Question 106: What do we pray for in the sixth petition?Answer: In the sixth petition, which is, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," we pray, That God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.
Dear Neighbor,
I agree with the Westminster Puritans in praying that God would “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” we are praying that God would keep us from being tempted and deliver us when we are tempted. However, I also believe that it goes much further than delivering us when we are tempted because evil can come from the world and the people around us, and we need protection from these as well.
Temptation comes from three sources:
- Satan
- The World
- The Flesh
When we ask God to keep us from temptation, we are asking God to protect us from Satan, the world and our own flesh. And we ask God to deliver us from evil, we are asking him to deliver us from these same three. Just as Satan, the world, and the flesh may influence us, these influence others as well. We live in a fallen and corrupt world. The Christian has been declared perfect but is not yet perfect, but even if we were made perfect, we live in an imperfect and evil world.
Jesus Christ, the perfect Man was nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put to death, but God raised him up again! (Acts 2:23-24) The disciples were threatened to not speak in the name of Jesus Christ, but they prayed to the Lord, “take note of their threats, and grant that your bond-servants may speak your word with all confidence.” (Acts 4:29) Therefore, we are to pray likewise.
Michael Peek
Your Servant for Jesus’ Sake
