Pastor Scott Andrews | August 3, 2025
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Luke 11:1-4 Part 4
We have been learning how to pray. I did not say necessarily what to pray, but how to pray. You see, even as I say that, we have a tendency to think of what people say rather than how they say it. What comes out here (mouth), rather than what’s in here (heart). To be more impressed with words than with heart.
We think of people who know how to pray as those who are spiritually articulate – those who have obviously been around the block and know all the Christian buzzwords and phrases necessary to make a prayer spiritual. You know, those pray-ers who are able to pray you under the pew. Those pray-ers who never seem to stumble over their words; Christianeze just flows from their lips. Such spiritual prayers are often long and lofty; and, let’s be honest, you may zone out, because they’re repetitive and you can hear the same thing later. And new believers, or even less-experienced believers, are intimidated to pray in front of these people, because after all, we don’t know how to pray like that.
Let me ask you a question. If you had never heard the Lord’s Prayer and Jesus showed up this morning, and prayed these words, would you be impressed? Maybe, maybe not. Most of us would look around and say, that’s it? Who is this guy? He must be a new Christian – he doesn’t know how to pray.
Again, we have a tendency to be more impressed with words than heart. We can be just like Pharisees – impressed with outward performance. The Pharisees were more concerned with impressing people with words, than reaching the heart of God in the throne room of heaven. They were more concerned with what people thought than what God thought. So, they prayed where everyone could hear, with long, well-rehearsed, spiritual-sounding prayers. And remember, these are the ones Jesus called out, “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be [heard by God? No] seen by men.”
Now, make no mistake about it, the Pharisees did have some really good prayers. In fact, did you know we have some of their prayers recorded for us? One prayer they prayed at the close of every service at the synagogue went like this – listen very carefully – it might sound familiar: “Exalted and hallowed be His great name in the world which He created according to His will. May He let His kingdom rule in your lifetime and in your days and in the lifetime of the whole house of Israel, speedily and soon. And to this, say: amen.”
Amen – that sounds a lot like ours, maybe even better. My point is God is not concerned with the mere words we say, but also with the heart behind the words. The Pharisees prayed the words – they had great prayers. They prayed a lot. The problem was not that they were not praying, the problem was, they weren’t praying to God – they were making speeches to people.
I want to encourage you this morning – it doesn’t matter if you know all the right words, or if you don’t. God is not interested in your thees and thous. He’s interested in the heart behind your words. It’s important to remember and bears repeating – Jesus is not giving us a specific prayer to pray – a formula to recite. He’s not merely interested in words – He’s interested in heart. Because if the heart is right, then the words will be right – even if you stumble over yourself and use bad grammar and 21st Century Southern Mountain talk instead of 17th Century Elizabethan English. Listen, I believe this can be the challenge with the “Lord’s Prayer” – praying mechanically, routinely – to be clear, nothing wrong with the prayer – it’s a great prayer – Jesus taught it. We prayed it a few weeks ago. But when we pray, using the actual or similar words found here, it must be accompanied by heart. Remember Amos 5? God is speaking to the spiritually dead people of Israel.
21 “I hate, I reject your festivals,
Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 “Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.
23 “Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
24 “But let justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
In essence, God says, I reject your worship – your worship gatherings and offerings, your worship songs – and I don’t think it’s too much to add, your prayers. Why? Because there was no heart – how do we know that? Because it didn’t change their lives. He was looking for heart worship that changed lives evidenced by justice and righteousness. Theirs was just a show, going through the motions – just words.
We are in a study of the book of Luke, arriving at the last six months of Jesus’ life. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been looking at the so-called Lord’s Prayer, actually the Disciple’s Prayer, as we’ve been learning how to pray. And in our study of that prayer in Luke 11, Jesus is giving us words, yes, but also heart, the spirit with which to pray.
• We found we are to pray with a family spirit, Father. God is Father – there is intimacy. We can approach Him, in fact, He actually invites us to come, because there is relationship. He is Father in that we are born of Him, He adopted us – He chose us to be His.
