367 - The Lord's Prayer Series 8 - Deliver Us from Evil#
367 - The Lord's Prayer Series 8 - Deliver Us from Evil
(JP Text Group - Shalom Compilation)
Dear family, peace in the Lord, welcome to your arrival, and let’s continue sharing the eighth session of the Lord's Prayer series.
The topic of the sharing is: Deliver Us from Evil.
Matthew 6:9-13
9 Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored as holy. 10 May your kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen!
Let’s pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you! Thank you for preparing such a wonderful time for us to gather before you once again. Your words are powerful and provide for us. In our moments of weakness and helplessness, we can pray to you. Even if we fall into evil because of our own reasons, you will save us from all evil. We commit this time to you, bless all the brothers and sisters who are listening, grant us strength, let us be renewed, and all glory be to you. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.
We share the eighth session of the Lord's Prayer: Deliver Us from Evil.
The previous phrase is do not bring us into temptation. If people can act according to God's words and hold onto God's truth, they naturally will not fall into the devil's traps; this is God's desire. However, not all believers can hold onto the truth. People always have weaknesses or times when they are filled with selfish desires, and they fall into the devil's temptations.
Once temptation enters, all kinds of bad news come. Sometimes it makes people feel helpless and hopeless. I believe everyone has done wrong things and regretted them. Many people often say: If only I hadn’t done that at that time, if only I hadn’t been so greedy. These are all "ifs," and it is clear that people are living in regret.
Evil does not necessarily refer to physically falling into a trap; it can also refer to being unable to let go of past mistakes or the harm others have done to us. This kind of harm binds people like a snare. Jesus came to save us from evil. If we continue to live in such evil, our bodies and souls will suffer loss. If you have also entered into the kind of problem I am talking about now, what should you do? Do you need to keep regretting, keep being disappointed, keep feeling hopeless?
The first point of sharing: He is our Savior.
What does the name Jesus mean?
Matthew 1:19-21:
19 Her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
The meaning of Jesus is: He will save His people from their sins. No matter what the reason is for falling into the snare of the evil one, our Lord is willing to save us because His name is Jesus. He came into the world not to condemn people, but to save them through Him.
He not only wants to save our lives from death, but He is also willing to save us in every matter of life. Even if we believe in the Lord, we still have weaknesses and may fall into the devil's temptations, but our Lord is willing to save us from evil. Evil, in the original text, refers to that evil one. God can save us from various bindings and problems, from that evil one. Let’s take a look at how Adam and Eve fell into evil in the beginning.
Genesis 2:15-18:
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." 18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."
Our God created a beautiful world for Adam and Eve and blessed them, placing them in the Garden of Eden to work and keep it. This was something that both man and God found very comfortable. At that time, God gave Adam a rule: You may eat freely of every tree in the garden, but you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die.
We are not discussing why God placed this tree here; the tree of the knowledge of good and evil itself has no power. It represents God's sovereignty. When people have selfish desires, they want to replace God or disregard God's words, making it easy to fall into the devil's temptations.
At that time, Adam and Eve fell because of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. What about people today?
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil no longer exists, yet countless people still fall into the devil's snare. It is really not about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; it is about whether people's hearts are willing to obey God's words. God said you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die.
The Lord God said: It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him. One person is easily weak, but two people supporting each other should have no problem. However, if both people have selfish desires, they will fall together. It is not about the number of people; it is about whether they can hold onto God's words. If at any time they hold onto Jesus' truth, believe, and never compromise, people cannot fall into the devil's snare. If ten people doubt, they will all fall in.
The serpent deceived Adam and Eve with lies, causing them to fall into evil. God's justice was activated, so He had to judge them. But at the same time of judgment, God also saved them and provided a way out.
Genesis 3:16-21:
16 To the woman he said, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." 17 And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life. 18 Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." 20 The man called his wife's name Eve because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
When people have selfish desires and fall into the devil's snare, God's justice is activated. When people sin, God cannot overlook it; this is not in line with God's attributes. Therefore, when Adam and Eve sinned, judgment came upon them. But God did not destroy Adam and Eve; instead, He provided them with a way out.
