Matthew 6:13a And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

Mark 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

I Chronicles 4:10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

Psalm 19:13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Psalm 37:31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.

Proverbs 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

27 Turn not unto the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

I Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Hebrews 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

II Peter 2:9a The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations. . . .

MEMORY VERSE: Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation. . . .

—Revelation 3:10a

CENTRAL THOUGHT: If we daily trust fully in God’s strength and not our own, and seek Him earnestly in prayer to keep us from all sin; if we hide His Word in our hearts, and do our part to avoid compromising situations; we can be assured of His promises to shield and avert us from temptations that would overthrow us, and to keep us strong amid unavoidable temptations, making a way for us to escape and bear them.

WORD DEFINITIONS

Matthew 6:13a and John 17:15 “from evil”: some translations say “from the evil one”; Evil here is derived from a word meaning pain; or laborious trouble; also, in an ethical sense: (adjective form) wicked, bad, malicious.

I Chronicles 4:10 “from evil”: from the evil of affliction, and especially the from the evil of sin, and from the evil one, Satan; from all evil men and evil company. (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible).

Psalm 19:13 “presumptuous sins”: arrogant, haughty, insolent (same word as in Proverbs 21:24—“proud and haughty scorner”); willful, intentional, deliberate sins. “The great transgression”: much, or abundant transgression; the is missing in the original.

Psalm 119:11 “hid”: stored; treasured up.

Psalm 37:31 “slide”: to slip, totter, shake.

Proverbs 4:26 “ponder”: weigh; make level or balanced. “Established”: firm. The Septuagint renders this verse, “Make straight paths for your feet”, which is repeated in Hebrews 12:13.

Hebrews 2:18 “succor”: to come to the aid of; to run and meet an urgent distress call; to supply immediate help.

Revelations 3:10a “word of my patience” Christ’s command to patiently endure and be steadfast.

LESSON BACKGROUND

After Jesus has led us in prayer to a humble and sobering assessment of ourselves and our weaknesses, and a corresponding compassionate and forgiving attitude toward others, He now directs us to take hold of the promises in Scripture that He will keep us, and to earnestly pray for His divine deliverance from temptations.

Such a prayer was prayed by Jabez of old, and it was very pleasing to God. An interesting story about Jabez was told in ancient writings. It seems that Jabez wasn’t praying a selfish prayer when he asked for enlarged borders. His prayer was deeper. He had an interest in drawing others to the worship of the true God. So he established schools for youth. His students were known by three names. One name meant that in in their prayers and songs, their voices were like trumpets. Another name showed that they lifted up their faces and hearkened to God’s Word, and another meant that the spirit of prophecy—prayer, supplication and preaching—rested upon them. Now we see why Jabez was called “more honourable” than his brethren. He wasn’t of any nobility or special birth; rather, his birth was with pain and sorrow. Was he handicapped, perhaps, or afflicted with pain? However it was, he prayed, and God gave him a fruitful life that triumphed gloriously over it all.

David, perhaps overwhelmed by his failures and weaknesses, wanted to experience victory and dominion over sin. (His prayer is answered victoriously for us in Romans 6:14. “For sin shall not have dominion over you.”) He also identified an important secret for keeping from sin—treasuring up God’s Word in our hearts.

David’s words to his son Solomon in Proverbs 4 need to be memorized by every young Christian who seeks to live a holy life. “Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it.”

Today’s other references let us know that Christ Himself prayed for our preservation from evil. And the other promises—that He will aid us, deliver us, and make a way to escape for us—should fill us with fresh courage as we realize the power over sin which He has promised us through the Holy Spirit.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

DISCUSSION:

1. Before temptation: What should we recognize about ourselves that brings us to our knees, asking God to lead our steps? What steps should we deliberately take to avoid temptation?
2. During temptation: Of what encouraging promises can we remind ourselves that will strengthen us? Explain the process of hiding God’s Word in our hearts and how it keeps us from sin.
3. Lead US: Discuss how we also remember others in this prayer: spouses, children, teenagers, ministers, etc.

COMMENTS AND APPLICATION

Jesus let Peter know that Satan desired to have him and “sift” him as wheat. But He promised to pray for him, and we have that assurance that He intercedes for us too. Peter later admonishes us that Satan seeks to devour us, and we must be vigilant and sober. Earnest prayer is how we employ that vigilance. When we join with Christ’s prayers for us—and certainly we know it is His will to keep us—we can know that this prayer will surely be answered.

We couple our prayers with caution and obedience. A story is told in Proverbs 7 about a young man who yielded to the strange woman. What gives us a clue that he was headed for trouble? He went the way to her house. There are ways into temptation, from which we will walk away—flee— if we will obey the leadings of God’s Spirit. By God’s commandments, David said, we are “warned.”

Come to God for a complete cleansing of inward attractions to sin. Ask Him to give you a hatred for sin. Be prepared! God has some rather intense ways of teaching us hatred for sin. But He will. And your weakest point, through the infilling of the Holy Spirit, will become a strong area in your life.

Our lesson speaks about making a balanced, even path for our feet. It’s important to realize that where we are unbalanced in our lives, Satan will plant temptations. We will be miserable in our experience and easily discouraged.

Remember: God is our Heavenly Father. He will come to our urgent cry for help. He sees, He knows, He cares, and HE IS ABLE TO DELIVER.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

REFLECTIONS

“And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hath not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord” (Job 1:8-12). It has been said that there has never been another mortal who faced such trauma as Job. And yet, we find Job cursed not God nor charged him foolishly. In taking a closer look at these scriptures, it does seem that the Lord gave permission for Satan to buffet his servant Job. Regarding this particular passage, Clarke’s Commentary states that “Satan cannot deprive a man even a sheep or a pig, but by especial permission of God. His power and malice are ever bounded, and under control.”

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. . .” (I Peter 5:8). This indicates that there are allowances made for the enemy to tempt us only to a certain point. If we continue reading in the same passage we find, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you”.

The Lord never intended that we live isolated in this life from the snares of the enemy and the temptations that surround us. But He did promise that He “will with the temptation also make a way of escape that ye may be able to bear it” (I Corinthians 10:13). Isn’t it a consolation to know that the Lord will be with us every step of the way? “For we have not an high priest that cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Thank the Lord for His overcoming grace; enabling us to be strong in Him despite our great weaknesses!

—Sis. LaDawna Adams