• We are to pray with a reverent spirit, hallowed be your name. While it is true you are my Father, it is also true you are my God and my King. And as such, I want to treat you with reverence, and I want to put you on display as holy. More than anything, I want your name to be hallowed in me and in the church. It isn’t a show – it isn’t mere words.
• We are also to pray with a loyal, submissive spirit, Your kingdom come. Of course, we want the kingdom to come in its fullness at the return of Christ, but we also want His kingdom manifested here, right now. God, we want your kingdom to come to us and flow through us – to demonstrate we belong to You. Now, we saw that was a declaration of war – Satan, you’ve had your way long enough. We want God’s kingdom to rule here – in fact, we are going to be about the business of expanding God’s kingdom by bringing people out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light. The church militant rises in rebellion against Satan and says to our King, Your kingdom come.
• We are to pray with a dependent spirit, Give us each day our daily bread. While we might think God is only concerned with the big stuff, spiritual things, like kingdom, authority, glory, things like that… while we might think that He’s too busy to be concerned with things like bread… and while we might think ourselves self-sufficient – we can take care of our own physical needs, Jesus reminds us we need God for everything, even daily bread.
• We are to pray with a repentant spirit, a broken spirit, Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. We were reminded a couple weeks ago, we had a debt we could not pay. Every time we sinned, we incurred a debt – and no matter how hard we might try, we could never pay it off – Jesus had to do it for us. And to nourish the relationship, to keep the fellowship, we continue to go to God to seek forgiveness – to seek Him to continue to sanctify us. And not only that – as forgiven people, we forgive. You see, we came into the kingdom poor in spirit, broken, mourning over our own sin. And it made us gentle, meek, merciful people. And we demonstrate the reality of our faith by a genuine willingness, eagerness to forgive others.
• And finally, we arrive at our text today found in Luke 11:4, where we see we are to pray with a humble spirit, Lead us not into temptation. Matthew version adds the words, but deliver us from evil, or deliver us from the evil one. It’s a humble spirit – it’s a follower spirit that says, God, I want you to lead me – and as you lead me, I trust you – and I ask that you protect me. Remember, we pray for daily provision, daily pardon, and now, daily protection.
If someone prayed this short prayer, would we be impressed? I hope so. Lead us not into temptation – deliver us from evil. I simply want to try to tell us what this phrase is saying and then apply it. Not just say the words – but add heart by applying it.
Now, as we begin, I what you to think. Father, lead us not into temptation. Does anyone see a problem with that? Do we actually have to pray and ask God not to lead us into temptation? Would He? Wait a minute – whatever happened to God being our loving Abba, our dear heavenly Father – one to whom we can come and He’s never too busy for us – He always accepts us – He always bids us come. Do we have to worry that He will lead us into temptation? For some of you that sounds a little like your earthly fathers – who tempted you to be angry, or bitter, or scared, or other more awful things. Do we have to be worried about our heavenly Father too – please, Father, don’t do that?
Pastor David Johnson said it this way – do we really have to be concerned that as we’re walking through life, hand in hand with our Father – that every once in awhile, He sticks out His foot to trip us? And so we have to pray – God, please don’t do that – please don’t trip me up – please don’t lead me to sin. Is God capricious? Do we have to pray this way?
Consider James 1:13,14 which seems to answer the question. It says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.”
That seems pretty clear – God does not tempt people to sin. So why do we pray this prayer? What kind of God would we have if He told us not to do something – then tried to get us to do it? That doesn’t make sense. In fact, James tells us we are tempted when we are carried away and enticed by our own lust. It our own propensity to sin that causes us to be tempted – to give into temptation and to sin.
