Day 23 : Deliver us from evil

"Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" (Matthew 6:13).

The last request mentioned in our Father is related to the need that we feel to be delivered from evil. It is important to emphasize that this request for the delivery of evil is not the first thing requested. As we have said, prayer invites us to focus first on God, and then, secondly, Jesus teaches us to present our needs with humility, confidence, a heart attentive to the needs of those around us, And it is only after these priorities that we demand God's help in the face of evil.

"Evil" is not an abstraction, but it means a person, Satan, the wicked, the devil, the one who wants to thwart God's purpose in our favor. If it is true that prayer brings us to the terrain of confrontation with "evil", Jesus places this notion of confrontation, or spiritual combat, at the end.

There are some currents today in evangelical circles that make spiritual combat an absolute priority. They have only this notion to present. Without denying the necessity of a prayer that brings us into this reality of spiritual combat, it is necessary to know how to leave priorities where Jesus placed them.

That we need divine help to triumph over evil, is an obvious fact. Jesus Himself asked God for us : "I pray you not to take them out of the world, but to keep them from evil" (John 17:15).

What does this request mean : "Do not induce us to tempt" ? Is God the origin of temptation? In the Epistle of James it is said that "God does not tempt anyone" (James 1:13). Is this a contradiction ? We know that the Bible can not contradict itself. In fact, the word, spoken by Jesus in the "Our Father", can perfectly be translated thus : "Do not abandon us in temptation". This translation is consistent with all the teaching of the Bible. Indeed, it is logical to ask God to make sure that we resist temptation, or that we are rescued in the ordeal. For the word temptation is exactly the same word as the word trial.

The test is part of our journey with God. The test of Job is an example of this, as well as the various trials of Joseph, sold by his brothers, and thrown into prison ... Testing can be a school by which God teaches us to become accomplished disciples. It allows us to grow. It is normal for us to ask for help and help in such circumstances.

My thanksgiving on this day :

Thank you Lord because you promised to be with us every day. You are with me to protect me from all evil. You are my shield, my fortress, against the assaults of the enemy.

Paul Calzada