When You’re Tempted, God Wants to Help By Rick Warren
“Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”Psalm 50:15 (NIV)
The Bible tells us that God is ready to help. He tells us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” Matthew 6:13 (ESV). That is the prayer of deliverance. You ask God for help.
The prayer of deliverance is often just one word: “Help!” It doesn’t have to be “Our gracious heavenly Father . . .” No. When you need quick deliverance from a temptation, you can do a microwave prayer: “Help! Keep my eyes straight. I don’t like this person. I don’t like the way she treats me, and I’m going to see her today. Oh, God! You’ve got to help me! I really need your help today, because everything in me just wants to avoid her!”
The Bible is full of examples of people who’ve prayed for deliverance, such as David, Daniel, Peter, and Paul. God provides assistance for anybody who asks.
Why can you expect God to help you when you pray the prayer of deliverance? Because God has promised it. Psalm 50:15 says, “Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me” (NIV). God says you don’t have to have a long conversation. You can just say, “Help! Mayday! God, I’m facing something now that willpower won’t get me through.”
God is sympathetic to your situation. He knows everything that’s going on in your life. He knows how irritated you get when you’re around certain people. He knows the things that tempt you. In fact, look at this verse: “[Jesus] . . . understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:15-16 NLT).
Notice it says, “Jesus understands.” Why is he sympathetic? Because he faced the same temptations.
You say, “Wait a minute. Are you saying Jesus was tempted to get angry?” Yes, I am. “You’re telling me Jesus was tempted to have self-pity?” Yes. The Bible says he was tempted in all the ways we are, yet he did not sin. That’s the difference. He never gave in.
Like us, he had the freedom to choose, but unlike us, he never sinned. What does that mean? It means he can help you overcome temptation. These verses say, “Come boldly to . . . God.” Say to God, “I need your help!”
God isn’t impatient or annoyed with you when you’re tempted. He won’t scold you. Remember it’s not a sin to be tempted. Instead, he says, “I’m here to help.” Will you cry out to him for that help?
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