God first judged the woman: I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you. The woman's selfish desire is in this area, so when she failed, God judged her but also gave her a reminder. She would experience pain in childbirth and discomfort during pregnancy, and He told her that her desire would be for her husband, which is why the principle in the Bible is that wives should submit to their husbands, and husbands shall rule over them.
Brothers and sisters, all of this is spoken to a natural person. If one fully believes in the grace of Jesus Christ, they can be freed from these pains. Many sisters experience no pain during childbirth because they rely on the grace of Jesus Christ and are freed from these laws.
Of course, your desire shall be for your husband; this will never change because God's order in creation is such that once someone is unwilling to submit, problems will arise. For example, some people emphasize gender equality, and whoever has economic power has the voice. This easily leads to evil, and women will bear a lot of unnecessary pressure and pain. Men are certainly stronger in this regard; when God created people, He arranged different things based on individual circumstances.
Looking again at verse 17, God said to Adam, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it.'"
Adam's problem was that he should have listened to God, but instead, he listened to his wife's words, which led them both into temptation. How do we return to this relationship? In the family, the husband must listen to God and act according to the words of the Bible. Men are generally more rational; once they decide to believe in something, it is hard to change. Women, due to physiological reasons, are more emotional and easily influenced by the environment and others' words, while men tend to be stronger in this regard. Once they believe, it is hard to change or pull them back!
Adam's failure was listening to his wife's words. How do we overcome these temptations? By obeying God's words. Hallelujah! The ground is cursed because of you; this is the consequence Adam must bear after sinning. The man is the head of the household, and when he has problems, the whole family enters into temptation. The whole earth was cursed because of Adam, and from that time on, Adam must toil for his food, living a life of sweat.
But if from now on, we believe in the salvation of Jesus Christ, what Jesus did for us on the cross! He saved us from sin and paid our debt, so the ground is no longer cursed. This is why before Jesus went to the cross, He had a very urgent prayer, praying three times in the Garden of Gethsemane, with sweat like drops of blood falling to the ground. The blood of Jesus has the power to cleanse! When the blood of Jesus fell to the ground, the curse was resolved, and people no longer have to toil for their food or sweat to make a living.
When God established the priests, He clothed them in fine linen in the temple, which meant they would not sweat and would not have to live a life of sweating for their bread. All of this is related to our Jesus. If people are separated from Jesus, even if they are not sweating physically, the psychological pressure can easily lead them into various temptations that they cannot overcome unless they accept Jesus. Jesus is our Savior; He can save us from all kinds of evil. Amen.
Adam named his wife Eve because she was the mother of all living. The Lord God made garments of skins for Adam and his wife and clothed them. Adam and Eve made mistakes; this is a fact. God did not show favoritism to them, and indeed they bore the consequences of their sin. But what about their lives? Their spirits were already separated from God; how could they be restored?
It is in verse 21 that the Lord God made garments of skins for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
Because after they sinned, God's glory disappeared, and they realized they were naked and needed to cover their shame. Relying on fig leaves would not work; God's way was to make garments of animal skins for them. Personally, I believe that the animal was a lamb. God killed an animal and made its skin into garments for them. To this day, real leather is also high-quality clothing.
The skins here symbolize the robe of righteousness of Jesus Christ. When we are clothed in the robe of righteousness of Jesus Christ, we can completely be freed from shame and be wrapped in the righteousness of Christ, so that people will no longer fall into temptation. Hallelujah! So I tell everyone, He is our Savior. No matter what reason you fell into temptation or weakness, please remember to call upon our Lord. He is your Savior. You might say, "I am in such a terrible state, I have no face to call upon our God, no face to pray to Him…" This kind of thinking is wrong; it is also a temptation and a form of evil.
When a child has a problem, no matter how serious it is, they should turn back and call their parents for help. As children of God, we must always remember one thing: our Lord is very willing to save us! He is willing to save us from evil. When you call upon the Lord Jesus, you are asking Him to save you; when you pray to God, it is not a burden or a task; it is a cry to the Lord in heaven, and He will reach out His hand to lift you up.
