Prayer that Overcomes Temptation (Matthew 26:36-46).Sunday March 1, 2026
Intro: God is always leading you.
Rom 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
The Lord’s words are very close to His teaching on prayer, in which He tells us our last of six petitions: Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil (or “the evil one”).
How does prayer help us not to fall into temptation?
Temptation: peirazo = a test designed to make you fail.
Considerations: No matter how much we grow, we always need the Lord. Temptation will always be with us because of free will (and the fall - the result of free-will).
1Co 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man
Overcoming (not falling into temptation) is the result of faith and wisdom (eyes on the Lord and knowing His will) and prayer draws you to the source of both.
1. The Lord’s admonition is very similar to Mat 6:13.
“Into temptation” in both are identical language and both are in prayer.
Why would God, who is always for us and not against us, lead us into temptation. The answer is that He is always leading, and if we pray like this and remain alert, His leading will be on a path where temptation is minimized.
Temptation is coming no matter what.
If you pray consistently and are alert then your path will be one of minimized temptation – it will be there, but you’ll be strong and ready.
If you are not alert to your relationship with God, the temptation will come to you when you’re not ready and the likelihood is you will fall into it.
It’s when we do not expect temptation or God that we fail.
Human weakness without God has options when temptation comes and they’re all bad. Once those options are fallen into, God has to lead you out.
2. Prayer as a means of an intelligent, alert walk with God in all you do.
Anytime and anywhere. As you need reminders, guidance, strength, wisdom (Jam 1:5), always in trust of the ministry of God the Holy Spirit (Luk 11:13; Eph 5:17 - 18).
Prayer is not a substitute for study but a compliment to it. Knowing God makes prayer intelligent and effective.
Prayer is persistent: The Lord prayed three times.
From one part of your day to the next – keeping in constant touch with the source. Keeping in touch with God through Christ.
We will also be persistent as this subject will be repeated with more Scriptural data in our next class.
3. Peirazo: A test designed to make you fail.
In Mat 4 the Lord responded with Scripture. I would find it very hard to believe that He was not praying a lot when He was 40 days in the wilderness.
The temptation is to act on His own and go outside the plan of the Father, the Trinity, for Him to be truly human and remain in the limitations and weakness of humanity.
“Father, lead us not into the temptation of doing things our own way when your way seems longer and more difficult, deliver us from the evil one who will tell us there is another, better way.”
Paul in Act 20:
In Act 20 Paul is on his way to Jerusalem and he stops in Miletus and calls a meeting with the elders of the church in Ephesus.
Act 20:18-21 “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
As our Lord in Gethsemane, Paul experienced grief (tears) and temptation (trials is our word peirazo).
Paul expands on some of these trials in his second letter to the Corinthians. Imprisonments, beaten so many times he lost count, coming close to death, 5 sets of 39 lashes, 3 sets of beating with rods, stoned to death, shipwrecked three times, always in danger on the road, almost drowning crossing rivers, robbed, threatened by Jews and Gentiles everywhere he went (country or city), going hungry, thirsty, unable to sleep, exposed to cold without relief (2Co 11:23-28). On top of that, he said, he was plagued with concern for all the churches that he had to leave who were instantly besought with attacks from false people and their lies about him and about Christ.
Asia became Paul’s Gethsemane (Europe also).
2Co 11:29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
Think of his missionary life for a moment. And now think of the fact that he was more concerned for the church than he was for himself. Why? Was he trying to score points with God? No. This weak man had upon himself the power of God. He knew that he was being what God willed, but he was not so sure about those he loved.
Amazingly, Paul’s prayers, of which many are in his writings, are hardly ever for himself, but for the spiritual life of others.
Yet, on occasion: 2Th 3:1-2 Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; 2 and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.
So Paul prayed for deliverance and he discovered the truth of his ministry. Paul was given the answer from God that he must fulfill his ministry to teach the gospel.
Act 20:20-21 “I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Act 20:36 When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
Let’s write out what could have been Paul’s prayer in light of our Lord’s instructions:
“Our Father, do not lead us into a false view of ministry, that it is to always be comfortable and not challenging, and deliver us from the evil one who tells us that there is a better way than Yours. Amen”
4. Close / Summary:
Keeping alert and praying:
Answers - you are always weak and must always clothe yourself with Christ. You will be content. Why does these things in 2Co 12 come upon you? You’re weak humanity; they are weak humanity. You do not hate them - they may rule you someday for grace means that barriers fall in a moment. If you are strong, it is through Christ.
Prayer keeps these answers flowing in the heart; ready for the next weakness of temptation that will come without warning.
You must accept the answer. 2Co 12.
You must be prepared:
Being alert to the Trinity’s presence consistently throughout your day (taking it one day at a time).
Pray as you enter into each part of the day. Maintain contact and do not take a wrong mental attitude into a situation.
Prayer is a key to being aware of God’s presence so that He can guide your thinking. The Lord prayed and the disciples did not. Look at the difference. |