. To say “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” is to ask that we not be misled through dealing with other human beings, but also that we not have to take a “redo” in an exam we have already taken.
Make me strong enough that I don’t need to take that exam again but deliver me from evil by making me strong enough not to even consider that way again.
GOD Himself came to earth in the Person of JESUS Christ. He experienced all temptations we humans do, because He was also fully human. But He came through all of them without sin. When He died, it was not to pay for His own sins but for ours, and His resurrection sealed our eternal life and assurance to a way back Home with Him to the Father. When He grew in grace with GOD and man, He passed each exam, one by one.
Believers who are in flesh will sin daily, but we should have some record of progress and maturity as Believers as well. When we pray to lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil we’re asking not to have to graduate High School again when we should be getting our Masters Degree by now. We’re asking not to be college students still sitting at kindergarten desks struggling with the same Spiritual issues we should have outgrown through spending time with the LORD in prayer, exposure to Scripture, and counsel of other Believers (including paying better attention to sermons than I did).
We will never be fully sanctified in this life. We will sin in thought, word or deed in some way to the moment of our last breath. But we can still live a life of victory in Christ, because we are wrapped in His robes of Righteousness, not ours. And in our prayers, we will get a degree of deliverance, hopefully at higher and higher levels throughout life, every day, until we stand as graduates “with great honors” (Magna Cum Laude) in Glory by GOD’s grace in JESUS Christ, who is worthy of “greatest honors” (Summa Cum Laude).
Scriptures used in this message:
Luke 1:37, Matthew 19:26, Isaiah 22:22, Revelation 3:8, James 1:13; 2 Chronicles 18:22; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:6; 2 Corinthians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 3:2; Proverbs 4:18; Luke 2:40; Luke 17:1; Ephesians 6:12; Hebrews 4:15