How can we successfully resist temptation?

We cannot successfully resist temptation with our own strength or our own wisdom, but with God’s strength and wisdom we can ovecome them. Therefore when we are tempted, we are to pray in faith, and use as our weapons God’s Word, Christ’s victory over the tempter, and God’s grace.

If we have nevertheless fallen, we may penitently confess our sins, trust in Christ, and believe that our sins have been forgiven through God’s grace.

Eph. 6:13: Take unto you the whole armour of God.

Heb. 2:18: For in that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.

Rom. 5:20: Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

1 Joh. 5:4-5: This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God.

Matt. 14:30: (Peter, about to sink) Lord, save me!

For what do we pray in the Sixth Petition?

In the Sixth Petition we pray that God would keep temptations from us, but if He permits them to come to us, that He would enable us to overcome them.

Eph. 6:13,18: Take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand... praying always with all prayer and supplication.

1 Cor. 10:13: God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Luther: “We must endure trials, yea, be engulfed in them; but we pray for this, that we may not fall and be drowned in them.”

What are temptations?

Temptations are the type of trials through which the devil, the world and our sinful flesh try, by deceitful means, to seduce us away from God’s Word into false belief, fleshly carelessness and other sins, and finally into unbelief. The tempter presents sin to us as something good, advantageous and pleasant. If he succeeds in getting us to fall, he tries to make us believe, that our sin is so great, that it will not be forgiven. The tempter wants us to remain in unbelief as slaves of sin, and finally be eternally damned.

James 1:13-14: Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God... But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away, of his own lust, and enticed.

Prov. 1:10: My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

Matt. 18:7: Woe unto the world because of offences!

Gen. 4:7: Sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

What are good trials?

The good trials are of God. Through them He tests His children, permitting them to experience tribulation and difficulties in order to purify their faith, to strengthen and protect them from something much worse.

Joh. 6:5-6: Jesus saith unto Philip: Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this He said to prove him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

Ps.139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts.

Ps. 119:67: Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept Thy Word.

Is. 48:10: Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

Joh. 5:14: Jesus said to the man who had been sick for 38 years: Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Assignment: Read Gen. 22:1-12: God tests Abraham, and Mark 7:25-30: Jesus tests the Canaanite woman. Read about Job. What kind of an attitude did he have after he was tested? Job 42:1-6: and 2 Cor. 8:12: in the Macedonian churches “in a severe test of affliction”.

When a believer confesses his faith in Jesus, he has to suffer because of Jesus’ name. This is called a cross. This is a good type of trial.

Assignment: Study the Bible to see what it says about the cross. Read Matt. 5:11-12; 10:37-38 and 1 Pet. 4:12-16.

What types of trials confront people here on earth?

And lead us not into temptation. What does this mean? God indeed tempts no one; but we pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us, so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us nor seduce us into misbelief, despair, and other great shame and vice; and though we be assailed by them, that still we may finally overcome and obtain the victory.

There are two types of trials, good and evil. Evil trials are called temptations.