Rescue Us

Rescue Us

(Matthew 6:9-13)

Yearly Theme:  “Goodness is… Governing”

Series Title:  “The Goodness of Prayer”

August 25^th, 2024

Something to think about:

As we close out our series on the LORD’s Prayer today, we focus on the last verse in the passage.  In this verse, Jesus specifically instructs His disciples to request GOD the Father’s deliverance from temptation and evil.  Let’s take a look once more…

Matthew 6:9-13 (NLT),

⁹ Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

may your name be kept holy.

¹⁰ May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us today the food we need,

¹² and forgive us our sins,

as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

¹³ And don’t let us yield to temptation,

but rescue us from the evil one.

The following version (from the King James Translation) is the one that is probably most familiar to all of us:

Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV),

⁹ After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

¹⁰ Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread.

¹² And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

¹³ And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Key Point:  “GOD allows His people to be tested as a way of strengthening us, and He is always the Way of deliverance.”

In a rather odd way, this verse may seem somewhat contradictory to what we have come to know of GOD’s character and nature.  Why would we ask for GOD not to “lead us into temptation?”  That seems wildly out of His nature to do.  Does this request presume that GOD can and/or does lead people into temptation?  I thought that the devil was the only one who did that.  What’s really going on here?  In order to understand this at a deeper level we need to break this verse down further:

•  us not into  .

The New Living Translation (NLT), puts it rather succinctly: 

Matthew 6:13a,  ¹³ And don’t let us yield to temptation…

•  us from  .

Again, the New Living Translation (NLT), is clear and direct in its translation of the second half of this verse:

Matthew 6:13b,  …but rescue us from the evil one.

Something to take home:

When we pray, Father, “Don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one,” what we are in essence asking GOD is that He would give us the strength and the wear with all to live a life free from the snare of temptation, always passing the test of faith, and rescuing us from the evil one’s schemes and tactics that would seek to destroy us.

Like any good father or parent, GOD desires to guide and direct us and for us to be willing to submit and follow His will and ways.  It’s in this act of submission to His will, and keeping our eyes fixed on Christ the Author and Perfecter of our faith, that we are able to resist the devil and he will flee from us.[1]

As further encouragement, Paul in his letter to the Church at Ephesus, instructs us, just as Jesus did in the LORD’s Prayer:

Ephesians 6:10-17 (NLT),  ¹⁰  A final word:  Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  ¹¹  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.  ¹²  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

¹³  Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.  Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.  ¹⁴  Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.  ¹⁵  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.  ¹⁶  In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  ¹⁷  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Key Point:  “GOD allows His people to be tested as a way of strengthening us, and He is always the Way of deliverance.”

[1] James 4:7.