At any time, please remember that no matter how serious the problem is, no matter how terrible you think you are, our God will not forsake you. Prayer is the authority that Christians possess; it is our hope. No matter who you are, what environment you are in, or what time it is, you can call upon our Lord. He can save you from all kinds of evil.
Psalm 91:2-3:
2 I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler…
When reading this, we should view our God as our refuge. When do you need a refuge? When the outside environment is terrible, when you are frightened and need to hide, our God is your refuge. You can call upon Him through prayer, and He is willing to spread His wings to protect you. He is your fortress. When do you need a fortress? A fortress is a place of safety. When we have a fortress and a place to dwell, our hearts have a sense of security.
There are too many people in the world who lack a sense of security. Many people always base their sense of security on material things, but these cannot bring true security. When the outside environment changes, material things change accordingly. Only our God is a solid and unshakable fortress. Hallelujah.
So at any time, do not lose hope, do not lose faith. He is your fortress, your protection. Hallelujah! He is your God! Please remember, He is not only the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, nor is He only the God of the Jews! Many people always feel that when Jesus is mentioned, He is a foreign God, the God of the Israelites, not my God. When you read the Bible, do not just think that what is written is about the history of the Israelites. He is their God, but that God is also the Lord who created heaven and earth, and He is your God.
The Bible is written by God for each of us. When we encounter problems or difficult situations, there is always hope because He is your God. In ordinary times, we should develop a habit of understanding this God, so that when we encounter suffering or problems, we can call upon Him. You know that Jesus loves you, came into the world for you, died on the cross for your sins, and rose from the dead three days later. This is the Lord who loves you; He is your God! The Bible has many promises; hold onto these promises and live by them because He is your God! You can call out "Abba Father"; He is your God, the God who has a personal relationship with you.
Perhaps the people around you do not believe; that does not matter. What matters is, do you believe in Him? You might say that the Christians around you do not have good testimonies; that is not important. What matters is that Jesus is your God! Look at the Jesus in the Bible; what kind of God is He? Believe that this Lord can save you! Hallelujah!
Although everyone believes in Jesus, each person's faith is still different. Some people stubbornly believe in God and have a distorted view of Him, but we should not be like that. We should place the correct understanding in the Bible; we should believe as the Bible says. Please remember, He is your Lord, who came for you. He did not come to condemn you, but to save you. To save you from all kinds of evil, no matter how many times you fall, even if you fall a thousand times, He will lift you up. He is not like people; people may become weary after many times and lose interest in helping us. But our Lord will never forsake you at any time. Because He is your God. Amen!
He is whom I rely on. We have a solid assurance to rely on, which is Jesus. Hallelujah! When you encounter problems or weaknesses, people may not always be able to help you. If they cannot help you, should you despair? No, you should turn back and seek the one who can truly help you, which is our Lord. Hallelujah!
The Lord means the God who makes a covenant with us. That is why David said, "The Lord says," the Lord of hosts says. He always uses the word "Lord." Many people often say God says, God says; actually, God can be understood as the Creator. This is correct, but there are many gods in the world. When mentioning the Lord, it represents the God who has made a covenant with me. David used the phrase "the Lord says, the Lord of hosts says," showing that David was very certain that He is my God! He is whom I can rely on. Amen.
Is it good to have powerful and influential people as friends? Yes. But what if they are unwilling to help you? Even if they are good, if they have no relationship with you, it is not good. But our God is different; He is the God who has made a covenant with you. His name is the Lord! Elohim. The Lord is whom you rely on; you can rely on Him. When you have problems, in times of trouble, weakness, or when you fall, you can rely on Him because there is a contract established between you and Him, which we call a covenant.
The Bible is divided into the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament records many covenants related to the Israelites, while the New Testament is related to you, and this covenant is established by the blood of Jesus, lasting forever! When you know that there is a covenant between you and the Father in heaven, He will be responsible for you. That is the one you can rely on; you can rely on Him at any time. Amen!
