Matthew 6:9-13
Introduction:
A. This morning, I want to cover another aspect of the Model Prayer: “Deliver us from evil.”
B. We live in wicked times. You and I do not have to go far to find wickedness in our society. You do not even have to go looking for evil; it comes to where you are.
C. We find in verse 13 an appeal to the Lord to “deliver us from evil.” In salvation, we have been delivered from the power of sin, the penalty of sin, and one day from the presence of sin, but that final day of delivery is not until either death or rapture.
1. That means that evil is always out there.
2. That means that God knows where the evil is.
3. That means that God can deliver us from evil.
4. That means that, sometimes, only God can deliver us from evil.
D. Satan is doing his best to defile, discourage, defame, defeat, and destroy the child of God:
1. Because we are Light – John 3 says that evil hates light.
2. Because we are Few – there are more devils to war against fewer saints.
3. Because we are the Lord’s! Everywhere our Lord went He was attacked.
E. Sometimes, the Lord lets us know where the evil is so that we may avoid it: Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
F. At other times, the Lord does not let us know where the evil is: HE DID NOT TELL ADAM AND EVE WHERE THE DEVIL WAS IN THE GARDEN!
G. There are times when we do not know what lies out there and we must trust the Lord to either deliver from or protect within the realm of that evil.
Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD [are] in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
H. We find in the Model Prayer this askance for deliverance from that evil. We need the Lord every hour of every day! I WANT TO EMPHASIS THIS!
1. Dear Lord, Please Deliver Us From Evil Days - Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Evil days come and I hate them! They are not days that are relished!)
Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
a. Dear Lord, Please Deliver Us From Days Of Sickness - Philippians 2:26-27 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. 27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.
b. Dear Lord, Please Deliver Us From Days Of Sorrow - Psalms 90:10 The days of our years [are] threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength [they be] fourscore years, yet [is] their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
c. Dear Lord, Please Deliver Us From Days Of Sinfulness
1) Sin Is Rampant - Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
2) Sinners Are Religious - 2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
3) Saints Are Reviled - John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you.
2. Dear Lord, Please Deliver Us From Evil Men – 2 Thessalonians 3:2-3 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all [men] have not faith. 2 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep [you] from evil. (There are people who will go out of their way to hurt God’s people. They are wicked and vengeful.)
a. Dear Lord, Please Deliver Us From Their Evil Works – 2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
b. Dear Lord, Please Deliver Us From Their Evil Tongues – 3 John 1:10a Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words. (There are people here in Laurens that do not know me. They have never met me. Our people have met them on visitation and they have remarked that they would never come to Temple Baptist Church because of the pastor. Some disgruntled church member that left the church has put their mouth on the man of God and there is not telling how many others have been affected by their tongue.)
James 3:6 And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Critical, malicious, tale bearing, backbiting, lying, and slandering tongues! This is one of the hardest things to defend against because you do not know who has been affected by them. They never come “face to face” with you but remain hidden in secret places.)
3. Dear Lord, Please Deliver Us From Our Own Evil Flesh – Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,)dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not.
Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Conclusion: Deliver us from evil! “Dear Lord, give me the wisdom to avoid known evil while delivering me from unknown evil!”
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