Temptation and the Evil One

And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:13 NKJV)

Who Should Pray this Prayer?

While the prayer is in Matthew which seems to be written for the Jewish nation, I would submit that all believers should pray this prayer.  In the prayer, the Lord says “Thy Kingdom come.”  LIkely, the interpretation would be to the coming 1000 year reign of Christ.  But the application would be to the Church (the kingdom that is not of this world–Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here (John 18:36 NKJV).”

It is interesting to note that King David, who was a man after God’s own heart, wrote about trial after trial in his Psalms.  The New Testament writers of the epistles all seemed to be occupied with trials and temptations.  

Who is the Evil One? What are His Names?

He has many names including Satan, the Devil, the Destroyer and other names.  He sometimes works as a seducer, that is as a cunning liar and other times he works as a roaring lion.  But we need to remember that He is the father of lies while the Lord simply cannot lie.

Satan Deceives the Whole World

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:7-9 NKJV)

This is Satan’s last Stand

“Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” (Revelation 12:12 NKJV)

Ultimately, Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire

The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:10 NKJV)

How are We Delivered?

We who have trusted Christ for salvation, need to resist him with THE Faith, not by intensive believing, but by what we believe.  Only the promises of Scripture will deliver us from eternal condemnation and those promises will deliver us from the devil’s temptations.

Peter says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world (1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV).”

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:12-13 NKJV)

Conclusion

We should be praying “deliver us from evil” (or the evil one) because we are no match for HIm.  But the Word of God assures us that we are on the winning team if we can fully trust the promises of God with regard to our salvation and with regard to the trials that the evil one uses to test the reality of our faith.

Bruce Collins

Meditation for the weeks of August 3 and 10, 2025 

If you would like further conversation about the issues in these meditations, contact me at collinsbd@yahoo.com and I will try to accommodate you with a virtual Bible Study.