Charles Templeton was a famous preacher and peer of Billy Graham from the 1930s to the 1950s. He was smart, handsome, and famous, speaking to large crowds all across the country. Yet this man is an example of Hebrews 6:4-6, someone who tasted the heavenly gift, but eventually fell away and died denying Jesus Christ. What caused such an exemplary evangelist to abandon the very faith he proclaimed? Charles Templeton said he saw a picture of a baby dying in Africa and questioned how Almighty God could allow this to happen. This led him to doubt and leave Jesus. He is like so many others who come up with excuses or believe Satan’s lies in their unbelief.

In this passage we see Jesus performing miracles in front of a large crowd and there are a few kinds of reactions. This passage is connected to the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer. The miracles that Jesus is performing are by the power of the Holy Spirit who is the gift of the Father. Yet, they accuse Jesus saying He is not of the Holy Spirit but of Beelzebub. The miracles affirm that Jesus is the true Messiah, sent by God. Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 35:4-5. There is no denying He is the Messiah.

The crowds marveled. They were amazed and astonished at Jesus. Being marveled is not faith. Many people respect and admire Jesus, but they have no saving faith. However, marveling at Jesus is the first step to becoming a seeker of salvation. Jesus is marvelous so naturally many have marveled at Jesus. Moses marveled at the burning bush that didn’t burn and sought to know more about the cause of the marvelous sight. Nicodemus also sought Jesus in the night because of the signs that Jesus performed. Marveling at Jesus is not faith but those who have faith also marvel at Jesus.

If the crowds marveled, then why didn’t they believe? We could come up with lots of reasons. They were busy, they thought they had more time, they had other priorities, etc. Verses 15 and 16 provide insight into the crowd’s hesitation to believe and follow Christ.

“But some of them said” This refers to the Pharisees and scribes, the religious and social elite. They have lots of power in the culture and reflect the thinking of the crowds. These two groups represent today’s celebrities, experts, and mainstream media. They lied about Jesus and accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul (Satan). They accused Jesus of being satanic. Lies are powerful. They twist the truth and sound appealing. It is the same with heresies. They are not blatant and declare themselves a lie. They can be just a small deviation from the truth. The lie of the Pharisees was truly powerful because the crowd would believe it and accuse Jesus in the same way (John 10:20). Even now, people still believe the lie told at Jesus’ resurrection (Matthew 28:3-4,15). Instead of believing Jesus was the Messiah, they believed the lies of Satan.

A common lie circulating today is that the cross is only God’s love and not His wrath. There’s no way God the Father would punish Jesus. They call it child abuse. They disregard God’s justice and wrath. The cross is only a loving sacrifice. This lie makes no sense because how would our sins be propitiated and forgiven if not for Jesus suffering God’s wrath in our place. In fact, Jesus rejected a painkilling drink so that He might fully experience and fulfill the suffering needed to appease God’s wrath (Matthew 27:34). The gospel is not the true gospel without God’s wrath being poured out on the cross and God’s love enduring His own wrath in our place.

Many other lies circulate about Jesus that deceive the lost. They say ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ without ever defining love according to God’s word. Or they lie about the authorship and the authenticity of the Bible. They make up lies about the Bible so they don’t have to believe it. However, it is not the lie that causes their unbelief but because they don’t want to believe. The unregenerate loves the darkness rather than the light.

They also misunderstand sin and forgiveness. They claim “To err is man and to forgive is divine”. While true that man is a sinner and God forgives, however, it belittles sin’s seriousness and God’s hatred toward sin. God is not obligated to forgive. The Catholics claim that moral sin is only possible with awareness of sin. Ignorance is a free pass. But the Bible says all sin is wicked and deadly and the fruit of our sinful nature. We sin because we are sinners. We are born in sin and we die because of sin (Psalm 51:5, Roman 6:23).

Yes, we are sinners who deserve death and God’s wrath. Yet there is hope. Where sin abounds, grace abounds more (Romans 5:20-21). The law reveals our sin but where our sin is revealed, God’s grace is there to forgive us. Jesus died to forgive us our sins. If you believe in Jesus, then God’s grace is ready to forgive you.

People also lie about the gospel. They preach a partial gospel and leave out certain aspects of it such as sin, hell, or repentance. Other times they add to the gospel saying you must do this or that to be saved. We are not saved by obedience but by grace. We are saved by faith alone through grace alone for good works. Works don’t save you, God saves you. If you understand the full gospel then you will be changed. There is no such thing as a half-hearted Christian. Some believers may be weak, but they are always growing. The true Christian presses on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).

Are you still not believing? Then here is some encouragement. It is not too late. Seek Him today for today is the day of salvation. With God, it is possible to save the impossible. Even Apostle Paul was chosen and he tried to destroy the church. We are all sinners who hate God but by God’s grace, we can be saved and love Him. See how good God is. Do not believe the lies of Satan which lead you down a path of ritualistic religion or worldliness. Seek God’s grace and believe.

