Jesus concluded His model prayer by inviting us to say: “And do not let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Temptation is an invitation to break God’s laws and to sever the bridge of friendship with the Creator. Of course, temptation never tells us this. It only presents us with an attractive and self-centered option to satisfy our need for recognition.

Temptation appeals to our carnal desires, to our longing for self-righteousness, and to the frustrations we secretly carry.

It’s no coincidence that in this phrase, Jesus links temptation with evil. Facing temptation doesn’t necessarily mean sinning; but when temptation leads to sin, a window immediately opens for evil to enter our life and family.

The enemy of our souls seeks to destroy humanity, and if he can’t come in through the main door, he’ll look for the windows we open when we give in to temptation.

Jesus said, “Watch and pray so that you do not fall into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). It’s not enough to simply have a good relationship with God. “Watching” means recognizing what our areas of weakness are and identifying our repetitive sins. It’s likely that this is where our next temptation will come from.