Don't Tempt Me

Matt 6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. NKJV

We could say it as follows: “Lead us away and help us avoid tempting circumstances and deliver us from the evil one.” God does not tempt us with sin but He will allow our faith to be tested.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. NKJV

When Jesus was praying in the garden just prior to His arrest, He returned twice to where His disciples were.

Matt 26:40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." NKJV

Watching can help keep us aware of the snares of the enemy.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. NKJV

Our enemy knows our weaknesses and waits for opportunity to tempt us in the area of that weakness. Trusting in our own will power and human strength makes us prey to the roaring lion. Faith is trusting in the strength and will of God even if it seems contrary to human reasoning.

God does not tempt us with sin but He will allow our faith to be tested.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. NKJV

We endure temptation through faith believing that, even though our flesh might fail and fall into sin, faith will cause us to endure knowing that God’s grace is greater than our sin. The process of enduring temptation may include some failures but, as long as we do not forsake our faith and trust in God, He will cause us to be triumphant. This process is to test or prove our faith. Faith is not defined by sinless perfection but by trusting in God to complete the work He has begun in us. As long as we confess and forsake our sin, He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Jesus surely knew the weakness of Peter’s flesh and thus warned him to watch and pray lest he would fall into temptation. Our prayer time is much more than words or requests. It is a time when we are sober and vigilant, watching out for the enemy’s traps. Peter may have been a bit too confident in his own ability to stand beside Jesus even unto death. Jesus maintained mastery over His flesh, surrendering to the will of His father in the garden, but Peter and the others were sleeping.

It appears that Satan, having observed Peter’s extreme self confidence, then asked for the right to test him, or sift him as wheat, in order to prove if he would actually stand by Jesus unto death. Any time we make such a bold statement in self confidence we may be inviting a challenge of the enemy to try to prove us wrong.

Luke 22:31And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." 33 But he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death." 34 Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”

By the time Peter wrote his first epistle he had gone through a lot of enduring and humbling and is well able to give us advice that will strengthen us.


1 Peter 5:5-11 Submit to God, Resist the Devil

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble."

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. NKJV

If pride led to Peter’s fall and denial of Christ, then God was likely resisting him instead of imparting grace to him. Therefore prayer is a good way to be clothed with a humility that resists or repels the devil. James says “resist the devil steadfast in the faith.” We all suffer temptation in this world but only through faith will we endure testing and overcome. God will establish, strengthen and perfect us through our suffering. He will build us on the firm foundation of Christ and He will get all the glory forever and ever Amen.