Earthly fathers are important figures for their families. One of the reasons a society might be broken is because of fatherlessness or fathers who are not fulfilling their God-given roles. For Christians, even though they might not have fathers who are present in their lives or fathers who are neglecting them, they have a heavenly Father who is present and answers prayers.

The Father gives believers prayer as a gift and weapon to navigate through this fallen world. Unceasing prayer, through the good and bad times, will certainly bring strength to the believer.

Earthly fathers also give to their children what they ask for out of their love for them. They are able to be faithful in giving because God is the one who grants fatherhood. And although earthly fathers are imperfect and lacking as sinners, they still know how to give good gifts to their children (v 13a).

Joseph Stalin is known as one of the most evil men to have existed in history. He was the most notorious leader of the Soviet Union from 1924 to 1953. He is responsible for killing over 6 million people. But even this kind of man loved his daughter and referred to her as his “Little Sparrow” and “Little Hostess”. He is known to have said he would immediately grant whatever she requested to him.

Knowing how earthly fathers are able to give good gifts even though they might be evil, Jesus says, “How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (v 13b)? God is good and ready and able to those who sincerely ask in prayer. Our heavenly Father is incomparable and unparalleled to our earthly fathers.

How can we know if we belong to the Heavenly Father? If we have confessed and repented of our sins and put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, we are adopted by the Father as his child (Rom. 8:14-16). And those that have denied themselves, take up their cross, follow him, and love him, the God dwells in our hearts (Jn. 14:23).

When God gives the Holy Spirit to us, one of the ways we know he dwells in us is the act of pruning so that we can bear more fruit (Jn. 15:1-2). The Spirit is involved in the believer’s life and he either blesses or disciplines out of his love for us. The God who gave up his only Son to save and love us, he is faithful to hear and answer our prayers.

Christians know who the Father is through faith and prayer. The Father hears our prayers and answers thoughtfully in his perfect time. Even though we might not understand in the moment of his answering, we are able to understand his love and will in retrospect by his grace and word. At the same time, God provides the best answer to our prayers. And what is more important than giving us the Holy Spirit?

To those who are saved, we are sure of God’s love through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Everything else is secondary.

“No Spirit, no resurrection. No Spirit, no new birth. No Spirit, no confession of the lordship of Jesus. No Spirit, no victory over sin. No Spirit, no progress in sanctification. No Spirit, no spiritual wisdom. No Spirit, no spiritual gifts, and no resurrection” (John Piper).

Believers must be encouraged through prayer knowing that we have the Holy Spirit in all circumstances. The Father is ready to give to those who pray because he has already given his best.

Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer because prayer works and the Father is ready to answer our prayers. We must not hesitate to pray unceasingly.

Venezuela has the most oil reserves in the world. However, unlike Saudi Arabia or other countries we associate with oil, they do not have a lot of wealth. Over 90% of the people in Venezuela live in poverty. Oil is considered black gold and although it has all that oil, it does not utilize it to improve the plight of their nation.

In a similar way, Christians are like Venezuela. Prayer is the greatest gift and asset we have from God. James 5:17-18 says Elijah was a man like us and when he prayed earnestly it did not rain for over 3 years. Prayer has the power to change the world, yet so few of us pray. We fail to realize how amazing it is that God avails himself to prayer.

We are privileged to have prayer. In Luke 11:9-10 what does Jesus our Lord want us to take away from His parable? The attitude we should have towards prayer. Normally we are down and we doubt if our prayers are heard or answered. The Lord requires a specific attitude that we must have before we pray. The prerequisite to prayer is to believe that prayer works. God hears and answers prayer! If we grasp this, then we can pray on. Even though we have prayed and tried, we must not let go of prayer because God truly does hear and answer. This must be our conviction otherwise prayer will fail. Remember that prayer is a privilege. This parable is telling us God wants us to be tenacious. He wants you to fight on. He wants you to keep pressing on in prayer no matter what happens. We pray until God’s will be done. Sometimes the answer might be delayed or not the answer we expected but God does answer for His glory and our good.

In life, we have many challenges. We constantly face formidable enemies on all sides. We deal with them in constant prayer. In Psalm 3:4, King David is running from his son Absolom. “I was calling to Yahweh with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain”. The verb tense is present tense, “was calling”, showing that David was constantly praying. This is how we deal with our enemies.

God works all around us and in us. Prayer works. That’s the prerequisite. That’s where we start with prayer. How do you know prayer works? Because Jesus said it. He is trustworthy. Jesus has credibility, and He never changes, so His words can be trusted forever. As God’s representative, Jesus says to you that God answers your prayers. He was not just any teacher. He is God incarnate, sinless, and perfect. His word even saves you (Romans 10:17). So our prayers stand on the words of Jesus, the God-man. He said, “knock and it will be opened to you”. This is His promise to answer prayer. In a world where so many people are untrustworthy, politicians, CEOs, and professors, God is not like them and is completely trustworthy. Whatever He says, it will be done, according to His will. Sometimes God’s answers will bring challenges and difficulties (Genesis 15:13-14) but if we have confidence in salvation then we must have confidence in prayer. We pray because we are saved. It is silly to believe in Jesus’ words of salvation and doubt His words in prayer.