Do you remember the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15? At first, the prodigal son was arrogant and thought he was great, leaving his father. No matter the reason, we see the terrible outcome later, and he felt ashamed to go back to see the old man, to call him father, because what he did was too terrible. In the end, when he had no choice, he returned. When he saw his father, his father ran to him and embraced him. In the father's heart, he was always his son; it was just that this son waited until he had no other choice to seek his father.
I do not know how many Christians, in times of weakness and helplessness, say, "This is my fault; I have no face to see God, and I do not want to go to church because what I did was too terrible…" But in the end, when they really have no choice, they still harden their heads and go to church, and God still accepts them. Amen. This is our God, the one you can always rely on, who will never leave you. His name is the Lord, the God who has made a covenant with you, the solid assurance you rely on.
The first half of verse 3 says, "He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler."
This sentence implies that the person has already fallen into the snare, right? Brothers and sisters, people always think this place is better, this road looks new, and they want to take this road. With such curiosity, they often fall into the devil's snare. After falling in, He wants to save you. God did not say, "Before I save you, you must first do this or that…" These are human conditions. Our Lord has no other conditions; as long as He has made a covenant with you and you acknowledge Him as your Lord, He is willing to save you from the snare of the fowler. Hallelujah.
The second point of sharing: Victory through His Word.
John 17:14-17:
14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
This is Jesus praying to the Father before going to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He is about to die for all who believe in Him, including you. This is Jesus' prayer for you. If you say you do not know that Jesus is still praying for you, please read these one or two chapters of scripture. Jesus knows your weaknesses; He knows that one day you may not be able to overcome the devil's temptations and fall into his snare. He prays to the Father while also giving you hope and faith, so that you do not lose hope at any time. You can overcome through His Word.
Verse 14 says, "I have given them your word."
This is a great hope for us. God has given us His Word, not for us to worship the Bible as an object, but to let us overcome in the world through His Word. Amen. It is to let us have reliance in evil.
The world hates them; here, the world refers to the realm of the devil's power. The devil always hates those who belong to God because they do not belong to the world. We do not belong to the world; we belong to God. We are citizens of heaven. Amen.
Just as I am not of the world, Jesus came into the world knowing clearly that He was a sojourner. Jesus knew that once He finished His work, He would return. Therefore, in this short journey, He does not care about gains and losses in the world. Just like when we go on a trip, it is fine if the hotel is nice; an average one is also okay because that is not where we will live permanently. But you will design your home to be beautiful and comfortable because you will live there long-term, not in that temporary hotel room.
Jesus came into the world for a short journey; as long as He completed His mission, He would return. As for how the ruler of the world treats Him, He does not care. What He cares about is whether we can believe in Him. As long as we are willing to believe in Him and willing to obey His words, we can overcome through His Word. At the same time, Jesus has given us His Word. If we view the world through Jesus' eyes, we will not have so many worries and will not fall into the devil's temptations because we understand the outcome of everything.
The Bible has already told us the origin of the world, the end of the world, and what can happen in the world. What is there to worry about? It has also told you how to overcome. This is like watching a TV series; once you see the beginning and the end, when you watch the middle part, your heart will not be so tumultuous because you already know the ending!
We are in this stage of life where you will encounter many problems and setbacks. But remember, there is one who can help you. God will send various people to help you. One day, when the time in this world is up, God will take us back because you do not belong to this world. Keep this in your heart: you do not belong to this world. The devil wants you to stay in this world, to focus all your attention and everything on this world. Jesus tells you that you do not belong to this world; you should invest and strive for the future kingdom of heaven. Amen.
Many Christians, when they are weak or have problems, want to go back. I believe many people have prayed like this: "Lord, it is too painful in this world; I want to go back; I do not want to stay here." The Bible has such examples, and in reality, there are people who pray like this to God. But look at how our Jesus prays for us: "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one." This is what we need to pray for. Heavenly Father, please help me to be delivered from the evil one; please help me to be delivered from this environment. You can pray like this.
Many people pray, "Lord, take me away! I want to go back…" If our mission is not complete, what is the point of going back? On the other hand, if the mission is complete, you want to stay, and God will not keep you here. We are all people with missions. Hallelujah! So do not pray like this now, saying, "Lord, take me back." We should overcome through His Word! When you encounter problems, weaknesses, or even difficult environments, overcome through God's Word. Amen!
