Truth #202 - Escpaing from temptation begins with prayer - Luke 21-22

Luke 22:39-40
And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Truth:  Escaping from temptation begins with prayer

Early in this book of Luke's gospel, Luke recorded Jesus and the disciples discussion centered around prayer.   In that dialogue, the Lord taught His disciples to pray, He taught them as follows:

Luke 11:4
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”

Jesus wanted them to know the power of prayer in relationship with day-to-day temptations.  In the above passage, as Jesus entered into the Mount of Olives He again, tells the disciples to pray.   Jesus, himself, was to face the torment of death and sought God out in prayer ... asking for strength to endure this cup of suffering.   Coming to God in prayer is a confession that you can't handle something on your own and that you need the strength of the Creator to avoid some evil or accomplish some task.   Prayer is to be done in a way to acknowledge our lack of power and His sovereign power over the universe ... including over evil.   God had the power to protect us from evil before it comes and to deliver us from it when it comes.   Jesus, in the Garden, tells His disciples to make use of this power and this privilege as we approach life and the evil found in it.    Coming to God, through Christ, in prayer is a faith act.   It places our fight in life for God's righteousness in out lives in the aspect of faith.   We don't live our lives in in the flesh and become successful.   We can only have success in our lives in Christ through faith.   This passage is a great example of how life works.   As we enter a difficult situation (although the disciples didn't even know it was a difficult situation), we need to seek Him in prayer for strength and for power.   These men fell asleep.   Creature comfort was more favored than seeking Godly power.   But, so is life with us.  We approach our days as though they are all the same.  We seldom see the temptation coming and therefore seek Him for power in our lives.  We should start each day seeking His power for the temptation(s) we are going to face.  We should pause each day to seek His power for the temptation(s) we are facing.   We should end each day seeking His power for the temptation(s) we are still facing.