Another takeaway is to pray unceasingly. Prayer is like breathing. Jesus prayed continually through His life and ministry on earth. Consider how powerful Jesus is. He is almighty sovereign God (John 2:19, Colossians 1:16-17). He is the Creator. Nothing happens in this universe without his permission. Every breath we take is allowed by His sovereignty. Jesus promised He would answer when we seek Him. John 15:7 Does this verse excite you and draw you to prayer based on the promise made? Ask and it will be done for you. King David is an example of praying according to Jesus’ promise. David had sinned severely and knew his child was born out of wedlock. (2 Samuel 12:15-16). Yet David prayed boldly for his son because God is full of mercy and grace. We can always go to the Lord because of His promise and power.

However in reality we know we hear many no’s from God. Life can be like that. We only remember the no’s so we get discouraged and disheartened. Or we ask why our prayers are not effective even though God commands us to pray. James 4:2 says you do not have because you do not ask. This shows we do not truly pray faithfully. Prayer is not going up to a vending machine, it is communion with God. Relationships take time and investment. A quick meal prayer or random cries do not constitute a relationship with God. The purpose of prayer is to know God. Knowing God requires your time and persistence. So hear Jesus when He says to keep praying.

We also pray with wrong motives. Sometimes God answers prayers with wrong motives for His glory such as when Moses struck the rock instead of speaking and water still came out. However, God says there are hindrances to prayer. For example, God does not answer the prayers of an unforgiving spirit (Matthew 6:15, Matthew 27:46). As a believer it is unacceptable and tragic to hold an unforgiving spirit. How can we who are forgiven so wonderfully hold on to wrongs against us and use our hurt as an excuse. Shame on you if you live in that past. God desires you to forgive others before coming before Him (Mark 11:25-26, Matthew 5:23-24).

Therefore Habitually repent and habitually forgive. This opens the channels that have been clogged. The stream of prayer can flow with repentance and forgiving others. Prayer will be your hope and confidence in both good times and bad. Prayer is the promise of God. May we taste the goodness of God now on earth through prayer.

Jesus is the source and author of all prayers. He is the one who answers. In the Lord’s Prayer (vv. 1-4), Jesus showed us how to pray. Then, Jesus begins to show us how we can apply prayer in our lives beginning in verse 5. Through prayer, he shows the importance of prayer and why we ought to pray in his name. He exemplified a prayerful life as he always sought every opportunity to be in prayer and put himself in the hands of God. He practiced his faith by trusting in the Father’s power to answer his prayer. Praying in his name is to pray according to the Father’s will and Jesus desired so in his prayers. Failing to learn what prayer is from Jesus, we will not know experience what prayer truly is and the power of it.

Prayer is a command and edict. Prayer begins at every believer’s conversion and God mandates a prayerful life. We are called to pray without ceasing. Praying without ceasing is a life of constant prayer. So, prayerlessness is a life that is not demonstrated by constant prayer. Jesus shows us three different ways Christians ought to pray. The three ways are to ask, seek, and knock.

Asking generally means to pray. But it can imply that someone inferior would ask another who might be superior. The word ask implies humility. It is often illustrated by the Christian who kneels and sincerely prays. In the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector, we see Jesus saying those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but those who are humble will be exalted.

Seeking involves asking combined with actively looking around for God’s answer. Even though God will answer regardless of our actions or inaction following our asking, God calls us to seek him and ways to grow in our holiness and give him glory. For example, after praying for the lost to be saved, we are to seek out the lost and share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Knocking includes asking, seeking, and persevering. This is the most intense form of prayer. It is with a determined spirit that we pray even through difficulty. This kind of prayer is always hand in hand with faith. In other words, prayerlessness is faithlessness.

As Jesus commands us to pray, prayer then becomes the chief means of obedience. The Christian’s desire to glorify God and grow in sanctification will lead them to a growing prayer life.

We obey God in prayer because the Holy Spirit dwells in us and thereby enables us after our conversion as the Apostle Paul also did (Acts 9:11). Becoming born of God leads us to stop loving the world and begin to live a prayer-filled life.

Prayer is more than merely asking for things because as adopted children of God, we are to love the Lord and seek him to be more like Jesus Christ. As part of being more like the Lord, we are to unceasingly pray. The Lord is not asking us to pray. For those who are genuinely saved, we know we ought to pray because our spiritual life depends on it.

Jesus is the greatest teacher that ever lived. A good teacher will not only teach the theory but will also show how to apply that knowledge to their lives. One of the ways did this was through parables. After teaching the Lord’s Prayer which taught us what to pray, Jesus wants to demonstrate the importance of prayer in our lives. Jesus wants to share that prayer is not about the technical skills or the format but all about your heart. In short, prayer is not a ritual.