Verse 16 says, "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world."
This is something we must firmly remember. You do not belong to this world. It is quite normal for people in the world to attack you, misunderstand you, and the devil to ensnare you because you do not belong to them. Amen. Those who truly belong to the devil are loved by him.
Verse 17 says, "Sanctify them in the truth."
Sanctification does not mean no longer sinning; sanctification means being set apart. How can we be set apart? God has already set us apart from the world with the blood of Jesus. In our daily lives, how do we become sanctified? It is by remembering God's truth in any environment and living according to God's truth.
Your word is truth. This is why I always encourage everyone to read the Bible more and keep God's Word in their hearts so that when they encounter problems, they can rely on God's Word. Otherwise, we may not even know how to pray. Amen! Many people pray but are uncertain whether God has heard them. Some say, "Lord, you have heard me, but will it be fulfilled?" What is the reason? People do not understand God's will! You should believe that Jesus teaches us to pray, which means He is willing to hear our prayers and willing to fulfill them! Hallelujah! May our brothers and sisters use God's truth in their lives to overcome all circumstances.
2 Timothy 2:24-26:
24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may escape from the snare of the devil after being captured by him to do his will.
When we live in this world, misunderstandings and problems will inevitably arise between people. However, do not argue with others. This is something I have always emphasized: do not argue with others. If your voice is loud, it may scare others. Just because you raise your voice, does that mean others will fear you? That is only temporary and has no real effect. We should tell them the truth or act according to the truth. If others are unwilling to listen, there is no need to argue. Be kind to everyone; this is the example of Jesus.
You see, when Jesus lived on earth, He did not argue with others or loudly proclaim to prove that He was right. He held onto the truth, knowing that He had the truth in His heart. He was able to teach and patiently endure. When others do not understand us and we feel wronged, what should we do? We should endure patiently. Blessed are the patient, for this will build our character. Hallelujah! Therefore, delivering us from evil includes the need to wait for God to save us with a patient heart.
Correcting opponents with gentleness. We are not to argue with others just to feel good; we should gently admonish those who oppose us. This gentleness is a character trait, a fruit of the Spirit. Hallelujah!
When others see Jesus through you, many people will walk out of their troubles. God will give them a heart of repentance so they can understand the truth. Those who do not know Jesus are self-centered, but if we display the glory of Christ and live according to God's Word, we become examples of victory. Many people can turn their hearts around and understand the truth when they see the example of Christ. Amen.
To help them who have already been captured by the devil, brothers and sisters, we need to have this spiritual vision. If your spouse has not yet believed in Jesus and often speaks harshly, that is not their problem; it is that their heart has been captured by the devil, which is why they act this way. We should not hate that person; we should pray for them, in the name of the Lord Jesus, to destroy all the devil's work behind them so they can repent and understand the truth. Amen. This is a spiritual insight because people's actions are the fruit of what is inside them. If the heart is led by the Holy Spirit, the fruit will be the fruit of the Spirit. If the heart is led by lust, the fruit will be the fruit of lust.
Through Galatians 5, we can see that these two kinds of fruit are completely different. When people around you try to set traps, if we do not have spiritual insight, it is easy to fall into them. If your husband comes home drunk and curses at you, and you curse back, that is not the solution.
We should pray for him and, in the name of the Lord Jesus, rebuke the one who binds him. His heart can awaken, and he can escape from the devil's snare. These are all snares and temptations; only Jesus can save people from these evils. Amen. Some people are bound by alcohol, some by smoking, and some by other chaotic things. These are all snares. It is very difficult to save someone from a snare, but we can pray for them. Jesus can save them. Because the meaning of Jesus is to save His people from their sins. Amen.
Hebrews 13:5-9
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6 So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" 7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.
Victory through God's Word will prevent you from falling into the devil's snare. Some people do not understand this and still fall into the devil's snare, which is certainly related to selfish desires. Hebrews 13:5 begins by saying to be content with what you have. Jesus also told us to have a heart of contentment. Many people do not have a heart of contentment, so their selfish desires are drawn out. If we can see the blessings God gives us every day and be grateful for them, every day will be filled with joy and peace.