So, what do we have here – lead us not into temptation? There is lots of discussion about this. Some have suggested this, “Do not allow us to be led into temptation.” In other words, God, keep sin’s temptation far from me. My flesh is weak, and I don’t want to be placed in a situation where I might give into sin. I suppose that has some merit, and I suppose that would be a good prayer to pray – Keep me far from temptation. But there’s only one problem with that – it’s not what the verse says. It says, do not lead me into temptation. You, don’t lead me there – don’t lead me to a place where I will be tempted to sin. Would God do that? Some say yes. They suggest God’s not doing the temptation, but He’s strengthening your faith by allowing you to be tempted and resist it. I suppose that’s possible.
But, what do others suggest it means? The key to understanding lies in the word temptation. It’s the word, peirosmos. You should know, the word is morally neutral, that is, by itself, it does not carry connotations of good or evil. You see, when we see the word temptation, we naturally think of something morally wrong – that is, a solicitation to sin. We are tempted to do something wrong. So, God, do not lead me to a place where I will be solicited to sin. But James suggests God won’t do that.
So again, understand, temptation as we think of it is not the primary or basic meaning of the word, peirosmos. While it can include that, the basic meaning of the word is not temptation, but rather, a test or a trial. Which changes things dramatically – God, do not lead me into trials, do not lead me into tests. You see, a test is not necessarily right or wrong. Of course, as soon as I say that, students would beg to differ. But listen, when you take a test at school, the purpose of the test is not to cause you to fail – it is not to cause you stumble. It is to show what you know – it is to prove you – it is to perfect you.
So here, we are to pray, Lord, do not lead me into a trial or into a test. All of a sudden, the lights come on – kind of like when you’re getting ready to go into a class and you pray, “I hope we don’t have a quiz today – I’m not ready.” Now, we’re starting to warm up to this prayer a bit. Yeah, I like that – God, don’t lead me into any tests today – Lord, I don’t need any hassles today, so just take care of everything, okay? I like that prayer.
But then, as we think about that – we’ve got another problem. Back to James chapter 1. There, at the beginning of the chapter, verses 2ff, we read these words, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials [peirosmos], knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Are you kidding me. I’m supposed to face these trials, these peirosmos, with pure joy – why? Because like a test, these trials produce endurance which moves me toward perfection and completeness – so I lack nothing. So, trials are for my good. So, how is it I’m supposed to pray, “Lead me not into trials”? That’s confusing.
Also, we look at something Peter said, and he wrote about peirosmos in I Peter 1:6,7, “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials [peirosmos], so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”
Did you catch that? When I go through trials, Peter says it proves my faith, which results in praise and glory and honor when Jesus comes back. Later, in I Peter 4:12,13, he says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing [peirosmos], as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.”
Here we go again – we are to rejoice in trials, so when Jesus comes back, we can rejoice with even greater joy. So, given all that, why do we pray, Lead me not into trials? Are you confused? Now you know how I felt as I struggled with this passage. How do we pray these words?
The same way Jesus prayed three times in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Father, if it is possible, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Your will be done.” The same way Paul could pray three times for his thorn in the flesh to be removed. The bottom line is, while we are called to suffer, while we are called to trials to perfect our faith, there is a recognition that, without God leading us, we won’t make it. It was even true of Jesus in the garden in His humanity. He desired the will of God and the indwelling presence of the Spirit lead Him. Without leading us, the tests He gives to prove and perfect us will do just the opposite – they will fail us and cause us to fall.
We have prayed, God, you are my Father, and I trust you. God, you are my King, and I will follow you. I want your kingdom to come in me – You reign in me. Father, I’m trusting you for my daily needs, my daily rations. And this is all a declaration of war against the god of this world. And now, as I declare my allegiance to you, as I follow you, I need to know that You will go with me – that You will not give me more than I can handle, and that You’ll keep me from evil. I desperately need to know that You will not let me go.
You see, the idea that God will never allow you to be tempted above what you are able is somewhat qualified. In fact, it’s not actually true – we face trials all the time that we, by ourselves, cannot endure. But by His indwelling Holy Spirit, we can. That’s what we are praying for – Father, I just as soon not be led to trial, but if they come, please go with me.