Just the fact that Jesus prays should stimulate our faith. Jesus’ praying challenges all of us to pray. For if the Son of God prayed then we must also pray. But it is also encouraging because Jesus was not above prayer and used prayer. Prayer was Jesus’ means of learning obedience (Hebrews 5:7-8). Unfortunately, we have so many reasons to not pray, due to our busyness, which ultimately becomes our excuse for disobeying. Little prayer is little obedience. Remember, we are born again to pray, we are born again to obey.

How does God view our prayers? God receives our prayer as worship. Worship is the central desire God has for his people. Moses confronted Pharaoh so that the Israelites could worship the Lord freely. In heaven, God gathers our prayers in golden bowls (Revelation 5:8). How amazing prayer is. So ask yourself, how full is your bowl in heaven? Prayer also brings us close to the Holy Spirit. We are too weak to pray and our prayers are poor, which is why the Holy Spirit is constantly present to aid us in our prayer (Romans 8:26). In Isaiah 38:1-5, when Hezekiah heard from God that he would die, he began to pray. God heard Hezekiah’s prayer and saw his tears. Again it’s amazing that God hears our prayers. He is such a loving Father.

To continue teaching on prayer, Jesus begins speaking in a parable. A parable is a story that is presented alongside a truth in order to illustrate and aid the point of that truth. It is an earthly story with a heavenly truth. The purpose of this parable is the necessity of prayer. By prayer, the disciples would sustain their spiritual lives. They learn that prayer is one of the greatest gifts of salvation. Prayer and salvation are two oars rowing a boat where both are needed to go forward. This parable is the application of the Lord’s teaching of prayer.

“Which of you has a friend” or neighbor. We all have a friend or neighbor. This is the common ground to bring the truth into our own lives.

The parable sets the time “at midnight”. Remember, this is ancient Israel, when nothing is open and everyone is sleeping once it gets dark. At midnight, we go to our neighbor and ask for three loaves of bread.

The reason for this request is because another friend has visited at that hour and you have nothing to eat. The friend might have been late due to various reasons such as weather or other hardships. Of course, that friend would be hungry after such a late running journey. During Jesus’ day, hospitality was a very important part of their culture (Hebrews 13:2). It was a shame to fail in hospitality. So the neighbor is asked despite the late hour.

Naturally, there would be a problem asking for food from the neighbor’s friend. The neighbor says “Do not bother me” and is unwilling to get up. They are most likely very tired and probably have to be up early in the morning. Also, the door is shut. Back then, there was only one room in the house with one door, and opening the door would wake up everyone including the children. Anyone with kids knows how troublesome it is to have children wake up in the middle of the night. Ultimately the friend is unwilling and unable to get out of bed to give some food.

At this point we might ask, does God really answer prayers? Based on the friend’s response, it doesn’t seem like God is willing to answer our prayers. Yes, of course, God answers prayers! He even answered the prayers of one of the worst kings in Israel’s history (2 Chronicles 33:12-13). The Bible is full of examples of God answering prayers. The prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (James 5:16-18). God hears every prayer and answers (Luke 1:13) because he is our Father. If you understand God is your heavenly Father then prayer makes a lot of sense and becomes your comfortable practice.

“I tell you” is a significant phrase from Jesus. It is used multiple times in His teachings before revealing an important truth. He is now going to make the key point of the parable. “Even though he will not arise and give him anything because he is his friend”. The friend will not get up because he is a friend. Instead, “because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.”

This parable is popularly applied as persistence in prayer, to never give up on prayer. Persistence is important and it is emphasized in Luke 18:5 by the parable of the widow and the judge. However, based on the context of hospitality, we must understand the position of the host and the neighbor. It is shameful to fail in hospitality. The host has shame for not being able to provide bread because he didn’t have any, but the neighbor would face greater shame because he failed to be hospitable to his friend. The word persistence is rooted in shamelessness, continuing without shame. Not because he’s a friend but because he will not be shamed by the friend’s persistence, will the friend get up and give bread. In other words, God will not be shamed. There can be no slander against God’s name for God upholds His name to the highest.

Take for example the people of Israel, who were waiting for Moses to return from the top of Mt. Sinai. When Moses delayed, they rebelled against God and built a golden calf which they worshipped. They claimed it was the calf who saved them from Egypt. This insult to God and blaspheming of His name caused God’s anger to burn and He was about to consume them (Exodus 32:9-10). However, Moses pleaded with the Lord, saying if God were to destroy the Israelites His name would also be slandered among the Egyptians (Exodus 32:11-12). So the Israelites were shown mercy.

God loves His name. God will not be embarrassed of His name. This is why God must answer your prayer. He preserves His name. God doesn’t answer your prayer because of your friendship or your good works or because He owes you anything, but for His name’s sake. Don’t misunderstand Jesus’ point as leverage in prayer. The point is that through prayer, which is worship, God will be glorified as He answers.

So how did this understanding of prayer impact the disciples? Whatever happened, they prayed first. Like David who prayed shamelessly for his baby who was born from an affair. Even though David was wrong, he prayed to God, because He knows God hears our prayers. Also, prayer is the best gift for the believer. Just because God has not answered your prayers doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pray. Think of how many prayers God has answered. Peter was thrown into prison and surrounded by guards. There was no hope for his escape. In Acts 12:5, “So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church of God”. There is always hope in prayer. Remember the gospel which has brought hope to the hopeless. It is never too late and it is never impossible for God. That is why we pray and why God answers.

