As Easy As the Door

As a very young man, I memorized 1 Corinthians 10:13, and I still remember it today: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (NKJV).

In other words, there’s always a way out of every temptation. In what we often call the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus tells us to pray, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Luke 11:4 NKJV).

The “evil one” refers to Lucifer, or the Devil. And we cannot overcome him in our own strength.

When we pray, “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one,” we’re saying, “Lord, don’t allow me to walk into a situation that would overwhelm me and cause me to sin. But deliver me from temptation and any trap the Devil has set for me.”

It’s really an acknowledgment of human weakness. We’re saying, “I know I could sin. Lord, help me.”

We cannot completely remove ourselves from temptation. Otherwise, we would have to leave the planet. And even if we managed to do that, we still wouldn’t be able to get away from it. That’s why we need God’s help.

The Devil is powerful, but he needs our cooperation. So, don’t tell me that you can’t get out of the trap you’re in. Don’t tell me you can’t stop doing whatever it is that you’re doing. Don’t tell me that, because there’s a way out—if you want to take it.

Temptation will follow us wherever we go, but there is always a way out. And sometimes, the way out is as simple as walking out the door.