December 20, 2015

The Lord's Prayer, Part 5

Pastor: Pastor Marc Wragg Series: Matthew Passage: Matthew 6:9–15

Jesus instructs us to pray that we not be led into temptation and that we be delivered from evil, and James tells us to consider trials a joy because God uses them for our spiritual good. Certainly we know the difference between a trial and a temptation, but the same Greek word is used in both instances. So how should we pray in the midst of difficulties? Do we pray that it doesn’t happen, or do we pray for the good result? The meaning of the word is drawn from its context, in this case the perspective of the passage. From God’s vantage point, your difficulty is a trial intended to refine your faith. From Satan’s vantage point, your difficulty is a temptation; an opportunity to crush your faith. To further clarify, the evil we’re to seek deliverance from is not our difficult situation, it is evil personified: Satan. Therefore, our prayer is not to be kept from difficulties, but to be protected from Satan’s schemes as God uses for our spiritual development what Satan intends for our spiritual destruction. 

other sermons in this series

Jan 17

2021

Make Disciples

Pastor: Pastor Marc Wragg Passage: Matthew 28:16–20 Series: Matthew

Jan 3

2021

Just as He Said

Pastor: Pastor Marc Wragg Passage: Matthew 28:1–7 Series: Matthew