TUESDAY JULY 29, 2014.
'...Deliver
us from the evil one...' Matthew 6:13 NKJV
How Jesus Taught Us to Pray (4)
Jesus taught us to pray: 'Do not lead us into
temptation, but deliver us from the evil one...' Satan knows your areas of
weakness and he will exploit them. But there's good news. It's your weaknesses,
not your strengths, that draw you closer to God and make you lean on Him. Paul
wrote: '...I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ
may work through me.' (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT) At first this verse doesn't seem
to make sense. You want to be freed from your weaknesses, not boast about them.
But Paul gives you several reasons: (1) Your weakness prevents pride. Paul
writes: '...to keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a thorn in my flesh,
a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from getting proud...' (2
Corinthians 12:7 NLT) You'll often find a weakness attached to strength, acting
as a governor to keep you from becoming boastful or running ahead of God.
Gideon chose 32,000 men to fight the Midianites, but God reduced his numbers to
300 (Judges 7). Why? So that Israel would know it was God's power and not their
own that saved them. (2) Your weakness creates fellowship. Your struggles show
you how much you need the support of others. Vance Havner said, 'Christians,
like snowflakes, are frail, but when they stick together they can stop
traffic.' (3) Your weakness enables you to help others. It's the broken who
become masters at mending. Your most effective ministry can come out of your
most painful experiences. The things you're most reluctant to share are often
the very things God will use to help others.
Taken
from the Word for You Today Devotional
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