God helps us through life’s trials and is through life’s adversity that we are able to grow and give him glory.

Whether Christian or not, we face either temptations or trials. This was one of the curses of the Fall after Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were kicked out of the Garden (Gen. 3:18). Temptation and trial are a normal human experience. But the difference between the two is the source is different.

Temptation never comes from God because he never tempts anyone. God is full of loving kindness and is also patient and gracious. Temptation comes from Satan and our sinful nature. Temptation always leads us to sin.

However, trials do not lead to sin and lead us to glorify God (1 Pet. 4:16). God also uses trials to confirm if we will love and obey him (Deut. 8:2). This is not to say God does not know whether he loves him or not but he wants to grow our faith as we continue to obey him as we face many trials in this life. This is seen throughout Scripture as one after another faithful believer is put through trials to glorify God and increase their faith.

The character of a person ultimately manifests who we are. The Christian’s character reveals who Christ is. We grow in our character through various trials (Is. 48:10). Job exemplifies what it means to be a man of God. God was unsatisfied even though Job was blameless and upright because Job still had room to grow (Job 23:10).

“The only thing that walks back from the tomb with the mourners and refuses to be buried is the character. What a man is, survives him. It can never be buried” (J.C. Ryle).

God wants to prevent believers from being asleep but rather to grow passionate as we face trials. Often times Christians forget how we were saved and become ungrateful by taking God for granted. We tend to depart from our first love. We tend to go from loving to becoming mechanical. Even reading the Bible does not seem to stir excitement or passion for the Lord. In other words, the believer has lost their salt and flavor. So, God must act through love and discipline (Heb. 12:6). Discipline is done to restore the Christian through repentance.

God desires the Christian to experience victory through trials. God wants us to stand firm. When was the last time we overcame a trial by prayer and faith? Overcoming our trials is not easy (Hab. 1:2), but we are to still exalt in the Lord and rejoice in the God of our salvation for he is our strength (Hab. 3:17-19). Overcoming trials helps us to hate sin and grow in our love for Christ. God gives us a deeper understanding of our own sinfulness and the things which we need to be healed.

God’s trials provide us a chance to examine ourselves. Rather than dismissing trials that occur, we must seize the opportunity to gain insight into ourselves to grow. Instead of pointing the finger at others, we look at ourselves to lead us to repentance and maturity.

God’s trials lead us to be useful for his work and serve him faithfully. We all have different gifts that God gives to be used for his kingdom. Sometimes, we go through suffering to glorify God. Joseph went through suffering caused by his brothers when sold into slavery. But what his brothers meant for evil, God meant for good for his people.

God’s trials make heaven that much sweeter. God allows us to go through trials in this life to compare how much more sweet and glorious it is to be with God in heaven for eternity (Rom. 8:18).

More specifically, Christians suffer and go through trials because it is every believer’s calling. Jesus said we are called to suffer because it is our vocation. The Apostle Peter also wrote not to be surprised if we go through suffering as Christ did and overcame it. The Apostle Paul also wrote that he knows Christ through suffering (Phil. 3:10). Moreover, as Christians want to be more godly and holy in Christ, we will be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12). Transformation of the heart by the gospel of Christ leads us to be more like our God and also inspired others to become like them. Therefore, when declaring the gospel of Christ to others we will face persecution and some coming to faith as we did by God’s grace.

Two important questions to ask ourselves:

1. Can God really be trusted as we go through trials?
   • God is hungry for his glory and thereby he does only what is righteous. We must see through the eyes of faith through trials, not emotion or circumstances. Trust in God leads us to put our faith at the forefront for he is good.
2. Does God really love us in suffering?
   • Romans 5:8. God never stops loving us.
   • Romans 8:32. God did not even spare his own Son. There is no way we can doubt his love through our suffering.

How do we handle and go through our suffering well?

• Prayer.
  • Prayer must not be ritualistic but communal. God is omniscient and omnipotent.
  • Isaiah 37:15, 36
• Increase knowledge of God.
  • We often fall in our trials because we depend on our own will rather than submitting to God’s will (Rom. 12:2).
  • Reading, studying, and meditating on the Word will increase our knowledge of God and also lead to increased love and obedience.

Without the Bible, we cannot handle our temptations or overcome our trials.

“It’s not enough to have a Bible; it’s not enough to own a Bible; it’s not enough to have some general notions about what’s in the Bible. When Satan comes at you, you need to know the specific truth of Scripture that counters that temptation, or you will be a victim because he’ll strike you in your ignorance” (John MacArthur).

Life is full of uncertainties. It can be like walking through a minefield, we never know when we might step on something dangerous. In Pilgrim’s Progress, we see Christians encounter so many obstacles and dangers and eventually face death. Jesus is aware of the dangers/temptations that every believer faces so He adds a petition to the prayer. “Lead us not into temptation”.

