Written by Michael J. Martinez
Guiding Light Praying Ministry.
www.glprayingministry.com

?All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation? Matthew 26:41 Amplified Bible.

Into Temptation; the Greek for into can be translated to a few things like for and toward and the word toward seems to fit the meaning of into as I am explaining. When we are not praying, or being watchful we can be setting our self up, even as a Christian for possibly moving toward being tempted. I like the way the Amplified Bible says ?give strict attention? because a solid walk in Jesus means to be disciplined in the word, in prayer, and in diligently seeking Jesus or else our foundation can be made weak, and even start to crumble. Oh how the devil wants us to stray away from working out our salvation, and maintaining our walk with Jesus, and he will wait for us to ?pay less attention? to what is needed for a healthy walk.

We give strict attention to other things in our life, like making sure we know when the boxing match is going to be, the date, the time, who is fighting. We give strict attention to knowing names of all the basketball players, knowing stats, and seeking to study all that. We also give strict attention to our home and family, but do we give strict attention or any attention to praying, to study the word, or even wanting communion with our loving savior Jesus.

Now this is also for me, because I can tend to get busy somewhat and forget that even though what I do is for God He really wants me to commune with Him in prayer. And that can mean being silent with Him or talking about things with Jesus. Imagine a person who comes to your house everyday to work on your yard, he is a good friend, but only talks with you when he first gets there. He may say ?hi, how?s it going? or maybe some other greeting words, but doesn?t sit down with you and have conversation, maybe on his breaks his lunch, or even after the job is finished for that day. You may try and make conversation with your friend, but he is just too busy to talk at the moment, he kind of brushes you off with a phone call he needs to make or ?I?ll be right back.? The same is with God, we need to make time and chat with him, as some may do on the internet giving so much attention to that, to getting to know people.

We ask in prayer as a Christian for God to lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil ( luke 11:4 ). To deliver (Rhoumai) meaning in the Greek, to rescue or deliver and evil (Poneros) here in the Greek could mean, a bad nature or condition. In a physical sense that could be a disease of some sort or maybe blindness, in an ethical sense like wickedness, evil things, that can lead us into spiritual temptations. We can also say that a Christian may suffer in his faith and steadfastness from hardships, annoyances, and pressed or harassed by his labors under the sun. Proverbs 15 verse 9 says ?the way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but He loves him who follows righteousness.? The ways of the wicked God sees as disgusting to Him. As our nature we default to sin, we live sin (a Christian is made righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ, when he or she is born again. But sin is always at the door) when we are apart from Jesus Christ. 1 John 3 verse 4 says ?Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.? And Jesus says ?whoever commits sin is a slave to sin.? ( John 8:34 ). As a non-believing person you live in a world of temptation without the discernment of Jesus, yet the Holy Spirit will always convict you so that you may see what you are doing is wrong and the need for a savior.

Sin and temptation can depart from you for a season (Gr. Season Kairos ? the right time, a measure of time, opportune time) as a Christian, if you are maintaining your walk. By your steadfastness in prayer, in study, in communion with Jesus, and in serving Jesus, you can cause temptation to withdraw, and overcome evil. In Luke 4 verse 13 - when the temptation ended with Jesus in the wilderness it says ?Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.? The opportune time for Satan to tempt us is all the time but I believe he likes to wait when you?re not doing as you should be doing as commanded by scripture.

If you are not being serious about salvation and are just trying out Jesus to see if it works out for you, then it will not work. Luke 8 verse 13 says ?But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word of joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.? If a person only wants to believe out of selfishness and self gain and hears the word of God but doesn?t have a foundation built on the word of God (Jesus) the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved (Luke 8:12). So in conclusion Jesus can use the enemy?s temptation for our building up and may allow it for the Christian who is lacking in maintaining his walk. A Christian will enter into temptation and will succumb to it if he or she is not in prayer, and in diligently seeking Jesus Christ by reading His word. For those who think they are saved or are serving God the Father, Jesus says it like this ?Jesus said to them (the Jews), ?If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of myself, but He sent me. Why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to my word (the bible). You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do? ( John 8:42-44 ). Don?t listen to his lies and live in the devils temptation, become born again and be made righteous because of Jesus Christ. Believe in Him and receive salvation, receive the free gift that awaits you. Believer, stay focused and never loose the hope we have in Jesus Christ, stay in prayer always, without ceasing.

May God Bless all who read these words

Read Jeremiah 44:4-11

Copyright? 2004-2005 GLPM ? All Rights Reserved ? Michael J. Martinez 4/21/05

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Published on: 2005-05-15 (2070 reads)