If God's blessing for us now is a 40-square-meter house, enjoy the joy of that 40-square-meter house. If a child is born, you can pray to the Lord, saying, "Our house is too small; grant me greater grace," and one day when you move into a 90-square-meter house, rejoice for that 90-square-meter house. Amen. This is called having a heart of contentment. In every stage, see God's grace and blessings upon us, and every day we can thank God for this. If there is greed, it becomes troublesome. When you are in a 40-square-meter house, you complain and are greedy, wanting a 90-square-meter house. When you have a 90-square-meter house, you may be greedy for a 200-square-meter house. When you have a 200-square-meter house, you may want a 600-square-meter house. The heart is never content, making it easy for the devil to set a trap for you to fall into.
Too many people fall into traps because of their love for money, wanting to get rich quickly and become wealthy overnight, and in the end, they fall into others' snares. Brothers and sisters, especially in this era, there are too many scammers. We truly hate scammers; this is a fact. Shouldn't we also be vigilant about ourselves? We need to have a heart of contentment. If you find a regular job, go to work with peace of mind. Enjoy the blessings God gives us. If you are in business, manage it according to biblical principles, do not be greedy, and God will support us step by step. There is no problem. Hallelujah!
If a person has greed, it is easy to fall into traps. What should we do? Many times, it is due to our own reasons, caused by greed. My family situation is so bad because of my greed. What should I do? Do not condemn yourself; call upon your Lord because the Lord has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." No matter the reason, if you fall into the devil's snare, please remember the words the Lord has spoken to you; He will not forsake you.
We hate scammers and pray that God will deal with them. In God's eyes, we are similar to those who deceive us; our hearts are the same (both are seeking quick profits). When a problem arises, what should we do? We pray: "Lord! I am willing to return to Your Word and live according to Your Word. Please save me from this evil! Save me from this debt, and teach me how to live according to Your Word."
After going through something, we should be vigilant and resolve to live according to God's Word from then on. We will overcome, and God will surely save you. Amen. As for past failures, let them go! Do not let them become part of your bondage, causing pressure in your life. Go lightly into battle, let Jesus lead us. Hallelujah!
So we can confidently say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" Do not misuse this verse. This refers to when we encounter persecution from others and feel afraid. At this time, we use God's promise: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" Many people misuse grace, borrowing money from others and not repaying it. When others ask for their money back, they say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can you do to me?" That is not right; this is clearly self-righteousness. God will not teach us to do things like this.
Verse 7 says, "Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith."
Look at those who live according to God's Word; they will not easily fall into the devil's snare because they live according to God's Word. Amen. You should imitate their faith. The Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Bible all had moments of weakness, but when they relied on God, they had faith, and their lives were different. Ultimately, their outcomes were good. God does not want us to lose hope; please do not lose heart or despair at any time.
Today, our topic is called: Deliver Us from Evil. Generally speaking, at this point, people are already in evil. You may have been troubled by something for a long time and prayed for a long time, and God seems not to have saved you yet. Please do not lose heart; it is time to stand up through God's Word because God has given you a promise: He will never leave you nor forsake you. The most terrifying thing is when people give up on themselves and no longer rely on God, living in their own way. That is truly frightening.
The most regrettable thing about Judas Iscariot is that he sinned but did not seek Jesus, thinking that Jesus could not save him or forgive his sins. So he ended his own life in his own way, which is the worst thing! Dear family, no matter how terrible your situation is now, please remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His love for you will not change. In evil, He will surely save you.
Do not ask why He has not saved you yet. Perhaps we have a lesson to learn here. Once we overcome this, we will never fall in this area again. Amen! When the time comes, God will surely lift us up. Hallelujah!
Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings. It is very clear what this refers to: the devil's traps, the devil's snares. When the devil tempted Eve, he also spoke strange teachings: "You will not surely die! For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Isn't that a strange teaching? What is a strange teaching? It is anything that does not align with God's Word. There are many strange teachings in the world; there is no need to focus on them. Amen.