This is a recognition that our flesh is weak. We need God to direct every step, to protect us, or when we face those trials, we will fall in the trial and thereby fall into the temptation to sin. Martin Lloyd Jones says it this way – with every trial, with every test, comes two opportunities: the opportunity to be proven, to be refined like pure gold, or the opportunity to sin, to fail.
Therefore, we pray – Lord, don’t lead me into a trial. Meaning, it’s okay not to want to go through trials and testings – Lord, don’t lead me into them. Chrysostom, the early church father, pointed out this was more of a heart cry than a theological request – God, I don’t like trials, I don’t like tests – please don’t give me any. I want to stay far away from these things that might cause me to fail, to fall – as far away as I possibly can.
I want you to understand something this morning – it is not unspiritual to want to avoid pain. It is not unspiritual to not like trials. It is not unspiritual to pray, lead me not into trials. It is not unspiritual not to like the results of sin and the curse. It is not unspiritual to not like cancer and car wrecks and problems at work and problems at home.
You see, we don’t pray, “God, please give me cancer so it will prove my faith. God, please cause me to suffer for my faith.” Who wants that? Further, it is okay to be delivered from such trials. To pray for healing and health and security, etc. We also see it’s okay to ask not to be led into temptation and trials. But when we do, as we know they are for our good, for our maturing, and we face them with joy.
And when I face the inevitable trials that come, Matthew adds, I pray that I will be delivered from evil. What I need to know, God, is that You will face them with me. That when the storms come, You won’t allow me to go under. That I will face the trials successfully, that I will be matured, that I will not stumble, I will not fall – Lord, deliver me from evil. It is laying claim to the promise of I Corinthians 10:13 – that God will not allow me to face a trial or a temptation that I will not be able to endure. Lord, please help me to stand up under it.
Listen, while “Give us each day our daily bread” was a protection against physical self-sufficiency, this verse is a protection against spiritual self-sufficiency, spiritual arrogance. As we grow in the Christian life, we need to guard against any idea that we have reached a spiritual plateau that makes us invulnerable to failure in life’s testing. This prayer is a conscience recognition of the fact that without God, we won’t make it.
So, as we close, let me suggest there are some things we can do to make sure we are spiritually strong and prepared when we face trials. And it’s not rocket science.
- First, obviously, as we see in the verse, we pray. We pray ahead of time – never forgetting we need God. Not being lulled into a spiritual lethargy, that things are going okay, that I’m not facing anything I can’t handle on my own. It is a daily recognition that, whatever I face today – be it a traffic jam or termination from a job to severe marital conflict – I’m prayed up – I’m filled with the Spirit so that I will face any trial with His presence.
- Secondly, it’s realizing I need to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, every day to face the spiritual battles and trials I will face today. It is recognizing that you never quite arrive, that every day, you need nourishment from the word of God for spiritual strength.
- Finally, we need to remember we have an adversary who opposes us. Back in Mathew’s version, we read, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Some translations have it, “but deliver us from the evil one.” That is a viable translation. Without going into all of the Greek syntax, just know it probably refers to the evil one – to Satan. The point? When we are in the midst of trials and testing, we are most vulnerable. And we need to remember every day we have an adversary who wants to destroy us – to destroy our families – to destroy our church. And if we go through life without recognizing our frailty, without being aware of our adversary, we could be devoured.
So, as we finish this morning, I say to you, pray – pray that God will keep you from trial. But also pray, when you face the inevitable trials that come – pray you will remain strong. Pray you will be delivered from Satan and his fiery darts. And pray that God will go with you. And I have good news for you this morning – He will not let you go. Whatever trial, whatever testing, whatever temptation you are facing right now – I have good news – you are not alone. And you can pray this prayer – lead me not into temptation, trial; deliver me from evil – see me through it, and He will.