The immediate context of this request is forgiveness; the Father’s forgiveness to us and our forgiving others. The Father’s forgiveness is our justification. After justification comes sanctification, a holy life. Though we are fully forgiven, we face temptation every day until our glorification. It is our sobering and unavoidable reality. Temptations can lead to backsliding if we fail to be faithful, but it can also lead to our growth and maturity if overcome with obedience.

We pray because we must be protected spiritually. The Christian is sent into the world to be persecuted and tempted. We need God’s protection against the dangers of sin and satan. Temptation leads to worldliness, a departure from holiness, which displeases God. Therefore we must pray lest we fall into backsliding. What is backsliding? Backsliding is moving away from Christ instead of moving towards Christ. It was reverting back to one’s old self when they previously showed commitment. Tragically, most of the American church is backsliding and in need of prayer.

We must understand that temptation itself is not a sin. In this fallen world, we are constantly being tempted and tested. However, all allowed of them are in God’s sovereignty (Ruth 1:20-21). Though we are tempted, God never tempts anyone (James 1:13). He is not the tempter, Satan is with his twisting of God’s word and appeal to our flesh. To overcome these temptations and to endure the trials we must hold on to the fact that God is good.

When we know God’s goodness we will not be deceived by temptation and grow through trials. What’s a trial versus temptation? In Genesis 3, Satan offers the fruit to Eve. He tempted Adam and Eve with deceiving words and ultimately they made their choice by falling into the temptation. A trial is different because God allows you to be tested (2 Corinthians 12:7). God doesn’t cause it but allows for your growth and sanctification (2 Corinthians 12:10).

What is temptation like?

• Temptation is constant. There is no rest from temptation. It is there from the moment you wake up (1 Peter 5:8). While constant, it can be overcome. Jesus faced the greatest temptation and trials from Satan and in his humanity he overcame it (Luke 4:13).
• No one is free from temptation.
• Temptation is not the same as sin. Temptation is bait, but if we take that bite and bite the hook, then we are caught in sin.
• Temptation requires deliverance while sin requires forgiveness – Kevin D. Young
• Temptation is dangerous because it is like a small ember. We don’t realize a small spark can lead to a great fire.

How does temptation lead to sin? James 1:14-15 says “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully matured, it brings forth death.” An example of when this happened is when David first saw Bathsheba from the rooftop. King David had the right to stand on his roof and overlook his kingdom. However when he saw her, he was tempted and by allowing it to conceive, that temptation led to adultery and murder and much of David’s misery (2 Samuel 11:2,4).

How to avoid and defeat temptation?

1. Pray. The answer is plainly given by Jesus. We cannot avoid temptation. But through prayer, we can be on the alert and protected in Jesus Christ who has overcome the world (John 16:33, Matthew 26:41). Jesus also overcame His temptations through prayer (Luke 22:42). Jesus prayed not because He was God’s Son but because He was human. He knew the secret of prayer as a man. Again, we see Jesus pray for Simon Peter, therefore Peter was able to overcome and repent (Luke 22:31-32). This is the power of intercession prayer for one another. We must pray for one another because often we are too prideful to pray for ourselves (Luke 22:33). Jesus prayed and we must also completely depend on prayer.
2. Trust in God’s word because it is sufficient to deal with various temptations. The doctrine of the sufficiency of scripture maintains that the Bible is all we need to equip us in life and death. Sola Scriptura states that Scripture alone is authoritative for the faith and practice of the Christian (James White). So the Bible is enough and only the Bible is God’s word. It is not enough to know God’s word, but we must know and love God’s word, and trust in God’s word. Trusting in God’s word is powerful! It is God’s promise to us and God’s word never fails (Matthew 26:54).

Conclusion

Jesus sent the disciples out to proclaim the gospel without any material support (Luke 10:4). The temptation to just take a little something would have been strong. How could they hope to fulfill their mission without food, money, or comforts? But that is the secret of temptation. When we are tempted the most, it is also the greatest opportunity for God’s blessing and victory (Luke 10:17). Instead of failure, they subjected demons and spread the gospel. All because they had complete dependence on God. And they lacked nothing (Luke 22:35). So whenever you are tempted, pray and obey His word, and the Lord will work according to His promise.

Scripture says forgiving means believing. The significance of our forgiveness causes the Christian to be unashamed in the presence of the holy God because Jesus has forgiven us. Biblical forgiveness cannot be separated from Christ’s death and resurrection and his ongoing intercession of all those who put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Biblical forgiveness is possible for Christians because they have been forgiven by God. This is an ongoing reality in the lives of every believer. Jesus and other Christians have exemplified a forgiving lifestyle demonstrated in Scripture. God’s forgiveness is real and not theoretical. So, the ability to forgive others after being forgiven by Jesus is a reality. And forgiveness is possible in all circumstances as Jesus faced the worst kinds of situations and people but still practiced forgiveness.

