Lead us not into temptation; but, deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13). This is a cry of our hearts.  Recognizing our frailty and weakness, we long to never face temptation.  Afterall, without God’s helping hand, I know how quickly I will fall.  Yet, throughout this journey, we do face temptation.  It is all too easy for my heart to be fooled.  My heart desires too much and too quickly my heart is deceived by its own desires.  Yet, we know it is not God who tempts us.  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed (James 1:13-14).  So, God is not the tempter; however, He allows us to be tempted to grow our faith in Him.

Jesus faced temptation when the Spirit lead Him into the wilderness.  Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil (Matthew 4:1).  He was victorious over the temptations.  Yet, He was very keenly aware of the struggles facing His followers.  Temptations would face them; because, their hearts were not yet perfected.  In moments of great prosperity and moments of great distress, the heart tends to draw away from God’s Spirit.  In moments of complacency or moments of great pain, we tend to withdraw from the Spirits control of our hearts.  Then, our human nature attempts to take the throne. Temptations rage.  Furthermore, in times of great spiritual victories, Satan desires our defeat. Temptations flood our hearts and minds.  Therefore, this part in the prayer, is a cry of the heart, recognizing that without His sustaining hand, we will fail.

When Temptation Comes

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“‘And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us [who has offended or wronged us] (Luke 11:4, AMP).  There it is! In the center of this prayer, we are asked to look once more at our own hearts.  “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (I Samuel 16:7 NKJV). Therefore, asking God to forgive us as we forgive others is a sobering thought.  How often have I harbored resentment, pain, anger, or bitterness against someone who has wronged me?  Or how often do we “judge” another dear Christian who is struggling along this path? If indeed I ask God to forgive me as I FORGIVE OTHERS, I fear I would find myself in a desperate state of unforgiveness.

Phillip Keller said it so well when he wrote: “Beneath all our difficulties in forgiving others lies the formidable foundational fact of human pride.  The iron-like resistance of our egos, the great, central I, which stands like a huge, steel beam at the very core of our makeup refuses to budge, or bend, or be broken.  We insist on our rights; we defend ourselves; we lay claim to our privileges; we hold fast to our positions.  Mine, me, and I stand guard, jealously protecting our personal self esteem and our proud reputation” [1]

So, how are we to learn to forgive others?  Furthermore, how are we to understand the gravity of Luke 11:4?

To Really Forgive Others

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David committed a terrible sin against God!  He, the man after the heart of God (I Kings 15:3-5), had failed God when he committed adultery and caused the murder of Uriah.  Yet, David did not immediately go before God.  Instead he tried to “pretend” as though it would be ok.  After all, God had demonstrated His love for David over and over.  In fact, David tried to cover up his sin rather than to admit it.  Time passed.  Then God sent Nathan to present the truth to David; but, he did so through a story of injustice (2 Samuel 12).  As King, David demanded that the perpetrator must die.  Then, Nathan said to David, ‘Thou art the man’ (2 Samuel 12:7). Suddenly, David’s heart was broken over his own sin!  He saw it for the evil it was: a sin against God, who had been ever so gracious to David.

How like David, we are!  It is so easy to be incensed over the evil and sin in the world; yet, are we just as incensed over our own sin?  Do we look at the cross with a flippant “thank you”, never fully grasping the price that God paid to forgive us of our sin? What about our sin? Do we see it for what it really is: an abomination against Almighty God?  Or do we try to measure it as “not so bad”?  Is your heart truly broken by your own sin?  David came face to face with his sin.  He saw it for what it was, a sin against a Holy God who had so graciously dealt with David.  Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of repentance.

A Heart Truly Broken by Sin

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As we have been studying the Lord’s Prayer, it began with placing God in His rightful position.  The prayer then turns to requesting God for our needs.  What are those needs most urgent: life sustaining provision, forgiveness, and protection.  Without these, we cannot survive.  But with these, what are we really asking God for?  Some would try to say, “Ok, God, I have rightly glorified you in my prayer first, so give me all I ask for”.  But that would be wrong!  In fact, if we think in that manner, we really haven’t understood or truly placed God on the throne.  This is not some magical formula for getting what we want.  Instead, it is recognizing His Place as Sovereign Lord over our life.  If we truly do that, then our requests become very humble. Give us day by day our daily bread (Luke 11:3).

Asking God for Bread

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As we continue through the Lord’s Prayer, we come to “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).  Perhaps it is very easy to say, “I trust God.  And I want His will to be done in my life and on earth.” However, what if His plan in my life includes that battle with  Icancer, the death of a loved one, a divorce I never wanted or planned for?  What if my finances are turned upside down or I find myself without a job.  Do I really “Thy Will Be Done”?

Furthermore, do I really believe that God IS fully Sovereign. And that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. When life’s storms rage around me, do I believe? Or when I see the spiritual battle raging within our own nation, do I really mean it when I pray, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10)?

When I look at the world around me, filled with injustice, do I truly believe that God has a perfect plan here and now?  He has said, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).  Do I cry forth like Habakkuk, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! Even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! (Habakkuk 1:2).  However, after his discussion with God, Habakkuk surrendered to God’s will as we see in Habakkuk 3:17-19.

Trusting in His Plan

Continue reading Do You Mean It When You Pray Thy Will Be Done? →