Matthew 6:13   Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  

Jesus teaches us to pray for deliverance from evil, because He knows we are prone, in our humanness, to temptation and the allure of evil.  In our natural state, we are tempted to be selfish, unforgiving, misled and discontent.  However, in our spiritual state, awakened by God’s Spirit in us, we pray the Lord’s Prayer, and we are delivered from ourselves and the sins that entice us;  our souls are delivered into His kingdom come of godliness, forgiveness, truth and joy. We need to pray for God’s Spirit to bring His kingdom come into our hearts so we are not tempted by evil but delivered into His holiness and grace.  All praise to God for deliverance!

Photo: Monument to those who fought slavery in the US Virgin Islands, St. Thomas