Biblical forgiveness does not always begets a fair result. To forgive implies yielding a little bit rather than getting even with the other party. Forgiveness is mercifully unfair. If God wanted to be fair, he would not have sacrificed his one and only Son. Forgiveness is more often than not

Biblical forgiveness is debt canceling. When someone offends you, you cancel their offenses and send them away. Understanding God’s grace enables us to grasp the heavy weight of sin, which will in turn allow us to cancel the sin of others committed against us. In other words, without truly comprehending the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are unable to understand God’s forgiveness. Lack of forgiveness is a gospel illiteracy problem. But self-understanding of the gospel leads us to cancel the debts of others as our debt has been forgiven. “Until sin is bitter, Christ will not be sweet” (Thomas Watson).

Biblical forgiveness is God’s direct commandment. It is a biblical mandate to forgive if you belong to Christ. Unwillingness to forgive others is a sign that they are not part of God’s kingdom. “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). Forgiveness is not easy because it is costly. But lack of forgiveness and judgment of others is more costly.

Biblical forgiveness is faithfulness. When Christians are faithful to the Lord they completely trust in him. Even when they are offended by others, forgiveness is possible because they trust in God’s providence (Gen. 50:19-20). If there’s a lack of trust in the Lord, we will attempt to find any reason or excuse to take vengeance on the offender. But when the providential God is trusted, then we are always ready to ready in any circumstance. Hesitating or delaying forgiveness only allows Satan to intervene. Not only should we quickly forgive but also forgive continually (Matt. 18:21-22).

How can we improve our forgiveness?

• Consider not overlooking the matter. Everyone is imperfect and even sin is often times a mistake rather than intentional ill-will (1 Pet. 4:8; Prov. 19:11). However, Confronting the offender is sometimes necessary when there is no sign of repentance or it is damaging others (Matt. 18:15-17).
• Judge our own hearts before we find sin in others. Am I being proud or hypocritical? It is wise to put ourselves in their shoes and self-examine ourselves before addressing others. God’s glory is the objective.
• Removing our bitterness is crucial (Eph. 4:31-32). Bitterness takes root in us when we are not quick to forgive. Bitterness can also lead to resentment because there is a lack of forgiveness.

Growth in forgiving others is strengthened by prayer and having the mind set on the hope of Christ. The pursuit of sanctification results in the growth of forgiving speedily, frequently, and constantly as our God has and continues to do so in the life of every Christian. The forgiven always forgives.

Only Christians have experienced a forgiveness that is deeper than the Pacific Ocean. Our God is forgiving and as we understand and experience forgiveness more closely then we confirm His greatness and we are ready to forgive others. If we do not practice forgiveness then it shows that we are not forgiven. We are born in sin and have committed countless sins. We desperately need forgiveness and we have it. By our forgiveness from God, we forgive others.

In a way, forgiveness is related to discipleship. God’s will is for discipleship. Jesus discipled the apostles. The apostles discipled others. As we are discipled, we then disciple others. As God forgives us, we are also called to forgive others. This is a transfer of the role of forgiver onto us. We apply God’s forgiveness to those around us.

It must be pointed out that forgiving others is not a condition for God’s forgiveness to us. God is the source of forgiveness. However, forgiveness is hard. Even in our church, we’ve had people hold grudges for over 10 years. Many people never forgive in some cases no matter how much time has passed. Forgiveness is not easy.

Forgiveness is not a condition but an aspiration. It is a desire to be like our Father (Psalm 42:1). We aspire to mirror the kindness and grace of God. So when others apologize we are ready to forgive. Love is a close cousin of forgiveness, meaning to love someone, we must forgive them. We love our neighbor as ourselves and one way we show love is through forgiveness (Luke 10:27).

So why do people fail to forgive? This is because forgiveness is only possible by those who are forgiven by God. You cannot consider yourself as a small sinner needing only a little forgiveness, or else you will fail to forgive others. How can we be like Stephen who prayed for the forgiveness of his murderers? He knew who he was, how he used to be like his persecutors, and how he was also forgiven by God. We are all sinners, just like the worst, deserving God’s judgment and death. It was our sins that nailed Jesus to the cross. We still sin every day. Praise the Lord for His continual forgiveness, so we can continually forgive others.

‘For We ourselves’. For is a continuation of God’s forgiveness. ‘We ourselves’ means the Christians, the children of God, the church, the forgiven.

In reality and practice, it is hard to forgive and forget as God does. We try to forgive but when things happen again the old feelings come up again. In order to practice forgiveness we must know what forgiveness is and is not.

