“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13; all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible).

I remember reading years ago a quote that essentially said that when we encounter temptation, God seems less real. (I thought the quote was from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, but I cannot find it in any of his books in my collection. Maybe I did not look in the right places; it could also be from a different author.)

So, as we pray, “Lead us not into temptation,” we must remember that our time with God does not end when we say the final “amen” to our prayers. If we ignore God’s presence, we will be unprepared to face temptation.

To avoid and overcome temptation, we need God’s protection and deliverance. In his Small Catechism, Martin Luther wrote that we need God’s protection “so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us, nor seduce us into misbelief, despair, and other great shame and vice.” We need God’s protection and guidance.

First, we need to know whether or not it is God’s guidance. This will demand spiritual discernment and knowledge of God’s Word. If you want to overcome temptation, you must read the Bible every day. God’s Holy Spirit might be guiding, nudging, and inspiring you to do something. However, other sources of “direction” may seem like God but are demonic. If we do not know God’s Word, we will easily be deceived by the world, the flesh, or the devil.

The number of Christians who accept “worldly wisdom” seems to increase exponentially from one year to the next. A recent television ad campaign, shown during the last two Super Bowls, tells us that Jesus “gets us.” Jesus understands us; He accepts us; He does not hate. All of this is true, but in the spirit of modern pop culture, it ignores the fact that because He loves us, He confronts our sin, and the Holy Spirit convicts us to repent. Many who do not read their Bibles will believe that the ads proclaim the whole truth about Jesus. They will be deceived, tempted, and led astray like lambs to the slaughter.

Sometimes, we think something is God’s will because we want it. Unmarried Christians might think, “I know what the Bible says and what my pastor says, but I really love my boyfriend/girlfriend. I think God wants us to live together and have sex before marriage.” We welcome temptation because we want something and, therefore, make excuses for seeking our desires. One familiar parody of this prayer says, “Lead me not into temptation; I can find it by myself.” It is a little too true, and if we do not allow the Lord to lead us, we will find plenty.

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. No one is to say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death” (James 1:12-15).

God is not the source of our temptation. We cannot blame Him. Nor can we usually blame the devil. Yes, temptation has its demonic element; Satan or demons might be tempting you. But, they usually rely on our flesh. They know our weak spots. Some people are prone to commit sins of lust, greed, anger, self-righteousness, or some other character defect. Our own “flesh,” our weakened fallen human nature, is the source of our temptations. Satan merely takes advantage of our weaknesses.

But, when he does this, he can trick us into thinking it is God’s will. St. Paul wrote that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Since he is so adept at impersonating God and angels, we must know God’s Word and exercise spiritual discernment to avoid deception.

If you do not have adequate discernment, do not try to live the Christian life alone. Find one or two mature believers who are living a victorious Christ-centered life and seek their wisdom. Keep reading the Bible until you grow in your knowledge of God’s revealed will for the lives of His people.

In Alcoholics Anonymous and similar recovery programs, the Eleventh Step says that we “sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.” The word “only” might be a little strong, but this does cover a vital part of our time with God. We pray, meditate on God’s Word, and seek knowledge of His will for us (not so much for other people—we need to know what God wants us to do) and the power to do it. That “power” will include the moral courage to do what is right, the willingness to obey God’s will, the strength to persevere, and so on.

“Lead us not into temptation.” Lord, we are surrounded on many sides. We can easily be deceived, drawn into sin, and led away from You. Help us keep our eyes on You and know Your Word, will, and ways. Guide us always. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

How do you avoid or overcome temptation? Share some of your thoughts in the comments field below.

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