Many people always ask me why someone said a bunch of things. Why did they say that? That is not important. What is important is why do you pay attention to them? Knowing clearly that what they said does not align with the Bible, why still pay attention to their teachings? Just block that person and their information! Do not ask me why they believe that way. You should focus on Jesus. Eve fell into temptation because she focused on the wrong thing.
If you always study how to avoid the fowler's snare, you will eventually fall into it. There is a saying: "If you walk by the river often, you will inevitably get your shoes wet." What does it mean? As long as you walk by the river, getting your shoes wet is inevitable. You may avoid this one, but you may not avoid the next one. Many things are hidden. What is the best way? Just do not walk by the river! Once you encounter teachings that differ from the Bible, do not discern their right or wrong. Just stop looking at them; do not pay attention to them anymore. Victory comes through God's Word. Amen. Hallelujah!
In the last days, all kinds of information are constantly flooding online. How can you have time to discern so much? As long as it does not align with the Bible, do not pay attention to that kind of information anymore. A heart strengthened by grace is good; focus your attention on the grace of Jesus Christ, and your heart will naturally be at peace and joyful. Amen.
Clearly, this person has hurt you, yet you still check what they post every day, wondering if their words are aimed at you. Isn't that asking for trouble? Brothers and sisters, our hearts need to rely on God's grace to be strengthened! Think more about how much Jesus loves you, what abundant grace He has prepared for you today, so that you can see His wonderful things in your work and family. You can expect this. We can pray to God, pray in tongues, and declare God's Word. How wonderful! Why focus on things that should not be focused on?
Those who are devoted to food have never benefited. This means that many times, some people's ideas sound great! But those are not things that will benefit you. Listening to one person say something great and another say something great; there are many good things in the world, but we should focus on the best, which is the grace of Jesus Christ! Amen!
Finally, let’s look at a passage of scripture, Revelation 21:5-7:
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new!" Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty, I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son."
Who is seated on the throne? Our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has made all things new. When He was crucified for our sins, He updated this covenant. If you believe He is trustworthy and true, believe that He can save you from evil, He will save you! Amen. He is the beginning; He is the end. If you feel thirsty, seek Jesus; He is willing to give you the water of life freely. Hallelujah! This is our hope; at any time, Jesus will not refuse anyone who comes to Him.
How blessed we are! Our Lord has already prayed for us in heaven. So at any time, when we fall into evil or are in trouble, we can call upon our God. He will not say He does not hear your prayer; He is willing to listen to your prayer and hopes that you can overcome in all circumstances through His Word. Because when you overcome, it not only reveals God's glory but, more importantly, you can inherit the inheritance of Christ. In whatever aspect you overcome, you will know how to receive God's blessings in that area, knowing that He is your God. Amen.
At the same time, understand that you are His beloved son. Hallelujah! May our brothers and sisters be able to overcome through the words of Christ more in their lives. Do not always find yourself in this situation: "Lord, save me from evil," and then tomorrow again, "Lord, please save me from evil!" You cannot keep falling into the same pit. We must overcome through the words of Christ!
Do not bring us into temptation; deliver us from evil. I would rather everyone not enter into temptation. How do we avoid entering temptation? By constantly thinking about Christ's words, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! His promises do not change; His words are always faithful, whether in this era or a hundred years from now. His words will not fail. I hope brothers and sisters take the words of the Bible as the standard for their lives. No matter how those around you live, we are determined to live according to God's words, and we will not enter into temptation. You will overcome and receive God's eternal rewards!
I hope brothers and sisters can all overcome through the words of Christ.
Let’s pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you! Thank you for not abandoning us. Even though many times it is because of our own reasons that we fall into evil and into the traps of the evil one, you have given us a promise to save us from evil! We cannot save ourselves, but you can save us. Help us to live according to the truth in our daily lives. We are a group of people set apart by you, willing to live a holy life.
Guide brothers and sisters with the truth. Every day, in work and life, let your words be the standard. Lead us to victory through your words. Experience your joy every day, experience your victorious power. Bless all the brothers and sisters who seek you, so that we can experience your joy this week. All glory be to you. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.