The Lord’s Prayer: From the Desert to the Throne

Have you ever been hungry? Like really hungry? Weeks without food hungry?

Not too long ago we were standing in the house trying to get out the door to go eat dinner. Everybody was moving so slow that my patience was wearing thin.

My son said something about me being “hangry!” Even though I had not missed a meal all day I was letting my temperament shift from happy-go-lucky to “hangry” all because we couldn’t get the TV turned off, shoes on our feet, and walking out the door in 2.7 seconds.

Can you imagine going 40 days without food? 40 days without McDonald’s or Chick-Fil-A? 40 days without a Power Bar or protein shake? Without a Zaxby’s Zalad or a slice of pizza?

That’s exactly what Jesus had done in the desert when He was approached, not by his 10 year old son in the living room of His home but, by Satan himself. No doubt tired and hungry, Satan made his most cunning attempt to draw an “hangry” reaction out of Jesus by the half-truths of his deceptive lines.

But one by one, with each of the devil’s three attempts, Jesus quickly and pointedly and perfectly replied just as we may expect the Son of God would; combating the devil’s schemes with Scripture.

The Son of God used the Word of God to defeat the enemy of God!

Here’s what’s so surprising by the whole ordeal; a tiny detail at the beginning of the passage that says, “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” God granted Satan permission to tempt His Son. Say what? 

Just like young little Isaac walked with his father Abraham up to the top of Mount Moriah and didn’t speak a word, Jesus walked into the wilderness without saying a word.

I’m not sure if it was the naivety of a young mind or the confidence of a Father’s plan but the end result granted a victory garnered in faith for both Isaac and Jesus alike.

So when Jesus prescribes this model prayer, “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one,” it seems a bit ironic that He had just escaped the devil’s schemes which was granted by God.

However, the end of the story concludes with two beautiful promises that you and I can hold near. Remember, His Word says that when we resist the devil he will flee (James 4:7). And God also promises that His angels will guard us in our ways (Psalm 91:11). So here’s the wonderful picture of refuge and solace that appears, “then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to Him.”

Why is this important for us? 

There’s a battle going on all around us. A spiritual battle for our souls. One that isn’t always detected because the enemy is in stealth mode. Creeping in to take the shot at just the right moment when our defenses are down.

But we must stand guard. We must pray, “lead us not into temptation.” Our flesh, our natural inclinations and tendencies, have a craving for the things of this world. Our spirit, the newly formed image of God placed inside us the moment we surrender our lives to Christ, must detect this attack and seek refuge in the arms of Jesus. “To be delivered from the evil one.”

While temptations are a natural and unavoidable part of our lives, we must ask God to help us stay the course, not to veer off the path, because the sanctifying work of God is preparing us for battle every day.

We must not shortchange ourselves by entering these battles prematurely. We fall victim to sin when we act in our own way and choose to fulfill these desires of our flesh. We must give God permission to use our circumstances to shape us into the people He’s calling us to be. And at just the right time and in just the right way we will put to death these fleshly desires that are tempting to lure us away if we will learn to trust and obey.

Every temptation we overcome and every deliverance from evil we experience celebrates a victory that is shaping the heart of a true warrior. And warriors who have a heart for the King will live and die for the Kingdom!

The world has recently witnessed the transformation of a man occupying much space in pop culture to a man marching to a noticeably different tune in Kanye West. A man serving his own purposes to one now looking to serve the eternal purposes of God. Notice the lyrics of one of his newly released songs:

Use this Gospel for protection
It’s a hard road to Heaven
We call on your blessings
In the Father, we put our faith
King of the Kingdom
Our demons are tremblin’
Holy angels defending
In the Father, we put our faith

These are words from somebody who sees life differently. Somebody who sees the basic premise of this model prayer. The reality of war. The grandeur of the kingdom. The fragility of the flesh. The intimacy of the Father.

It’s always, only, and all about Jesus! “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” May His kingdom come!