“Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
(Matthew 6:13)
We pray God for help and strength to say “no” to temptations. These temptations can derive from our own heart, that is for example trapped by greed or pride.
Sometimes we are led into temptation by the world around us, if we long to join in with people around us who do not serve the Lord. How difficult it can be to stand alone!
Finally there is the devil who tries to separate us from God. This spiritual battle is very real, even though not always clearly visible.
God assures us that He will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able (1 Corinthians 10:13). This promise gives us the courage to daily fight back in God’s power. Thereby we may, praying at all times, use the weapons that God gives us: the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:6-17).
Do you ever struggle with temptations? How do you handle them?