God does not temp, nor does he tempt. That needs to be seen in light of this petition. If you take it away from the context it could be saying, "Father, don't take us by the hand and lead us to where we need to steal, and are overcome." God never does that. This petition has been written about at length. There are only 2 ways to look at it. Either you are asking God not to lead you into danger (something he wouldn't do), or you are asking him not to bring you under testing (something He says He's going to do anyway). Either way, you have a petition that makes little sense. It needs to be compared to what comes after it..."But deliver us from the evil one."

Deliver us from the evil one is first and foremost a prayer for deliverance. A prayer that God will protect you. You are looking to God as the one who can overpower the enemy with His might. Jesus, Save us. Jesus, through your power, free us. Let your victory reign in our lives. It is a heart that comes before God and states that it is HE, who must deliver. We can not fight in our own strength. It is a prayer of humility. Psalm 91 We need deliverance. Deliver is a strong word meaning to strongly intervene to rescue or preserve someone or something from danger. Again it is a passionate plea. A request we are told to make. Jesus, deliver us from the evil Satan would have in store for us, We cannot stand on in our own power.

That being the case, it sheds some light on the first half of the petition. The first half is basically the second half expressed negatively. We have a similar construction in John 6:37. All the Father gives to me come to me, and I will never drive them away. Would God ever drive a saved person away??? NEVER. So why did Jesus say it. By using the negative idea of driving something away, Jesus reinforced the idea that such a one is secure. As secure as one could be. In the same way God leading into temptation is reinforcing the deliverance. The intention is this."Lead us, not into temptation, but away from it, into righteousness, into situations where, far from being tempted, we will be protected and therefore kept righteous. We will then be delivered from the evil one."

It is cry from our hearts to have God lead us into the way of the everlasting, through His power. Fully admitting that we can not accomplish that on our own. Realizing that we need His power in our lives in order to live free. He will deliver. When was the last time your heart cried out to God to be led into righteousness by His power? When is the last time you asked God to protect you from your own evil inclinations. You asked Jesus to deliver you from your own sinful habits and thoughts, and be delivered into righteousness by his power? God wants to do it, and as we pray and ask, believe. Trust that God will do it, and is doing it now in your life.

God is our deliverer. He is like the shepherd who left the ninety and nine and searched for that one lost sheep. That sheep was protected, carried on the Shepherd's shoulder's back to its home. God picks us up and in His power carries us to our Home. He is a great God. Amen!

But lets look at the situation in which we find ourselves weak. It comes between the petition to forgive and a teaching on forgiveness. The desired effect is this...Lead us into righteousness and give us the power to fight unforgiveness and bitterness. It is not within our power to forgive. Forgiveness flows from the cross. And if we don't forgive, it has a tendency to root itself deep within and cause bitterness. Has your heart become bitter. I want you to know that bitterness will rob you of your daily bread. I want you to know that it will sap your spiritual and moral strength. The freedom to forgive and not grow bitter is the pillar of moral, physical and spiritual strength within the Christian's life, and it only comes as we rely on God's power. Are you trusting God to free you from the power of unforgiveness. Our lives are to short to spend it hating others. Let's be free!