• Forgiveness without God’s aid is impossible. Forgiveness is supernatural. It cannot be accomplished through human effort or means. Without Christ we cannot forgive (John 15:5). How can we forgive our enemies? We need a close relationship with Jesus to have the power to do so.
• Forgiveness is not reconciliation. People mistake that in order to forgive there has to be a restoration of the relationship, that things go back to as they once were. But if that is the standard, then many people say they are not ready and as a result delay pursuing forgiveness. However, forgiveness is the root and reconciliation is the flower. Put another way, forgiveness is one-sided while reconciliation is mutual. A Christian forgives whether the other party has repented or not, changed or not, and will reconcile or not.
• Forgiveness is not a feeling but an act of will. Hebrews says without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Witness the cross where Jesus cried out to His Father, and in order to forgive us, God remained silent. Instead of acting emotionally in that moment, God acted according to His will.
• Forgiving is costly but unforgiving is also costly. Can we afford to not forgive?
• Forgiveness is not condoning wrongdoing. Grandparents are often less strict and less punishing of their grandchildren. That is not forgiveness. Instead, forgiveness is speaking truth in love. We must speak out about what is right and wrong.
• Forgiveness does not overlook the guilt of the offender. Instead, it transfers the guilt onto the hook of God. This is why we have church discipline (Mt 18:17). The goal of the church court is not punishment but to point out sin and have them repent so that they might be forgiven. (Romans 12:19)
• Forgiveness is not being weak-willed. Society can see forgiveness as weakness and cowardice which can be taken advantage of. However, Christians are gentle on the outside but we are strong on the inside. (1 Samuel 17:45)
• Forgiveness is not fairness. Man’s fairness is subjective and imperfect (Matthew 7:3). True fairness is before God and we should not pursue it because it does not end favorably for us (Matthew 18:28,32). Forgiveness is unfair because our own sin against God was so immense but erased. Therefore, remember how much of your sin was forgiven before pursuing fairness. Remember how Jesus treats us, not with fairness but with forgiveness.

What is forgiveness?

• Forgiveness is letting go of revenge even if we have the right.
• Forgiveness is the cancellation of the debt of sin. It is a complete sending away.
• Forgiveness is beneficial to both the offender and the offended. It is a blessing for all involved. God’s forgiveness is fresh and new every morning so we can continue to forgive others.
• Forgiveness is letting go of resentments and rights. When offended, bitterness is the first thing to rise in our hearts. If we let bitterness remain it will result in greater sin. Cain allowed bitterness in his heart and murdered his brother. Also if we claim the right over our offender then we take the place of the judge. Only God is the judge. We must let bitterness and judgments go.

Peter had betrayed Jesus by denying him three times. Yet Jesus looked at Peter with love and compassion. (Luke 22:61) Jesus’ look was not a scowl but of compassion. He forgave Peter at that moment. Because of Jesus’ forgiveness, Peter wept and repented. We have also sinned against Jesus. Like Peter, we have also been forgiven. God’s forgiveness is humongous. There is no end to His forgiveness towards us. Therefore, we also forgive others.

The Christian’s new relationship with God changes his position before God. God the Judge becomes God the Father. In today’s text, Pastor Paul continues to expand on verse 4 and how believers experience God as Father in their transformed relationship by the saving work of the Holy Spirit.

If God had forgiven us of our sins at our conversion, why is Jesus teaching us to continue asking for forgiveness? At conversion, our original sin from Adam was forgiven. And even though we’ve been saved, why do Christians still sin?

Christians sin because they are forgiven sinners. Sin will remain until glory. And when a believer sins in this life, God may discipline but they will not be led to death or punished for it. This is the difference between the saved and unsaved.

Christians cannot practice sin or habitually sin. For example, an adulterer claims to be saved but continues to live as an adulterer after their supposed transformation (1 Jn. 3:6). Even though the Bible never states that believers are sinless until they’re in heaven, their love toward sin changes to hatred for sin as God hates sin. In other words, everyone is enslaved to sin but salvation produces freedom from the slavery of sin.

The reason why Christians might disobey and be in sin is because they are not abiding in Christ. When they are apart from the Lord, sin will be present. Sin must be taken seriously but believers must also remember that their salvation is secured and assured in the Holy Spirit. Despite the sins that Christians commit, the Father identifies the believer with Jesus Christ. The Father sees the righteousness of Christ clothing the believer being justified in him. Therefore, committing sin as a believer does not disqualify them from salvation and eternal life.

Sin was the lifestyle before faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but a confession of sin and ongoing sanctification becomes the new lifestyle post-faith in Christ. Christian, be encouraged also that when we do fall into the temptation to sin, Jesus is our Advocate and will point to his finished work on the cross because our sins have been charged to his account and paid in full.

God’s forgiveness is loving and complete. The Christian’s life is a life of repentance and this is not to be ashamed of. Rather, it is a way to meet the Lord and experience his grace and mercy.

Confession leads to forgiveness. God is ready to forgive those who come before him with sincere hearts to confess and repent of their sins. God’s grace abounds more than our sins. So, confess daily and this becomes the mark of a true Christian!

Confession brings God’s sure blessings. When God forgives, he forgives and blesses us with more than we deserve.

Confession increases our confidence before God. The power of genuine confession allows God to demonstrate his abundant grace and rich mercy. It doesn’t matter what the sin is.

Confession empowers you to overcome the power of sin. Confession invites God into your life and his Spirit helps you to fight and overcome any sin.

Those who are forgiven much will love and forgive others much. In contrast, those who are forgiven little will forgive others little. The best gift a Christian is given is the ability to forgive others. Our God is a forgiving Father; therefore, we, too, must be characterized by a forgiving heart.

”The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.“ ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭23